Low Ph- Will Fish Be Ok?

[Wanderer]

I'm about to risk making myself late for work because I'm going to do a 12% water change for my tanks as I did a test this morning and the PH level has sunk quite low, not sure exactly but under the reccomended 6.5. I put some "Mopani driftwood" in last night, and the tanins in it have turned the water brown, so I thought I'd do a test. The water change will hopefully help a bit. The other thing I am using is Ammo Lock- does anyone know if this can affect PH? Will the low PH harm my fish? (Garra Rufa fish).

 

[Noahs ark6]

The driftwood will have the effect of lowering the pH, what was the pH before it sunk?
Most commonly kept community fish be ok in that pH, so don't worry too much at the moment

 

[Moby-Krib]

I agree with Noahs ark6,
The quick swing is what would worry me not so much the exact reading.
What size tank and how big a piece of wood? Did you soak it b4 adding to tank? if so how long?

It may affect your ph for sometime depending..

 

[Wanderer]

The ph is usually somewhere around 7.

I didn't soak the driftwood, but I think it was wrong that the aquatic supplier didn't warn in their description that it would lower the PH. I've read that a PH under 6.5 is bad for fish. I am not sure how low exactly it got because it was even paler than the lowest box on the colour chart.

I have performed a 48% water change today in TOTAL (a quarter of this early this morning, my husband did another quarter around midday and I did another half of the total amount changed just now when I got in from work). The PH now looks acceptable, somewhere around 6.5 or a little higher. I used plenty of Stress Zyme as well as the right amount of conditioner for the water etc.

Just really annoying that I bought that driftwood for the fish trusting that it would be safe for them. I've already been trying my best to increase their health after a spike in ammonia levels (being very inexperienced at keeping fish).

 

[Gvilleguy]

I think the prevailing opinion is that most farmed community fish are tolerant of a fairly wide pH range, and can get used to almost any level. 6.5 is not low for most fish, but not sure what you have stocked. My tank hangs around 6.4 and the fish don't seem to have trouble with it. (list of my fish in my signature) It's more dangerous when the level of pH changes rapidly.

 

[phoenixgsd]

our tap water is is bearly 6.2 and my fish are fine with that

 

[Wanderer]

My ammonia was high again this morning.

I just read that a low ph can destroy the good bacteria.

The tank that had the biggest piece of driftwood in had the highest amount of ammonia (6) whereas the tank that has double the amount of fish but a smaller piece of driftwood only had half this ammount. I added some Ammo Lock.

Poor fish....I'm trying to get them healthy and get things to improve their quality of life and failing miserably!

I just hope that the low ph hasn't done too much damage to the acteria in my filter!

 

[fluttermoth]

A low pH won't kill your bacteria; they just might not reproduce so quickly.

Water changes are your best friend right now to keep the ammonia levels down. One big change is better than a few smaller ones.

 

[phoenixgsd]

A low pH won't kill your bacteria; they just might not reproduce so quickly.

oh yes i remember that reeeeaaaalllllly long fishless cycle i did