My Ph Dropped To 6.4!

[blackfinshark_3]

well I've had the Co2 running in my 10g and my 35g for 1-2days and the pH in my 10g have dropped to 6.4

the pH in my 35g is still 7.0

well my beloved puffer is dying away sitting on the bottom breathing hard and hes not looking to good. I know this was risky but I put him in the 35g to save him and save me some time.

he is a figure eight and hes in freshwater right now(I know I know) I believe it is obvious that the Co2 has brought the pH down and is the reason of my puffers change in health.

the 35g only has 3 khuli loaches in it and they always hide in the driftwood so he has it to himself(fully cycled of course)

I think I may have done something wrong with the Co2 mixture:
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon activated yeast
then I did the whole process with putting the yeast in a cup of tepid water and blah blah blah.

before I put the Co2 in the tanks(from the 2ltr bottles of course ) I tested the water parameters just in case. Everything was at zero and the pH of both tanks was at 7.0

what should I do to save my 10g? and my puffer? I've been told baking soda and I'm willing to do some waterchanges.

I want to keep the Co2 if possible since its really helping the plants.

please help,time is of the essence

 

[Bloo]

Oh dear not good when I introduced CO2 it plummeted my pH from something like 8.2 down to 7.4 in a matter of hours and I lost a catfish. What is your kH ? That's is very important to know when introducing CO2. I've never done DIY CO2 so I'm afraid I can't help you out there. I've only used the packets from the Hagen Nutrifin system.

You should have an optimum CO2 level of 30 - 35 ppm. If you don't already, use Chuck's Planted Aquarium Calculator - obviously in a planted tank

 

[blackfinshark_3]

i have no clue about the KH but it is the ph that is worrying me,would it hurt to do a waterchange?

 

[Bloo]

I know the pH is worrying you, but it's very very important to know your kH when dealing with CO2 - your kH will give you a very good indication of how much buffer your water has and is pretty much imperative to working out your CO2 levels. A low kH = a low buffer = (potential) drastic pH swings. A high kH = a high buffer = more difficult to adjust pH and a whole lot more stable than with a low kH.

Why did you introduce CO2 ? Was it just to drop your pH or because you will have a fully planted tank ?

If you have a very low kH, your pH might drop even further. I suggest a small water change and keep a close eye on your pH.

I suggest you also download that calculator and find out what your CO2 levels are.

If for instance you have a kH of 12 and your current pH of 6.4, you have dangerously high CO2 levels of 143ppm.

But if you have a kH of 3 with a pH of 6.4 your CO2 levels are absolutely fine at 36ppm.

 

[blackfinshark_3]

alright well i dont have a KH tester so i guess ill have to go out and get one right? alright

and yes i used the Co2 since both my tanks will be heavily planted

 

[j0rzeh]

Use tuffa rock to buffer your PH or oyster shell

if your from the uk near manchester i sell both of thease items in my shop just look for the aquaium in the yellow pages.

 

[Bloo]

Use tuffa rock to buffer your PH or oyster shell

if your from the uk near manchester i sell both of thease items in my shop just look for the aquaium in the yellow pages.

But if the water has a kH of 12 already (hypothetically speaking) no buffer is needed The CO2 output simply needs to be lowered.

With CO2 injection my own pH has dropped from 8.4 down to 6.9 with a kH of about 12 (and so I had to reduce my CO2 output to keep within the optimum levels and have my pH at 7 so that my CO2 levels are round 33ppm).

What is your bubble rate at the moment ?

 

[rdd1952]

Since you say he is on the bottom breathing hard, I strongly suspect that the pH drop isn't really the problem. The introduction of CO2 means there is less oxygen in the water. I think that is more likely the problem. There was a thread last week about experiments that suggested that lowering the pH didn't have any negative effect on fish. Whether you believe it or not, it would make sense that the pH crash we think kills our fish is actually not the issue hearly as much as the fact that all the oxygen is forced from the water leaving the fish with none to breate. If you haven't already, you should get him out of the tank with the CO2 and into a tank with plenty of oxygen (or drop an airstone into his tankalthough that defeats the prupose of CO2).

 

[Miss Dib Dabs]

Remove the CO2. Seriously. I have never used it any tank and my plants do just fine without. In fact those in my 35g do far too well! Am constantly having to cut them back and whatnot. It really isn't worth losing your puffer over some plants imo.
Hugs,
P.

 

[blackfinshark_3]

2 late,jus got back from work.

didnt make it....

 

[jimbooo]

sorry to disagree but co2 will have very little effect on oxygen content of the water. i cant remember the reason i'm afraid but the 2 are not directly linked. adding co2 does not force o2 out of solution (in the quantities we are talking about anyway)

the PH will be the problem.

too late now anyway, sorry for your loss.

 

[pseud]

What Jim said.

 

[Angry_Platy]

Agree with jim here.

The fact that plants pearl in my tank where I have CO2 between 30 and 40ppm is testament to there being enough oxygen in the water. Plants will only pearl when the oxygen in the water is so high that no more can dissolve into solution.