Odd Request - Can Anyone Help Me Out?

[Crystalm1019]

Hi everyone - I hope someone here can help me out. For my college chemistry class, our final project was to be designed by each group on their own. My partner and I chose to measure the effects different components of an aquarium have on the aquarium environment.

Mostly, we noted the effects on the pH levels caused by a goldfish, live plant, gravel, and fish food. So we have our data. Now what we need is another source to sort of cross reference and compare. Does anyone have a link that might be helpful?

Just something that notes the effect of these things on pH levels would be great. Or if you even have any first hand personal information, that would be helpful as well. Have you found that adding a certain fish affects pH levels? A plant? Fish food?

Thanks so much! And I hope all that made some sense.

Crystal

 

[andyt_uk]

adding bog wood can release tannins into the water (the same stuff that you find in tea and red wines) - visually it can result in a pleasant brownish tinge to the water, chemically the tannins may reduce the pH slightly.
i am not aware of any plant or fish causing a change in pH - however if not well filtered a large dirty fish would produce more waste which would create more ammonia in the water, causing pH to rise..
some rocks would also affect pH
e.g rocks high in calcium carbonate content could cause the pH to.. erm... drop i think

 

[Crystalm1019]

Thanks a lot! Our experiment found that the fish decreased the pH levels in the water, a live plant increased the levels. Fish food lowered the levels significantly. And gravel increased it rather significantly.

That's interesting about the calcium carbonate. I did a quick search and what I read stated that it raises the pH levels. Hmm..I wonder what about that causes it to happen though? Thank you again!

 

[andyt_uk]

Thanks a lot! Our experiment found that the fish decreased the pH levels in the water, a live plant increased the levels. Fish food lowered the levels significantly. And gravel increased it rather significantly.

That's interesting about the calcium carbonate. I did a quick search and what I read stated that it raises the pH levels. Hmm..I wonder what about that causes it to happen though? Thank you again!

believe it or not i have a degree in chemistry - but i have slept and drunk since then
i must be getting my H+ or OH- mixed up... easily done..
i am guessing the fish wastes reduced the pH by producing more acidic solutions..nitrate (NO3-) would make water more acidic..

CaCO3 when dissolved in water doesnt do much, but if enough carbon dioxide is present you will get
CaCO3 +H20 + CO2 = Ca(HCO3)2 (calcium bicarbonate) which i think will create a more alkaline solution

 

[Crystalm1019]

Thank you so much! That is very interesting. A degree in Chemistry? I'll do good to get a decent grade in the class. I'm in the veterinary technology program.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

if you want a nice little 'aside' to your project you can also look at how the change in ph levels affects the fish, in some fish a ph drop/spike can cause them to start spawning


i don't think the gravle in istelf would have affected the ph, did you thoroughly wash it before it went in, more likely to be the dust or something like that in it that affected it. there are some substrates particularly one's designed to improve plant growth that will affect the ph loads, look into ADA Aqua Soil.

also adding a Co2 kit will cause the ph to drop (or is it kh, and this in turn causes the ph to drop.... not sure, the rlelationship between ph, gk & kh is a minefield for me!)

some people add a layer of peat to they're filter to lower ph

bogwood will lower ph but it's effects are only temporary.

why not also play around with the different filter medium and see what changes it. try adding bio balls, sponges, floss or carbon.

please ensure though that the filter medium is always mature and that your keeping an eye on the levels of ammonia and nitrite, you don't want to hurt poor goldie while your experimenting.

 

[Crystalm1019]

Oh I wish I'd have found you guys before we did this experiment. Such good info. Unfortunately we've already done our "hands on" part. Now it's just a matter of writing the report. So I thought it would be nice to get some info from other people, outside of our findings.

The things you mentioned are actually going to be very helpful for my report though. And goldie is now safely in my aquarium with the other goldfish. His lab fish days are over!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Oh I wish I'd have found you guys before we did this experiment. Such good info. Unfortunately we've already done our "hands on" part. Now it's just a matter of writing the report. So I thought it would be nice to get some info from other people, outside of our findings.

The things you mentioned are actually going to be very helpful for my report though. And goldie is now safely in my aquarium with the other goldfish. His lab fish days are over!

fair enough, it's a bit hard for us to give scientific evidence as our own tanks aren't controlled scientific experiements. there may be any number of factors influencing the chemistry at any time.

glad to hear the goldies fine!