Ph adjustment

[Ramsey]

Should I remove my carbon filter if I'm adjusting the Ph?

 

[rdd1952]

Unless your pH is terribly high or low, I wouldn't try to adjust it because you will never have a stable pH. Most fish can adjust to what you have as long as it is constant. They have more problems with fluctuations and swings. What kind of fish are you keeping and what are your tap and tank pHs?

 

[shadow]

Playing with the ph can cause problems. You would have to play with it every time you did a water change also. My ph was semi high my my fish have adjusted.

 

[Ferris]

Yep, i wouldn't bother changing your Ph, its a nightmare to try and maintain. Most fish are bred in captivity now anyway rather than their natural environment and if they are OK in the tanks in your LFS, they will be ok in yours.

 

[rdd1952]

The one possible exception would be if you are trying to keep cichlids that need a higher pH. If that is the case, try aragonite sand or crushed coral but you will have to work with it to see how much affect it has. It would be best done in an empty tank. Get the tank stable at the pH you want before adding fish.

 

[Ferris]

The one possible exception would be if you are trying to keep cichlids that need a higher pH. If that is the case, try aragonite sand or crushed coral but you will have to work with it to see how much affect it has. It would be best done in an empty tank. Get the tank stable at the pH you want before adding fish.

Even Cichlids (i'm guessing your referring to Africans with the high ph mention) will be ok in an average ph tank, anywhere between 6-8. Yes their natural habitat has a high ph (around 8)but again, they are nearly all tank-bred and will do fine without changing the ph provided it is not abnormally high or low to begin with. If you buy your fish locally, chances are your LFS will have the same water as you and they very rarely treat their water with things like ph alterations.

 

[Ramsey]

My testing showed all other parameters were great but all my new Guppies died within a day. So I tested all again and this time incuded Ph. It was at a "Dangerous Level" according to the colour chart, around the 4.0. So I've started to use Ph Up to raise it to around 7.0. Can other things cause water Ph?

 

[rdd1952]

I can't imagine what could cause it to drop that low. Do you have any bogwood or peat moss in the tank? Have you recently added anything to your tanks such as new fish, fertilizer, chemicals? Have you tested your KH/GH (buffering capacity)? I would be very carefull adding chemicals like pH Up or Down but if you have fish, I guess you have to do something quickly. Be careful how fast you raise it though as anything very quick will also kill them.

 

[Ferris]

I can't believe your ph is that low, I'd do the test again, just to double check it. Adding certain rocks to the tank decor will naturally raise the ph but only slightly. In my African Cichlid tank, the ph went from just over 7 to 7.5 but I used a lot of rocks (ocean rock and rose quartz) for the aquascaping.

If your ph really is 4, you'll need to do some further research, fish won't survive in that but I really think there may be a problem with your test kit. I've never heard of it being that low before, I'm not sure that's good for human's, never mind fish

 

[Ramsey]

Too true. I've ordered another brand of test kit and some another company sell test strips. They should arrive in the next few days. My two remaining Bronze Corys have perked up since I started treating the water.

But I won't start adding more fish for quite some time until I find the cause. Keep the ideas coming as to what may be the cause.

Thanks all.

 

[rdd1952]

I wouldn't trust test strips. Get you a Master Test Kit from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. They are about $25 at Petsmart ($14.95 online). You can test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH and high pH. They are well worth the little bit more they cost over strips.

 

[Ferris]

Have you tested your tap water, that can't be ph 4 surely, but your tank water ph shouldn't vary much from your tap water. The dechlorinator only alters it slightly, if at all. It might be worth doing a large water change (50%) if your tap water is OK.

Bogwood will lower your ph a bit like rdd1952 says,so I'd remove it if you have any.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Ramsey]

I'm off to test my tap water. Good idea!

 

[Ramsey]

OK, 5ml of tap water, 7 drops of solution and .....neutral 7.0 ph!!

I added driftwood on the day I added the Guppies could that be doing it?

 

[Ramsey]

Would a 25% water change help?