Ph Dropped

[190MPH]

As you may know from my previous posts, the KH of my tank had been dipping very slowly. When I did a pH check today, it had dropped to 6.6 from 7.8. I am literally a day or 2 from my large water change and adding fish(waiting for the stock to arrive at the LFS). So I added 3 tsp of baking soda to the tank(72g) to see where this brings me back to. I figured this would be a good time to see what the results were BEFORE I add fish. This should not adversely affect my cycle, correct? And if I do weekly water changes, the KH/pH should not really have the chance to drop much right? My pH comes out of the tap at 7.6 and outgasses to 7.8-8. KH is around 4.5 from the tap. If the water does seem to want to trend down once I have fish, is adding baking soda going to be part of the weekly(less or more) routine? Sorry for the long post, I just want to learn from your experiences and apply them to mine.

 

[OldMan47]

You can use baking soda in a tank with fish but it is a very fast way to change the KH and pH of a tank. I don't much like anything that acts that quickly in a tank that has fish in it. A safer way to go would be crushed coral/crushed shells in the filter. The calcium carbonate tha6t makes up most shells will slowly dissolve over time and hold the pH of the tank higher and more stable. It will also raise the KH of the water a little.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

i'd suggest with a KH of 4.5 that you won't need to worry about it when you've got fish in the tank.

it's different when you're cycling as opposed to when you're stocked.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, agree that crushed coral is the method of choice, not baking soda, once you've got fish, IF you decide to do it. If your tap water settles in to a pH of 7.8 to 8 with a KH of 4.5 as you say, then you are just over the line (4) I'd say where you could just use water changes. The cycling process drives the KH and pH downward more strongly than normal post-cycling tank operation will. If you don't have ammonia or nitrate in your tap water then often if you up your weekly change percentage to, say, 50%, as opposed to 30%, you'll help keep KH and pH up.

It really depends on your goals for pH and KH, but sometimes as a beginner, it takes time before you really know what those goals should be, since they are different, depending on fish and plant goals, for different hobbyists. In your case it looks that either the water change route or the crushed coral route would work and it will ultimately depend on the development of your goals.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[drobbyb]

Agree with WD. Waterchanges might be a better option for you.

 

[190MPH]

Thanks everyone. As usual, you've been informative and helpful. I will closely monitor the parameters after the fish arrive. If larger water changes are all it may take, I can certainly live with that ! Time will tell, stay tuned!

 

[waterdrop]

And if you DO end up deciding you need to go the crushed coral route later, drobbyb is experienced. (He's the person I plan to ask when I finally give in and start doing it. )

~~waterdrop~~

 

[drobbyb]

And if you DO end up deciding you need to go the crushed coral route later, drobbyb is experienced. (He's the person I plan to ask when I finally give in and start doing it. )

~~waterdrop~~

Anytime is a good time for me! That is when I can wrestle the wife away from the computer...