Ph Dropping

[minirhyder]

Hey there
Not sure if this is an emergency or not, but I worry
On Thursday I did a routine water change.
Usually my pH hovers somewhere between 7.0 and 8.6.
After the water change however, my pH reading was somewhere around 6.8.
It's been dropping and now it's between 6.2 and 5.2.
I have a molly in there. What should I do?

 

[-germ-]

Are you currently cycling your tank?
Edit; what tester are you using liquid or strip?

 

[minirhyder]

I'm using Mardel LivePh

 

[-germ-]

Sorry not heard of that, liquid or strip, also are you cycling your tank?

 

[minirhyder]

I'm using one of these

And what do you mean by cycling. I thought cycling was done in new aquariums to prevent new tank syndrome?

 

[-germ-]

Cycling is most often associated with new tanks, and as you didn't mention the age of your tank or whether is cycled, i thought i'd ask.....
Cycling doesn't always effect new tanks, there can be mini-cycles on tanks brought on by various different stimuli or lack of....
Just starting from the simplest point first, which is when a tank undergoes a cycle the PH can be a bit loopy.
Have you made any recent additions to the tank, any change in your normal tank maintenance routine or change in product used.
If you are desperate you could use marine gravel as a buffer, into your filter, a tiny bit at a time say a teaspoons worth, then retest after 2 hours.
Realistically if your tank isn't cycling then there will be a reason this has happened, just trying to work out what?

 

[minirhyder]

My tank about...10 months old. And nope, I have not changed any products I use in months.
And I don't know if i should be deserate. I know if pH changes a bit, you shouldn't worry too much.
But it's dropping, and the changes are significant now.

 

[-germ-]

I'd get testing the nitrite, if there is any then you are undergoing a minicyle.
An excess of hydrogen ions caused by the nitrifying process can also lead to acidification(?) of your water.
I'd perform a 25% water change, re-test after an hour, the PH of your tap water will hopefully buffer your tank water up a little and if it is old tank syndrome dilute the hydrogen ions.
Could be an emergancy as sharp shifts in PH can cause stress or direct shock to the fish there are many illnesses commonly linked with your problem.
How often do you perform water changes and clean your filter pads?

 

[minirhyder]

About every two weeks.
I change about 40% of the water. And I don't use tap, I use poland spring

 

[rdd1952]

Those meters are terribly inaccurate. A good pH meter will run in the hundreds of dollars. I would get a good liquid master test kit so you can get more accurate results. The one you have says it has to be replaced every 4 to 6 weeks at a cost of $3.99 (on the website I found). You can buy an API pH test kit for amout $6 or $7 and it will last you a year or more. Knowing that your pH varies between 7 and 8.6 (or any other wide range like that) really tells you nothing. It's about like asking what the temperature is outside and someone saying it's between 40 and 90. Kind of hard to dress for that. You really want your pH to stay within about .2 + or - all the time.

Did the pH suddenly start to show the low reading after you changed the meter or did it change while the same meter was in the tank? Could be that the second one is faulty or that the first one is used up. Until you can get a good test with a liquid kit, it's really hard to tell what your problem may be or if you even have one.

 

[minirhyder]

I changed both the water and the meter.

Thanks everyone. I'll put in another meter, and then change some water.

 

[rdd1952]

Once again, I would advise getting rid of the meter. It really doesn't tell you anything to know your pH is in that range. You just as well leave it out. As long as the pH stayes stable (within a range of +\- .2 and you don't know whether it is or not) your fish will be fine. No use wasting your money on the meter. I almost never test my pH as it is really unimportant unless it starts to take large swings.