Ph Fluctuation

notg2009 · Jan 23, 2011

Hi all,
After having a pH of 7.8 for a long long time, my pH dropped to 6.4!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (I use API MASTER KIT)

I added a rock that I had bought from a lfs to my tank and noticed a great drop in pH, so I did a water change which pulled the pH back up to 7.4, but again it went down to 6.4. Well it is obvious that the rock is the main source of H ions, but the thing is that my plants have been growing faster and my fish are much more active!!!! what should I do? should I take the rock out? I don't want to do water changes every day, but have found an increase in ammonia levels from 0 to 0-0.25 (yellow to light green). Also I think my inca snail is not very happy with the change, but I will observe him more!

Please take a look at my signature for more info on my tank.

THANKS.

UPDATE: I checked the recommended pH for my fish and all are ok in a pH range of 5-7, so maybe it is better to have a pH of 6.4. The only problem would be with the inca snail as recommended pH is around 7-8.

I appreciate any comments.

N0body Of The Goat · Jan 23, 2011

Did you do a "vinegar test" on the new rock (add a few drops, if it fizzes then rock is bad idea) before adding it to the tank?

To be absolutely certain that it is the rock causing the pH crash, partially fill a bucket that can hold the rock with tap and allow it to settle for ~24 hours (any carbon dioxide and chlorine should then hopefully disappate). Test the pH of the bucket's water after this period, add the rock and then monitor the pH every ~24 hours.

notg2009 · Jan 23, 2011

Thanks for the reply. Just did the vinegar test and no fizzing!! at the lfs they told me that it is a "treated rock," (whatever that means). I put the rick in a bucket of treated tap water and will leave it 'till tomorrow.

I was reading about my fish here and I think a pH of 6.4 is actually very good for my fish! Should I keep the rock in, if I found out that it was the source of H ions?

Thanks

notg2009 · Jan 24, 2011

UPDATE: The water with the stone has a pH of 7.6!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and the pH in the tank keeps dropping!!!! The pH of tap water is 7.8, and I did a water change last night, but still the pH is low around 6.4. These are the inhabitant of the tank:

FISH:
7 rasboras
5 neons
5 glow light
2 peppered corys
2 albino corys
1 inca snail

PLANTS:
Elodea/Egeria Densa
2 water lilies (grew fast recently)
2 cryptos
1 anubias

HARDWARE:
1 decoration cave (plastic?)
gravel bed
long air stone (bubble curtain)
Penguin Bio Wheel 200
Heater @ ~79F (~26)