Ph Help!

[TiffanyJayne]

I have 1 tank out of all 19 that has never had a problem, no deaths, no white spot, nothing it's like the perfect tank.

I've just moved my fish around over the last week or so and have just moved a few cichlids in there, i've never worried about my PH because my fish seem to thrive and look more colourful and active than in any shop so i assumed it was ok, After doing a water change and checking all stats i've now realised my PH is down to 6.4 and i need it up to about 8.
Straight out of the tap i'm at 7.4 but no matter how many changes i do it doesn't seem to be coming up any, infact it's going down.

I have some API ph up but i hate putting chemicals in the tanks without it being critical and am hoping theres another way, otherwise if i need to keep topping up it will prove very expensive and i might have to sell the fish in it.


Any help appriciated, i know to get it down some people use lemon juice however im not sure the fish appriciate it.

 

[PDSimon]

You first need to find why its so low... rather than trying how to find out how to bring it up

Lets start with... Whats in the tank, what do you add to it etc

I take it they're african cichlids?


My tank is the same, it has a ph of 6 but my tap is 7.5, this is because of my bogwood and that the water has a low buffering capacity but my south american cichlids prefer it that way

 

[TiffanyJayne]

You first need to find why its so low... rather than trying how to find out how to bring it up

Lets start with... Whats in the tank, what do you add to it etc

I take it they're african cichlids?


My tank is the same, it has a ph of 6 but my tap is 7.5, this is because of my bogwood and that the water has a low buffering capacity but my south american cichlids prefer it that way

a rock, a peice of bogwood, a air stone and malawi cichlids.It has a 10% water change twice a week, no chemicals except tapesafe.

The fish in it before were tetras and gouramis, the same set up with live plants.

 

[PDSimon]

Is there much bogwood?

Your best bet is probably broken coral and those rocks they use in the malawi tanks

There are some articles in the beginners section involving pH and coral

 

[TiffanyJayne]

Is there much bogwood?

Your best bet is probably broken coral and those rocks they use in the malawi tanks

There are some articles in the beginners section involving pH and coral

Brill thank you very much i shall go search for it.
Theres one peice it's not overly large and only in there for the bristle nose.

 

[PDSimon]

its normally called crushed coral btw, not broken