ph is 6

[Torrean]

the ph in my tank has plumeted from 7.3 to 6. The water from the tap is 7.5. What do I do. I HAVE to do a water change tommorrow. What do I do. I posted this in beginner's first but it really is an emergency.

 

[isu_guy]

first- breath. its usually not as bad as you think it is... and this case is the same way ph of 6 is not a catostrophic problem.

2nd - Increase areation in your tank. if there is too much CO2 it can cause carbonic acid and lower ph.

3rd - if you want you could add just the smallest amount of baking soda (new stuff not something that has been in your sneakers or anything) to the water as you change it in. a small amount of baking soda will increase the kh of the water so it is harder for it to change ph. (Enough of it and it will buffer to 8.2 or so)

good luck

 

[Mr Miagi]

If it wasnt a sudden change, your fish have probably experienced this change of pH before you even tested the water way before now. I would focus more on what is causing the drop. Prevention is always beter than cure.

So whats in your tank and do u have any idea on whats causing the drop?

 

[Torrean]

I have two airstones that combined run the length of the tank. Along with a hob filter. I don't think they could take anymore bubbles.

I know that a ph of 6 is not the end of the world but it changed in like a week and a half. Will adding water with a ph of 7.6 be catastrophic.

Can I add a seashell instead of baking soda. Do I add the baking soda to the tank or the water for the water change? how much baking soda? a teaspoon or a tablespoon?


edit: I know exactly what caused the drop. Distilled water. I am switching to tap tommorrow. (if I can. 6-7.6 is a big difference.)

another edit: my tank list is in my profile. or were you looking for something else. It's the 29 gallon btw

edit 3: I'm sorry i'm just panicking because a pleco died today or yesterday, and I really really really really want to save the other fish/amphibians/inverts.

 

[nc_nutcase]

I don't really know what fish can take as far as fluctuation in PH but I know it isn't good for them. My local tap is 6.2'ish although my 55 Gal has a PH of 6.8 due to the substrate I use. Also due to the fragility of my fish I choose to do small (5 Gal) water changes every 1-2 days. If (like today) I do feel a need to do larger water changes I typically add a bucket of water each time I remove one, and do this multiple times. This will allow the PH alteration to develop slowly allowing the fish to acclimate.

 

[Torrean]

how slowly. like change a bucket every half hour? about a gallon per change?

btw the tank has some live plants so i don't think the co2 is the problem but hey what do I know I let my ph get down to 6 before I noticed it.

 

[nc_nutcase]

I often do water changes by setting my bath tub faucet to the proper temp (fortunately mine will hold a temp for a long time) and add water while simultaneously siphoning it off. I have a system set up to do so with 3 5 gal buckets. I just used this method earlier this evening and tested my PH both before and after. It had changed less than .2 . This was doing an approx 50% water change (preparing the aquarium for the Cockatoos that are due in Thrs).

 

[Torrean]

impressive how do you do gravel vacs while performing this juggling act.

edit: i'm going to bed now, please please post any thoughts on what to do because I have to do a water change tommorrow. I will be on here at around 12:45 so please post before then.

 

[rdd1952]

It sounds as if you know what caused the problem. Do you know what the KH of your tap water is? If you have some buffering capacity, you shouldn't have to do much to keep it stable once you switch over to tap water. Just do the switch slowly as nc_nutcase has described. Since you are going to be raising it quite a bit, I think I would do it over several days, maybe 5 gallon a day for a week or until you get it to where you want it. If you have access to some crushed coral, you could maybe put some in a filter bag and hang it in the tank to help slowly raise it too. Just keep in mind that if you're adding water that is 7.4 pH to water that is 6.0 pH (could possibly be lower if the color is the lowest on chart), adding 5 gallon to a 29 gallon tank (16%) will probably raise the pH about .2. I don't think you should raise it much more than that at once.

 

[sinistral]

If you are correct that distilled water is the problem (and I feel that it probably is too), I would do nothing more than a series of 10% water changes, either once a day or once every other day (as nc_nutcase and rdd1952 have described).

One point where I will offer a different opinion: If your tank is mostly distilled water now, it has no buffering capacity. Adding anything to change pH other than tap water (which contains buffers) is likely to change the pH more rapidly than you would like.

The faster you change the pH, the worse it will be for your fish. Fish are tolerant of gradual changes (to a point).

So, my advice would be to stick with the water changes and don't add anything else.

 

[isu_guy]

i agree with what others have said.

switch to tap water
do many small water changes to hopefully bring the kh and ph up slowly.
(if you can do the water changes themselves slowly - I set the new water bucket higher than the tank and syphon back into the tank so the new water is added slowly)

I can't offer you any exact measurements for baking soda if you wish to use it, but I'd say the best way is to start small and continually increase until your water tests stay where you want them to. Start with maybe 1/8 of a teaspoon in your 10% water change(you said it was a 29 gallon right?). Do 1/8 of a teaspoon for 3 or 4 changes and if things still aren't staying stable up it to 1/4.

I've never used crushed coral, baking soda is just so cheap I never had the urge to use other stuff.

good luck.... I had the exact same problem (low kh) except I was using tap water. Its fixable. go slow.

 

[Torrean]

thanks a lot guys. I'm going to go do the water change now. I really appreciate the advice.