pH levels too low

[fishwatcher]

Are you sure???

 

[Torrean]

yes a ph of approx. 6.4 is just fine your fish will adapt ok. They might appreciate a higher ph but they should do fine in what you have. It is more dangerous to mess with PH then have a low PH. As long as it isn't too low.

EDIT: one thing to be careful of is when you add new fish make sure to acclimatise them properly because your LFS may have a higher PH than you do. don't just float them. test the ph in the bag and if it is close then you'll be ok but if not then add 1/4-1/2 of a cup of tankwater to the bag over an hour to acclimatise them. Then they should be ok.

 

[fishwatcher]

ok, then, thanks a lot! I hate being so new to this and having to ask so many questions. But the lfs don't seem to really know much about their "profession". Thank God there's a forum like this.

 

[Torrean]

ok, then, thanks a lot! I hate being so new to this and having to ask so many questions. But the lfs don't seem to really know much about their "profession". Thank God there's a forum like this.

That is what I said when I found out how stupid I was. I won't go into details I'll just leave it at I listened to my lfs guy.

 

[fishwatcher]

Thanks for all the help!!!

 

[rdd1952]

EDIT: one thing to be careful of is when you add new fish make sure to acclimatise them properly because your LFS may have a higher PH than you do. don't just float them. test the ph in the bag and if it is close then you'll be ok but if not then add 1/4-1/2 of a cup of tankwater to the bag over an hour to acclimatise them. Then they should be ok.

This is very good advice and also where it would REALLY be great to have a liquid test kit. You should always test the pH of the water in the bag from the LFS. I bought some angels a few weeks ago and was shocked when I tested the LFS water and found that it was off the chart low, 6.0 at a maximum and probably lower than that. My tank was at 7.2 so I spent over 3 hours with a timer set adding 6 oz of tank water to the bag every 10 minutes so I could gradually raise the pH. The bag filled up 3 times but I would just empty some back into the tank and start adding again. Even that was probably raising it a little too quick but I didn't have many options. If I had floated them for 15 minutes to acclimate them to the temperature and then turned them loose, they all would have died from pH shock. Moral of story: When you buy new fish, test the LFS water in the bag and your tank water to see how different they are and acclimate slowly.

 

[fishwatcher]

I would have never thought of that! Thanks!!!

 

[reg2k2]

Test the KH (alkalinity) of your tap. If it's the same (20ppm), the carbonate hardness is very low. At this level, you should see the pH in your tank drop over time. Have a look at the link posted by iggy, this should help explain.

If the tap measures the same, add a handful crushed coral in a mesh bag to the filter...this should stabilize things. As mentioned, seashells or baking soda are other options.

If the tap measures higher, pref. above 80ppm, something in the tank may be causing the difference.

 

[fishwatcher]

The kh is the same from the tap. I am wondering if I need to raise it though, primarily for the ADFs I have. I have a few seashells in the tank itself, but they don't seem to make any difference.

 

[fishwatcher]

how and how much/often do you add baking soda or the coral?

 

[reg2k2]

That first site recommends 1tsp/gal. to raise KH 4degrees. Think I've seen 1/2 - 1tsp.
With baking soda, you will adjust & test the water before adding it to the tank. Any replacemt water will need to be adjusted, too.

With coral, it slowly dissolves into the water, so as far as measuring, I don't see that you really need to. Initially, I think I covered the surface of the filter at maybe 1/2in. thick. A handful or two should do. I think I've replaced/replenished it avg once a year.

Note: Baking soda will only raise KH.
Coral will raise GH as well as KH. I think this is only a concern if you plan on breeding.

Not sure what you mean about the frogs. The seashells should work same as the coral, maybe just not enough?

 

[fishwatcher]

Well, I had read somewhere that frogs need a neutral pH, I'm assuming because they are scaleless. So I'm thinking maybe my water is too acidic for them. They act fine in it, I just didn't know if there would be long-term problems for them because of it. Maybe I'll find a few more seashells and throw in just in case.

 

[simonbrown403]

Your main problem is your buffering capacity KH (alcalinity), to stop the PH swings you will need to do more frequent water changes, this will help to keep up your KH up and in turn your PH stable.

Like said in prevous posts why not stick to specise that like low PH, that way least you will not constantly be altering your PH.

If you have to raise your PH i sujest filtering your water through coral gravel, but you will have to alter your tap water at every water change, before you add it to your tank.

I keep discus, which love soft acidic water, the PH in my tank is 6.4 and the KH/GH is so low it dos'nt show up on my test kit.

To stop my PH from crashing i do a 30% water change weekly, i also have a tenis ball size of coral grave in a stocken placed in my filter to help keep at least some buffer KH (my tank is a 300ltr/66gal)

have a look at THIS SITE should help you understand

 

[rdd1952]

My KH is 1 so my pH tended to drop. I now keep a filter bag of crushed coral hanging in the 29 and 75 gallon tanks all the time. You will have to experiment by only adding a small amount. A teaspoonful is about all I have in my 29 gallon and it stays about 6.8. I probably have about 3 or 4 tsp on the 75 gallon but that tank also has driftwood in it. The pH there stays right at 7.0. In the small tanks, I just drop a small pinch in the regular filter. Once you put it in, you won't have to do anything with it or add any more for quite a while. My 75 gallon has been running like that for 2 months and I haven't touched it since I put it in there. As I said before, experiment with a little at a time. You don't want to raise the pH too quickly and harm the first.

Now, having said all that, unless you have driftwood, CO2 injection or something like that to cause the pH to drop quickly, you shouldn't have to worry about it. You will put enough new water in duriing weekly water changes to keep it up.

 

[fishwatcher]

Well, my normal pH is 6.4, which I think may be a little too acidic. It doesn't fluctuate pretty much at all. Should I still add the coral?