Ph Still Dropping

[HayzH]

Hi....sorry been offline for a few days.

I have been treating Tank 1 for Ich with Protozin. The piece of wood i've got in the tank (and has been fine until now) Has turned a bluish colour due to meds.

The fish have taken to pecking at the wood leaving little sucker marks everywhere?? Why would they do this?
This is making me think the wood is being exposed and its dropping the ph.
I've been doing 80-90% W/C's everyday to up the ph again. it has dropped to 6.0 at one point. even with the water changes i only got it up to 7.2.
I'm stuggling to keep the ph up..can i add bicarb with fish in there..i guess not I really don't want to remove the wood the cory's love it

HELP! Again

 

[eaglesaquarium]

NO! Bicarb would change the parameters too quickly. Crushed coral will raise it much slower. Add some to your filter in a small bag. The lower the pH, the quicker it will dissolve.

 

[HayzH]

thanks..will try to remember to get some next time in in the LFS. I gave the last dose of Protozin yesterday..after a w/c and this morning it was back down to 6.0 Another 80-90% change and i got it up to 7.4. *sigh*

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Could the meds the cause for the pH dropping so much? ANy one have experience with this?

I know that Hayz has very soft water, so something as small as that could possibly be the reason.

 

[HayzH]

i dunno...

The wood does look to be disintergrating. but all the fish (corys and platy's) are "pecking" at the wood pulling bits off??
It was the driftwood from near the beach..it was well soaked before use and only started to do this now.

why would they "peck" at wood?..i feed them 6/7. They are all happy swimming around and are all eating (i watch that they all have eaten something).

If anyone could help..would appreciate it.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

They will constantly look for food. There could be some algae growing on it, or something like that.

 

[HayzH]

i tested the water this evening after the big w/c i did this morning to get it up to 7.4. The PH had dropped to 6.6 again,
I have won some Crushed coral on fleabay, so as soon as i get that i will add it to the filter...
Where abouts do i actually put it? I have a Fluval U2 filter. I have replaced the carbon now the meds have finished..
I did a 95% (as much as possible) w/c,Removed all the stones and plants, did a good sand vac. I put my other piece of wood i've been soaking since August in there. IF the ph holds i know it was the meds on the wood, if it remains to fall then i'm stumped

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Just put it into a mesh bag and stuff it into the filter any way you can. The mesh bag is there just so that you can pull it out easily, if you need to.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

i dunno...

The wood does look to be disintergrating.

If the wood's disintegrating then that means it's being rapidly broken down by bacteria which acidifies the water and that is probably the cause of your unusually rapid drop of pH. Remove the wood!

 

[colleen0309]

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't a change in pH from 6.0 to 7.2 in the time it takes to do a water change very detrimental to the fish? I understand the need to raise it, but I think you may be raising it too fast.

 

[HayzH]

i have also read this since...but surely the DROP would be detrimental too?
Its a massive change in behaviour after the w/c's...from lethargic and looking half deceased....to....very happy (as if you can see them smiling) fishies.

I took the wood out and replaced with another piece ive been soaking since August and the PH has stablized again, so the meds must have been a factor.

 

[The Taffy Apple]

You're right there HazyH... on half a dozen occasions AFTER my fishless cycle was complete on the smaller of my tanks, the PH continued to crash. I found that filling the water back up after a W/C very slowly didn't have any effect what-so-ever.. in fact, it was as you just mentioned, their general 'letharcicy' dissappeared.

Terry.