As many of you know, we had to recycle our tank. While the tank was cycling our water was a consistent 8.6 or so. Once the tank finished cycling our pH dropped down to 6.0 which is no big deal since we keep Amazonian fish.
However, a few weeks after our tank got cycled we had a problem with our pH dropping. We went to our local LFS and the owner told us to stop using Topfin Dechlorinator as this was bumping down our pH. He sold us Prime instead and said that it would help boost the pH along with dechlorinating our tap water. He even showed us a water test where he'd done a pH reading, then put the Prime in and the color in the vile changed. We stopped using our Topfin and used the Prime instead and the pH started going up.
But now we're having a problem with rapid pH flectuations. We went on vacation a few weeks ago and were gone for six days. The pH in the tank was 6.5 when we left. I left instructions for my father on how to take care of the tank and when we came back home the water was at 5.0 in just six days and all the new fish we had just bought were dead. I cleaned the tank and did some partial water changes and got the tank back up to 6.0.....three days later and its down to 5.5. As said, I know pH falls overtime, but I thought this was unusual so I went back to the same LFS as the first time.
We talked to a lady this time and she said that offentimes pH and ammonia are intertwined. We had an ammonia testing kit but its at least 10 years and probably expired so we bought a new one. I tested the ammonia this afternoon, followed the directions in the pamphlet and let it sit for 20 minutes for the colors to change. The test kit said there was no ammonia.
I really don't know where to go. I've been doing partial water changes whenever the pH starts to drop, the tank is gravel vaced at least once a week, the filter is efficent, there's no ammonia, the fish finish eating their food within 5-10 minutes. No one can seem to find why our pH is so low, or why it drops so rapidly.
As stated, I have Amazonian fish, but I'd like the pH to be between 6.0 and 7.0, not 5.0. Our fish that we have now can tolerate the rapid flectuations, but any new fish we get dies.
Any ideas on what might be causing the rapid flecuations in pH and how to fix it?
However, a few weeks after our tank got cycled we had a problem with our pH dropping. We went to our local LFS and the owner told us to stop using Topfin Dechlorinator as this was bumping down our pH. He sold us Prime instead and said that it would help boost the pH along with dechlorinating our tap water. He even showed us a water test where he'd done a pH reading, then put the Prime in and the color in the vile changed. We stopped using our Topfin and used the Prime instead and the pH started going up.
But now we're having a problem with rapid pH flectuations. We went on vacation a few weeks ago and were gone for six days. The pH in the tank was 6.5 when we left. I left instructions for my father on how to take care of the tank and when we came back home the water was at 5.0 in just six days and all the new fish we had just bought were dead. I cleaned the tank and did some partial water changes and got the tank back up to 6.0.....three days later and its down to 5.5. As said, I know pH falls overtime, but I thought this was unusual so I went back to the same LFS as the first time.
We talked to a lady this time and she said that offentimes pH and ammonia are intertwined. We had an ammonia testing kit but its at least 10 years and probably expired so we bought a new one. I tested the ammonia this afternoon, followed the directions in the pamphlet and let it sit for 20 minutes for the colors to change. The test kit said there was no ammonia.
I really don't know where to go. I've been doing partial water changes whenever the pH starts to drop, the tank is gravel vaced at least once a week, the filter is efficent, there's no ammonia, the fish finish eating their food within 5-10 minutes. No one can seem to find why our pH is so low, or why it drops so rapidly.
As stated, I have Amazonian fish, but I'd like the pH to be between 6.0 and 7.0, not 5.0. Our fish that we have now can tolerate the rapid flectuations, but any new fish we get dies.
Any ideas on what might be causing the rapid flecuations in pH and how to fix it?
