tap water reads a ph of 7.2

[qjim206]

tap water reads a ph of 7.2 but when added to tanks it reads a ph between 6.0 and 6.6 and reason for this?

 

[B75]

Do you have any bogwood in your tank or any peat in your filter, normally these can lower your ph.

 

[pnyklr3]

What kind of substrate are you using, what other deocrations do you have in the tank? Any aeration?

 

[for_my_fish]

How long has your tank been running , and do you clean the gravel? I had dropping ph until I started cleaning the gravel as part of water changing.

What is your PH in the tank before doing the water change.

 

[qjim206]

no i dont have any peat or bog wood in any of the tanks. OK,
IN THE 72G
one large plastic rock,natural small gravel,penn plax x5 air pump

in the 55g
plastic plants various sizes,small gravel,penn plax x4 air pump

20 gal
no plants,small plastic arches,natural gravel ,marineland airmaster 2000 air pump

10g
various silk plants,plastic small bridge,plastic shelf system,marineland airmaster 1000 air pump

 

[qjim206]

i vacuume when i change water every time. ph always @ 6-6.6 i added crushed coral and that brung it up so now it stays around 6.6 but no better. didnt add that much tho, was told to stay away fron ph up or down cause it only last a couple of days is that correct?

 

[B75]

???

After seeing what each tank contains I can't understand why it has lowered. I know that there are products out there that raise the ph level to the acquired reading, I think its called ph plus or ph adjust.

 

[reg2k2]

told to stay away fron ph up or down cause it only last a couple of days is that correct?

As I understand it, these products add a base/acid to the water, which will temporarily change things, but the natural buffer (KH) will continue to work against these to bring things back to where they were.

Might check the KH...too low = pH drops.

didnt add that much tho

How much? I have maybe a handful in a mesh bag in my filter, does the job for me.


....which brings us to filters. I only see air pumps listed above?....is this to say they are all run on undergravel??
What are your other readings?

 

[qjim206]

as of yet i havent been checking nitrates but ammonia is steady @ 0 and nitrites are the same (0) no to a certan extent thay are partialy run on ug filters but not the primary sorce of filtration.all have hang on filters and some canister.i to have about a hand full in each filter raised it a little but not much.