Very High Ph Level

[joanne_464]

I have just done my regular water test and found my PH Level has jumped right up to 9.5 from 7.5.. does anyone know why and what i can do about it ?

Please help...

 

[WILDER]

Size of tank in gallons or litres.
How many fish and which type.
Water stats in ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and ph.
How long has the tank been set up.
What substrate do you have in the tank.
What your tap ph.
What the make of the test kit you used.

Might be better of posting this in tropical discussion more members go over there.

 

[joanne_464]

The tank is 120 litres, i have 5 neon tetras, 2 yoyo loach, 1 male fighter fish, 2 honey guarmi, 2 full grown female guppy's, small fire eel, african clawed frog and a plec but i also have 8 six week old guppy's and 20 one week old guppy's in a breeding net.
The ammonia showed as 0, the nitrite was 0.2 , the nitrate is 20 and the ph is 9.5.. and the PH for the tap water is 7.5

The tank has been set up for a while now and all my levels had settled down

and i have fine gravel

 

[WILDER]

The tanks slightly overstocked and your water stats are telling you that.
I would do a water change.
What test kit are you using, also check if its out of date.

 

[shelaghfishface]

have you added any wood or anything new to your tank? even stones of any kind??

 

[WILDER]

I know bogwood lowers ph not sure about other woods.

 

[joanne_464]

its the essential mini master from nutrafin and the expiery date is 01/12/2012
would you recomend giveing the 20 babies away ???

 

[shelaghfishface]

yes sorry my mistake, its shells/coral etc that raise it , tho not fast, its more very graduall

 

[joanne_464]

i have just changed the gravel at weekend would that change it ??

 

[WILDER]

List everything in your tank even ornaments as something raising your ph.
Or your test kit wrong, do another test but steralise the little container first in boiling water.
Yes phone the lfs to see if they would take the fry off your hands.

What type of gravel is it not limestone is it.

 

[joanne_464]

im not sure if its limestone its tiny gravel black and white coloured i will just go and sterilise the test tube then i will do another test and let you know give me 2 mins

 

[drobbyb]

im not sure if its limestone its tiny gravel black and white coloured i will just go and sterilise the test tube then i will do another test and let you know give me 2 mins

It could be that gravel if it was the only thing replaced prior to the pH spike. There are several gravel types that will raise your pH. Do you happen to have the bag still?

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
I would copy and paste your thread and post in tropical discussion more members going over there and some science boffs lol.

 

[joanne_464]

no i threw it away and iv just sterilised the test tube and did the test again iv now got a lower reading of 8.0 i think i may go to my lfs and get a another water test done see if they get the same reading and give them my fry

 

[WILDER]

Where did you get the gravel from?
I agree it could be your substrate if the ph has only risen since adding it.
Only used nutrafin nitrite test kit and the colour chart was hard to read.
What colour is the ph chart do some colours look the same.
Also are the fish ok.