GeeTee Posted September 9, 2006 Report Share Posted September 9, 2006 My tap water is 8.8 but I can't get my tank above 7.2. Why is it so? The tank has a canister filter,no driftwood,round river rocks,standard gravel subtrate and 2 small bits of val. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted September 9, 2006 Report Share Posted September 9, 2006 Are you sure your tap water is 8.8 that is very high. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted September 9, 2006 Report Share Posted September 9, 2006 If it is highly stocked your pH could be dropping from the bioload. How hard is your water? Get a bucket of tap water then let it sit for 24 hrs, test the pH at the start and at the end. You may need to add a buffer such as baking soda or shell/bird grit if you want it to stay at 8.8 or similar. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeTee Posted September 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 The east coast of Australia is known for having high ph,apparently,but yes I tested it twice to be sure. I've had shell grit in the filter for about 2 months now and it still sits at 7.2.(It did come up from 6.4) I have some worm rock now to try off a mate with a salt water tank. I don't want it to be 8.8 but a bit higher would be good for my cichlids. The tank is 150x35x40cm The fish are Cobalt blue x5 approx 4 inches Flameback x3 approx 3 inches Kribensis x 1 approx 2.5 inches I wouldn't think that is a lot of fish in that tank? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiden Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 Perhaps the river rocks and normal substrate could be bringing the ph down and cancelling some of the buffers you have in the tank :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeTee Posted September 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 You wouldn't think so,but there is nothing else in the tank that would effect it really.I've kept the tank pretty simple. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I would go with no carbonate & general hradness in your water, as stated earlier. See if you can get this tested at your lfs. The Redcliffe shire in Brissie has the same problem. The ph out of the tap there is high, but there is no buffering capacity in the water, so as time goes by{usually only a week} the ph drops & keeps going down. The use of shell grit....as a substract is a good start but I know form testing a tank during the week that had only calcium carbonate as a substract; the carbonate hardness was only 100ppm. Theres a theory that over time algae grows over the substract & the buffering capacity gets less & less as time passes. Anyway, try this. http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeTee Posted September 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I was just looking at that article yesterday. Will try the worm rock I have if that doesn't work may have to try the buffer. I don't have the test for hardness so may have to try the lfs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herefishiefishie Posted September 10, 2006 Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 I always just throw a bit of epsom, bicarb & salt when I do water changes. The joys of it all is that it is all easily available nice & cheap. Frenchy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeeTee Posted September 10, 2006 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2006 You find this does the trick for you then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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