Nicolette Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 My 55lt tank seems to constantly be on the rise ph wise. I have lost 3 neon tetras due to suspected bacterial infection (pop eye and rin rot) and have 2 more with cotton mouth. I assumed it was the water quality so have been doing 2 water changes a week approx 20lt each time with rain water ph of 6.4 to 6.6. Yet within 4 days its on its way up again. I have a piece of driftwood in the tank and there is no coral, salt, shells or terracotta in it. My catfish, SAE, albino tetras and glowlight tetras all seem to be tolerating my stupidity in learning to keep fish but any and all advice would be appriciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 Define "On its way up again"? How high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michael.qian Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 How high is it? In most aquariums pH should actually gradually go down, due to fish waste etc... Especially when you have driftwood in your tank it should lower your pH. What's the pH of your tap water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolette Posted August 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 tap ph usually 7.2 but can vary up to 7.6 every once in a while. Due to the fact that I only have a mid range ph test kit I can only guess at how high it actually is but judging by the colour I would say it can go up to 7.8 or so. The tank was pretty stable at 7.6 whilst I was cycling the tank but now its just all over the place and even though I am doing 30 percent water changes with rain water its not keeping it down. Hitting 7.6+ within 3 days of water change. Also At present my breeding tank (I did a 20 percent water change today on it with rain water (ph of 6.4 ) )after water change was 7.2ph Last week after water change that tank was 6.8ph.. So actually both tanks rising slowly Oh and I am now re- cycling my 55lt tank as I have just dosed with Meth blue to help with the sickly tetras and I didn't know it stuffed up the bacteria load in the tank. Would this make a difference in the ph level? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jim r Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 I suggest you take a water sample to the lfs for second opininion and make a list of EVERYTHING YES ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IN THE TANK and eliminate 1 by 1 till route cause is found. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharn Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 Have you tested the KH (carbonate hardness) of your tap and tank water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 To begin with, if your PH is unstable stop using rainwater. Rainwater has pretty much no buffering capability so the PH will change very easily. Start using just tapwater and your PH will be more stable and likely healthier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jn Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 I think plants can affect the pH too depending on the time of day (and what part of the photosynthesis cycle they're in) I have a very heavily planted pond with only 2 fish in it and the pH was hugely different in the evening compared to the morning. So try testing a different times. My small tank alsoi had high pH for quite a while. I think in my case it was due to decomposing algae and slowly dying plants! Once I got that sorted it came right. I also started rinsing my filter wool more often since it was easy to get too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolette Posted August 12, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 Have you tested the KH (carbonate hardness) of your tap and tank water? No I havn't, I guess I can get the test from LFS? To begin with, if your PH is unstable stop using rainwater. Rainwater has pretty much no buffering capability so the PH will change very easily. Start using just tapwater and your PH will be more stable and likely healthier. I didn't know this so will go back to using tap water. How long after cycling a tank does it take before the ph level starts dropping due to ammonia etc? I think plants can affect the pH too depending on the time of day (and what part of the photosynthesis cycle they're in) I have a very heavily planted pond with only 2 fish in it and the pH was hugely different in the evening compared to the morning. So try testing a different times. My small tank alsoi had high pH for quite a while. I think in my case it was due to decomposing algae and slowly dying plants! Once I got that sorted it came right. My main tank is quite heavily planted but not so much the breeding tank. and all the plants are growing well. I will try testing at different times of day and see what happens. Thanks suggest you take a water sample to the lfs for second opininion and make a list of EVERYTHING YES ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING IN THE TANK and eliminate 1 by 1 till route cause is found. Will do. How much of a sample do LFS need to do test? (sorry I know a dumb question) :oops: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted August 12, 2007 Report Share Posted August 12, 2007 When you buy a test kit you use a sample of half the little test tubes provided so you only need a small amount to take to the lfs. Got any old film canisters? Half fill one of them and it will be plenty. What sort of gravel do you have? When we first started fish keeping we chose a lovely deep reddish aquarium gravel from the garden centre (don't have any lfs here). Our pH kept going up to 8.0 and we couldn't work out why. Turned out the gravel was meant for Afrikan set-ups and was designed to raise the pH! The shop assistants had no idea :roll: A high pH is better than one that is going up and down like yours is as a result of all the water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolette Posted August 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Just got back from the LFS and yes problem solved. We brought some new gravel from them a couple of weeks ago pepper coloured ones and the lady said that is proberly the cause of the increase. She has advised me to use tap water for my water changes and put water into a tank via a hose to aerate it and get rid of any clorine etc. So will try that and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted August 13, 2007 Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Easy to test if it is the gravel. Put some in water and test daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolette Posted August 13, 2007 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2007 Great idea Caryl, Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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