calculator Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 About a month ago I upgraded my 200L tank to a 300L tank. Ever since then I have had problems with my pH dropping. The pH of the water from my water tank is about 6.5 (a bit lower then I want, but manageable), when I do a water change I bring the water to between 6.5 and 7 which is where I want it, but within a couple of days the pH is dropping to just above 6 (followed by me doing a water change and bringing the pH back up). Does any one have any ideas on what could be causing my pH to drop? When I upgraded my tank I changed the the gravel for silicon sand, added some pvc pipe and a new heater. Those are the only things I can think that I changed in my tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 About a month ago I upgraded my 200L tank to a 300L tank. Ever since then I have had problems with my pH dropping. The pH of the water from my water tank is about 6.5 (a bit lower then I want, but manageable), when I do a water change I bring the water to between 6.5 and 7 which is where I want it, but within a couple of days the pH is dropping to just above 6 (followed by me doing a water change and bringing the pH back up). Does any one have any ideas on what could be causing my pH to drop? When I upgraded my tank I changed the the gravel for silicon sand, added some pvc pipe and a new heater. Those are the only things I can think that I changed in my tank. Your old sand might have been helping buffer the PH a little. Your fish, any driftwood, food, etc all will be lowering the PH. Most metabolical wastes are acidic. If you're on tank water you will have practically no buffering. Throw a handful or two of bird grit or crushed coral in the filter and it should help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted November 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 I had gravel before, my tank now has sand in it. I could try a bit of bird grit and see if that helps, we have a bit of that in the house, does bird grit have a non neutral pH? And by bird grit do you mean crushed oyster shell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 I had gravel before, my tank now has sand in it. All gravel means is that it was relatively large pieces, says nothing about what it's made of. I could try a bit of bird grit and see if that helps, we have a bit of that in the house, does bird grit have a non neutral pH? And by bird grit do you mean crushed oyster shell? Yeah, bird grit is crushed oyster. And it, being mostly calcium, will tend to raise your PH and add a bit of buffering. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 What fish are you keeping? Any particular reason you want it higher? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted November 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 I want it to sit some where between 6.5 and 7, its not that it is dropping to low at the moment, but I am afraid that if I am away for a while and am not around to re adjust it up it will drop to low and kill some of my fish. I have hoplo cats, black ghost knife, and congo tetras in it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 I doubt it will drop low enough to kill any of your existing fish (as the change would happen gradually), but it would make introducing new fish troublesome. I'm currently battling a similar problem with my tank as A; it is full of driftwood and B; we're on rain water which has zero mineral content. My water is off-the-chart yellow on my API test kit but the fish are happy and healthy. Knowing the hardness of your water would help find a solution, but chucking some crushed shell/grit in the filter/substrate until it stops crashing is certainly the easiest solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry17 Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Prob due to the metabolical waste and boilogical filtration I guess....I have never managed to get my pH above 6.5, even I do weekly 1/2 water change with tab water, it still sits around 6.0, since I have got Amazon fish so it does not matter too much.. Maybe try tab water? it is usually pH 7.2.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calculator Posted November 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Maybe try tab water? it is usually pH 7.2.. We are on tank water, so the only option I have is the 6.5 water out of our tank, It usually sits slightly higher in summer though. Hopefully it does not drop fast enough to kill any of my fish, but next time I am at the lfs I shall get something to test the hardness and see what it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Prob due to the metabolical waste and boilogical filtration I guess....I have never managed to get my pH above 6.5, even I do weekly 1/2 water change with tab water, it still sits around 6.0, since I have got Amazon fish so it does not matter too much.. Maybe try tab water? it is usually pH 7.2.. What's tab water? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David R Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 The pH isn't what you should be measuring, its the GH/KH that matters as that is what will determine how easily your water buffers up or down when put with driftwood/coral etc. Your tank water may have a pH of 6.5 but it will have almost no hardness (unless you've got a new/unsealed concrete tank, and then I'd expect it to be far higher) so you'll only have to show it a piece of wood and it will crash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 What's tab water? Its the brown foamy stuff in the betting section at the pub I'd hunt up some coral or limestone chip for your filter to buffer it, may make it rise a bit higher though but normally quite slowly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terry17 Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 What's tab water? >_< I mean tap water...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 I had gravel before, my tank now has sand in it. If you still have your old gravel, can you test it with some vinegar? Or, just bag it and put it into your tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 any dead spots under rocks etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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