Chickybabe Posted September 7, 2005 Report Share Posted September 7, 2005 How can I lower my ph level in my tank, it sits at around 7.2 at the moment, I have peat in the fluval 204, as well as a 20% water change twice a week. Ammonia is 0 Also tests are reading a slight amount of phosphate, what could be causing this and how do I get rid of it. Lights are on for 10 hours a day and is a planted tank. I feed bloodworms once a day and dont use any chemicals other than aquaplus water conditioner, and seachem flourish iron for the plants once a week. I have added white spot cure in the last 24hours tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 If the peat is old you may want to replace it as it wears out after about 6 weeks, it may also be that you need to add a bit more to what you have to get the ph down further. Bear in mind though if you have just added the peat in the last few days it may take a little while to work. The phosphate will be coming from the bloodworms, the only way to get rid of it is to feed less bloodworms and more flake/pellet food or do more water changes. It may pay to also test your tap water to see if there is any phosphate in it in case this is the cause. My bet is the bloodworms though, as I have just recently acquired Discus and have been feeding a lot of frozen food to get them eating, I started to see algae in my planted tank for the first time since being set up 5 months ago. I increased the water changes and reduced the frozen food now they are eating heartily, and it has disappeared again....luckily . I hope this helps. Cheers, Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 If you have your discus tank at the right temp (28 deg plus) you should not be getting white spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luke* Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 The fert is possibly increasing it, additives can do that. Try leaving a bucket of water out over night, one with it in, one without, see what the pH is like after 24 hrs. Peat is the best idea or you could get pH reducing liquid and find out how much you need to add to each bucket to match the tank's pH and stick to that. Peat will do it too and the fish love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Discusguru Posted September 8, 2005 Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 Is there any specific reasons why you want to reduce your PH? PH 7.2 is fine for discus. Cheers, Ronnie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickybabe Posted September 8, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 8, 2005 I have peat in the fluval, I have just changed it so will check again over the next few days. Temp was 28 degrees but I had a power cut for around 14 hours last week, which was when I noticed the white spot develop after the power came on again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 You can still get white spot at 28 (or higher temps), this is a common misconception. The temp has to get to mid 30's before the white spot dies, of course you fish would proberly be dead by then too! The white spot will have always been in the tank (if fact most tanks have it in there) when the power went off and the temp dropped, filter went off etc etc, this would have caused the fish to stress, stressed fish are of course more prone to catching things. Now the misconception is caused because white spot treatments say to turn the temperature up, when you do this it actually makes the white spot life cycle speed up (so they are actually breeding faster!). The reason you do this is becuase the treatments only work during one stage of the life cycle, normal life cycle is 5-7 days, treatment normally 7 days, so to make sure get all the white spot you have to either treat for longer or speed up the life cycle. No marketing man wants to say that you have to use their product longer they other products, so they tell you to turn up the temp instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaymann Posted September 9, 2005 Report Share Posted September 9, 2005 Bloodworm is high in phosphates .. the only way to keep feeding bloodworms is to do a quick rinse/soak under running water ... this helps to release most of the phosphates before feeding to your fish ... one symptom of high phosphates is the 'dreaded" black algae which as far as I have seen , nothing eats ... 8) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FindingNemo Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 Yea i wouldn't be worried about a PH of 7.2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickybabe Posted September 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 Oh but it goes up and down and I would like to know how to keep it steady Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert Posted September 10, 2005 Report Share Posted September 10, 2005 I have been keeping discus for over twenty five years at 28 deg plus NEVER had white spot . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FindingNemo Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 Bogwood is good for keeping a steady low PH level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaymann Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 Hey Chicky B .. is your tank heavily planted ..if so could be the CO2 released during the night could be the drop in PH ... just a thought 8) I now this is important with reef tanks and as I have these with the caulerpas so seems that should be a freshwater prob too !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickybabe Posted September 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 No its only got 1 sword and 2 java ferns... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klaymann Posted September 11, 2005 Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 What type of gravel/rock do you have .. as this can also offset the PH balance aswell ? ... If you don't know .. pay to post a pic here so we can all see and then scwabble over who's right/wrong with diagnoises Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickybabe Posted September 11, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2005 2-4mm Summer harvest from jansens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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