pH Question

[brandonv26]

My 55 gallon tank is finally done cycling. I did a large water change on it yesterday planning on getting fish today. I figured just to be safe I would check pH before I went to get them. I checked pH on the high range pH test kit and to my surprise it was reading only 7.4. I decided to check it on the normal range pH test kit just to verify and on this one it was reading 7.6+ (7.6 is max on this rest kit). I tested my GH (250) and KH (179) as well. I use aragonite substrate in order to buffer the pH. My water come out of my tap at a pH of around 7.4-7.6. Any suggestions/advice?

 

[rocksor]

Are you trying to keep Africans?

 

[brandonv26]

Are you trying to keep Africans?

Yes trying to keep African lake Malawi mbunas sorry should have stated that

 

[brandonv26]

I have some crushed coral I can put in my filter to maybe buffer it a bit more? I would have thought the aragonite substrate would have been plenty. How much crushed coral would I need to use in a 55g tank in order to make pH go up enough? I have an Eheim 2217 and an AC70, which of these 2 should I put the crushed coral in?

 

[rocksor]

Put in the ac70. It is easier to remove and add coral from there. I would add a media bag full and see what effect it has on raising PH.

 

[Andrew McFadden]

You could just drop it in the tank and hide it behind a rock aswell. It doesn't need to go in a filter, that's just what a lot of people here do.

 

[brandonv26]

ideally for a malawi tank, what do I want me pH, GH and KH at? and is crushed coral the best way to do this or would adding the Seachem buffers be a better option?

 

[Rlavassor86]

ideally for a malawi tank, what do I want me pH, GH and KH at? and is crushed coral the best way to do this or would adding the Seachem buffers be a better option?

Ph in the 8's gh and Kh somewhere like 200-400 ppm would be good. I would try the crushed coral. I try to stay away from chemicals if if there are other options available.
You can use a homemade buffer too here's a link http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/buffer_recipe.php

 

[brandonv26]

I have had people tell me to use crushed coral instead of additives to buffer my tank because it keeps it more stable, but wouldnt additives keep it more stable? say i have CC, i do a 30% water change so i add my tap water which drops the pH in my tank. The CC isnt going to bring it back up right away right? so my pH will drop and then raise back up as CC buffers it. IF i use additives then i can add them gradually as i fill the tank back up so the ph really shouldnt change that much correct? or am i wrong?

 

[Rlavassor86]

I have had people tell me to use crushed coral instead of additives to buffer my tank because it keeps it more stable, but wouldnt additives keep it more stable? say i have CC, i do a 30% water change so i add my tap water which drops the pH in my tank. The CC isnt going to bring it back up right away right? so my pH will drop and then raise back up as CC buffers it. IF i use additives then i can add them gradually as i fill the tank back up so the ph really shouldnt change that much correct? or am i wrong?

The rift lake buffer will help with that. I've never used chems and ways have used tap water with no issues in my Malawi tank. I use crushed coral sand as my substrate

 

[brandonv26]

if i use products like the seachem buffers and stuff, is there any point using CC?

 

[Cichlid-dude]

I always say this, if your ph isnt terribly low i wouldnt use any chemical buffers at all. A stable ph is better than a flucuating ph any day.

 

[Cichlid-dude]

Accidentaly hit send before i was done. I would just put the cc in your filter and call it a day. Most likely the lfs you get your fish from doesnt keep them in a ph of 8+ so with a stable ph of 7.6 youd be fine.

 

[brandonv26]

I always say this, if your ph isnt terribly low i wouldnt use any chemical buffers at all. A stable ph is better than a flucuating ph any day.

But after a water change how is CC any better than chemical buffer? With CC the pH will drop and then gradually work it's way back up, with chemical you can add it as you add the water so your pH really wouldn't change right?

 

[Cichlid-dude]

My tap comes out at 7.8 and with my cc in the tank the tank water is at 8.0. I never have problems at water changes. I test the ph in the tank an hour after the change and its always 8.0. Its really personal prefference, you can do what you feel safe with. Im just sharing how i do it with success. Good luck with it in whatever path you take.