I need SERIOUS ADVICE ASAP!!

[gregcuoz]

Ill try to make this quick: Cycling a 120 gallon tank. Reached my first hurdle as my ammonia went down to between 1-2ppm. Spiked the ammonia back to 4.
Tested my ammonia, nitrites and PH the next day. Ammonia still at 4, Nitrites .50 (beautiful), PH went from 7.4 to 8.8!!!! WTF?

I was just made aware that the play sand I used for my substrate contains Calcium Carbonate which will make my PH unstable.

Im left with 2 choices IMO

1-leave it the way it is and buy products made to stabilize PH. Im not even sure this is an option. Im just guessing.

2- clean the entire tank out. Sypon all the water, shovel all the sand, and get a different sand that is more PH friendly, and start the cycle all over again.

Which would you do? Do I have any other options? Please help. If I have to do option 2, Id like to start tomorrow or Sunday.

Thanks in advance. This really bums me out!!

 

[Jason7894561230]

I think you should just take all the decor out and half of the water. Then just scrap the sand into buckets and replace it with the other substrate. There is no need to completely clean the tank out.

 

[BHead707]

i have play sand that raised my ph but it has never been unstable

 

[gregcuoz]

I think you should just take all the decor out and half of the water. Then just scrap the sand into buckets and replace it with the other substrate. There is no need to completely clean the tank out.

Yea, thats pretty much what I meant. Wouldnt have completely sucked the water out. Thanks Jay. I think I know what I have to do Im just in denial. Wish I knew about the Calcium Carbonate in play sand before now

 

[Jason7894561230]

It could also be a flucuation from the cycle. Test it again in a day or two and see if the PH has changed. If not cichlids would be a good option for the tank

 

[Jason7894561230]

Also getting rid of all the sand wont screw your cycle up most of the bacteria is in the filter

 

[gregcuoz]

i have play sand that raised my ph but it has never been unstable

Would you say going from 7.4 to 8.8 is a one time occurance? Do you think I should wait a bit? My concern is its been at 8.8 now for 72 hrs. Could something else cause this?

Heres what I have in the tank:
2 BRAND NEW Fluval 300w heaters set at 85 degrees, BRAND NEW fluval FX5 filter with brand new media. BRAND NEW silk plants. Play sand

UH OH!!!!! I just thought of something. The Media I used was Clearmax, The white circle things (Im a noob and cant remember what they are called) and........ CARBON!!!!!
Could the carbon media raise PH???

 

[gregcuoz]

Also getting rid of all the sand wont screw your cycle up most of the bacteria is in the filter

Good point. Just puts the progress back a little. I sink at being patient.

 

[gregcuoz]

It could also be a flucuation from the cycle. Test it again in a day or two and see if the PH has changed. If not cichlids would be a good option for the tank

Ive heard. Not a bad way to go but didnt want the kiddies seeing fish death, haha

 

[Jason7894561230]

Yeah fair enough

 

[Reygan2]

My ph did the exact same thing, and I have pool filter sand. It didn't last long though. It came down pretty quick. It was definately a cycling thing. I'd wait a day or so and test again.

 

[boadams87]

Would you say going from 7.4 to 8.8 is a one time occurance? Do you think I should wait a bit? My concern is its been at 8.8 now for 72 hrs. Could something else cause this?

Heres what I have in the tank:
2 BRAND NEW Fluval 300w heaters set at 85 degrees, BRAND NEW fluval FX5 filter with brand new media. BRAND NEW silk plants. Play sand

UH OH!!!!! I just thought of something. The Media I used was Clearmax, The white circle things (Im a noob and cant remember what they are called) and........ CARBON!!!!!
Could the carbon media raise PH???

Do u have something over the intake to protect ur filter from the sand? I've got a piece of pantyhose over mine.

 

[Rutrag]

Carbon won't raise the pH, and most play sand doesn't have a lot of calcium carbonate in it either. (it's normally silica based.) I'd let things stabilize and double check your pH in a day or so.

 

[librarygirl]

Have you tested your tap water for PH to see what it should be? Leave a glass of water sitting out for 24 hours then test PH; that's your normal PH. The sand may well have raised it but as long as it stays stable it should be OK for most fish as they can adapt to your PH. Fish like stability over fluctuations. You can certainly change out the substrate if you want to but it may not be needed and it should be fine for the cycle either way.

 

[gregcuoz]

UPDATE:::

The PH has dropped down since yesterday. Went from 8.8 to 7.8. Whew!!

 

[gregcuoz]

Have you tested your tap water for PH to see what it should be? Leave a glass of water sitting out for 24 hours then test PH; that's your normal PH. The sand may well have raised it but as long as it stays stable it should be OK for most fish as they can adapt to your PH. Fish like stability over fluctuations. You can certainly change out the substrate if you want to but it may not be needed and it should be fine for the cycle either way.

LG, I tested the tap water before I cycled. Here was what I had:

AMM= .50
TRITES= 0
TRATES=0
PH HIGH RANGE= 7.4-7.8

I have another question:

When my ammonia went down to 1-2ppm, I spiked the amm back to 4 and tested nitrItes. The Nitrites were between .25-.50. the next day, the nitrites were back to 0. Is that normal or should the Nitrites be going up steadily now??

 

[jlk]

Have you checked your nitrates as well to see if they are increasing? If your nitrites are dropping, you should be seeing an increase in nitrates. Is your amm still dropping as well?

 

[gregcuoz]

Have you checked your nitrates as well to see if they are increasing? If your nitrites are dropping, you should be seeing an increase in nitrates. Is your amm still dropping as well?

Jess, the highest I saw the Trites were .50, then next time I tested they were at 0 again. I didnt check trates cause I thought it would be impossible to have them that fast. I thought the trites steadily go up until they hit the peak and one day theyd be at zero, at which time the trates would be there.

 

[jlk]

Cycles can have some fluctuation in levels of amm/nitrite/nitrate. What I suspect happened is the big ph jump gave your bb a bit of a ph shock- they will recover now that things are back to normal & you should start to see the amm begin to drop again & your nitrite levels start to steadily increase. Just watch your ph levels for any future swings.