Low pH

[brunettebaby4571]

Ok so I have three tanks set up right now. I tested my 40 gallon and for some reason the pH was very low compared to all the other tanks and the tap water. I change about 50% or so out of it each week but now I am worried about the change in ph?

 

[Convict2161]

Ok so I have three tanks set up right now. I tested my 40 gallon and for some reason the pH was very low compared to all the other tanks and the tap water. I change about 50% or so out of it each week but now I am worried about the change in ph?

Can you elaborate? What are your pH readings in the other tanks? And what was the reading in the tank that came in low?

Also on your tanks, what's the stock for each, lighting, filtration?

Your tap is the same so... I'm really interested in why one tank came in low and the others were fine. So how low is low? And what to maintain pH at?

Thanks!

The Con

 

[brunettebaby4571]

In the 40 gallon the pH was around 6.4 the 20 gallon was 7.6 and the ten gallon was 7.6 also and it comes out of the tap around 7.6 also. The 40 has an aquaclear 50 on it and has t5 HO lighting and is very heavily planted and has 2 mollies 3 otos 7 harlequin rasboras 5 neon tetras (moving to the 10 gallon soon) and 2 yoyo loaches and some snails and I do about a 50% water change every week sometimes I change the water twice if I have enough time. It also has a decent sized piece of driftwood (I heard that sometimes can change the pH) In the ten Im not even sure what lighting is on it at the moment but it has a small goldfish growing out in it and is also very heavily planted (no substrate also) and the filter on it is an aqueon 20 (I believe that is the name) and it gets water changes 2-3 times a week and the 20 long has 4 small goldfish and it just has some stock hood/lighting on it and its moderately planted and it has an aqueon 40 on it I think also and it gets 2-3 water changes a week (messy goldfish!! they will be leaving for a pond soon sadly) Sorry for so long but Im just not sure whats going on with the 40. All the other levels are good ammonia 0 nitrite 0 and nitrate either 5 10 or 20 lol I can not for the life of me tell the difference in the colors for the nitrate!! The 10-20 looks the same to me and the 40-80 looks the same :/ So either I am color blind to oranges or the colors are basically the same?

 

[Convict2161]

The nitrate test is no one of my favorites lol. I hate that test. Yes the colors IMO are way too close to really pick up on it. You must have the newer test kit. Mine had orange then goes to red. Why they changed it I have no idea.

Also the tank that drops in pH, does it have driftwood in it?

You can always put fill a 5 gallon bucket with tap water and let it sit overnight then test it and see what readings you get. That would be a good starting point.

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Yes I have no idea the colors on that! Its so silly!! For 20$ I want dramatic color change!! hahaha but yes it does have a pretty decent sized piece of driftwood. But I will try leaving some out tonight and test it. I did a water change and it got a little better. Im just not sure how it ended up that low in the first place

 

[brunettebaby4571]

Also have a question about ammonia...I cant tell if its at 025 or 0 (I really am beginning to think I am colorblind hehe) I tested my tap and I get the same color so that confused me anymore...could it be that I have ammonia in my tap orrr it really is 0?? lol I have been asking my 4 year old daughter to help me tell the colors apart lmao Is there another test kit that has different easier to read colors that are reliable? This api test kit is making me crazy with the colors!!