Lowering my tanks PH

[exactionfigure]

I have a 20 gallon community tank and I've had it for a while and it's well established but the PH has been steadily rising for a while and I’ve lost all but a few fish (3 phantom tetras 3 headlight tetras 1 yellow molly and 1 guppy)

The Ph is very high right now and I’m debating what to do, I’m not sure how to lower it, is there something I can buy?

or should I just start keeping cichlids?

-Matt

 

[rich311k]

What is the PH? The best way to lower PH is with RO/DI water. What is the PH/KH of your tap water?

 

[Guest]

i have heard driftwood can be good for lowering PH, but not positive.

 

[odessadude]

Plants Plants and more Plants. Our tap water is 7.2ph and my tanks run around 6.5.

I have many planted with Java Ferns.

 

[exactionfigure]

I actually have a giant peice of drift wood in the tank

I don't remember the actually PH of my tank at the moment but it was off the
Low PH chart.

I used spring water for my tank.
where can I get RO/DI water?
I heard culligan water is some of the best you can get. is that true?
if that's a good water to use then there is a machine in a store not to far from my house - I can start using that.

Plants Plants and more Plants. Our tap water is 7.2ph and my tanks run around 6.5.

I have many planted with Java Ferns.

I don't really want to do live plants right now, I plan on doing it at some point but not just yet, when I do it i'm going to invest in a nice light and something for c02(not quite sure what or how that whole c02 injection thing works) but when I can afford it I will do that, for now I just use really nice looking fake ones.

 

[odessadude]

With Java ferns, you can have any type of lighting as long as it is not bright. I never use CO2 and the plants keep multiplying. Try a few, you will like them!

 

[rich311k]

Plants will not lower your PH. You said the PH has been changing. What is the PH KH of your tap? That will help us figure out what is going on.

 

[odessadude]

That's an interesting comment (Plants will not lower PH). In a Dutch aquarium that's all they use for a lower PH. In the picture I did not notice any fish?

I believe it has to do with the decay process.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Driftwood will lower the ph some. Especially Malaysian. My tap is usually 7.6 and sometimes 7.8, but after having 3 large pieces on my 55G for about a month, the tank was reading 7.0-7.2 for ph. After a pwc it goes up to maybe 7.2-7.4, then by the end of the week, goes back to 7.0-7.2.

 

[exactionfigure]

In the picture there aren't any fish because that’s an early picture of my tank before it cycled, it looks more or less the same only with some fish and a few less plants (because they had tons of algae on them)

I will try the java ferns.

I think the main problem is the water I’m using, I don't use tap water because it's not safe for fish tanks (fluoride) everyone in my city got a letter a year or two back that said not to use tap water for fish tanks or anything like that.

So do you guys think the culligan water will be good or is there another water I should buy?


-Matt

 

[Purrbox]

If the culligan water is being run through a water softener, then no it would not be good for your fish. If it is either Deionized or RO water then it will work fine, however you will need to use something like Kent RO Right or Seachem Equilibrium to add back in the buffers and minerals.

I think a more important question is why your PH is rising. Just switching water sources, especially when you're already using something other than your tap water may not fix the problem. The test results that you have been asked for will help pinpoint where the problem really is. Since the water is off the chart on the Low Range PH test kit, can you get it tested with a high range test kit? If you don't have one, most LFS will test your water for free. While your at it you can have them test for KH as well.

The two things that come to my mind are insufficient water changes or something buffering the water (rocks and gravel are likely suspects). If you're simply topping off the water (or not performing large enough water changes often enough) instead of doing waterchanges things will just accumulate in the tank which can lead to things like extremely high Nitrates and rising pH/Kh. Either of these could easily have lead to the death of your fish. If it's rocks or gravel that are causing your issues then removing them will fix the problem.

 

[odessadude]

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=84319

Check out this link and look at the Java Ferns. I bought 1 plant about 4 years ago and all of the plants you see in these pictures came from that plant. The Anubias do really well multiplying, but those ferns just keep going and going. I have given away many plants that fetch 25- 50 bucks in the store. They really are amazing!

 

[exactionfigure]

Here's a picture of my tank taken today:

Albright I did a full test on my tank and here are the results:

Amm: 0.0
Low range PH: 7.2-7.6
High range PH: 8.2-8.4
Nitrate: 5.0
Nitrite: 0ppm

I tested both Low and High range PH because I’m not sure which on is right
The fact that it's really high up on the low range and it jumped all the way up to the 8 area on the high range makes me believe that the high range results are the correct ones.

I have had some algae blooms lately, maybe it's because of my nitrates, 5.0 isn't horrible but still...

The fish that have survived in there are: 4 black phantom tetras 3 Glowlight Tetras 1 guppy and 1Yellow Lyretail Molly.

I obviously need to lower the PH big time, I don't have access to RO water I thought the culligan water would be good but I have no idea if it goes through a water softener, where should I get my water from?

I’m getting some tomorrow and I’m going to do a 3-4 gallon change.

Also I was told a long time ago not to even change my filter, just to wash it out. I really don't like that idea and I don't think it's been working out.

I have 2 filters one has a big filter pad and a bio wheel:

And the other has AC wrapped in a filter pad:

I originally put the AC in there to clean up the water which was turning yellow because of the driftwood leaching.

I think what I’m going to do is start using a combo of filter pads and the filter that are made for my penguin filter (they have AC in side of them) and then filling the other filter with bio-balls or some other type of only biological filter (any recommendations?)

-Matt

 

[coldmachineUK]

I originally put the AC in there to clean up the water which was turning yellow because of the driftwood leaching.

You really need to leave driftwood to soak in water outside of your tank for a couple of weeks at least, before putting it in

The advice you were given on a full filter replacement is also partly true. What that person was getting at, is that if you replace your filter material you will lose all the beneficial bacteria built up over time which break down ammonia and nitrite into the less harmful nitrate (in that order). You probably already know this, I don't mean to patronise if so. But yep, that's why. You should wash your filter material in discarded tank water (i.e. when you do a water change is perfect timing!).
But, if you don't think your filter is working (from your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings tho, I think it has been) you might want to purchase a better one, but leave your old one running at the same time as your new one for at least 2-3 weeks so you won't have to start the cycle all over again.

A pH reading of 7.2-7.6 is fine to me...have you tried testing at an LFS? Their kit might bring up different readings if you aren't so certain about your own kit. Just an idea. Also, fish can take a less than ideal pH provided it's consistent: the rapid rise in your case is likely to be what caused problems.

With a nitrate reading of 5.0 I doubt that's why you've had algae blooms. Where is your tank situated? It could be a number of reasons, dependent upon which is the limiting factor among potassium, phosphate & co. within your tank. It seems well planted, which helps reduce algae (plants outcompete for nutrients). I had an algae problem in a tank some time ago, and purchased malimo moss balls and they helped prevent further blooms.

 

[Thebluyak]

his plants are not real coldmachine

 

[coldmachineUK]

Heh, I thought the stems looked a bit high, but they're quite good for plastic ones! The ones in my LFS are really tacky lol.

Ok, well, some real plants might help reduce algae problems then

 

[exactionfigure]

I took a sample of water to my LFS today and they got the same that I did, the PH was off the chart possilby something like 8

they suggested changing my source water.
I bought a bunch of gallons of Culligan Water water (which is RO water)
but I just tested the PH and it's really acidic, it's about 6.0

I think if I did a 5-6 gallon water change on my tank now that will be fine since the ph is so high (Please, correct me if i'm wrong I was going to do it at somepoint today)

my only problem is for future water changes, if I was to keep my PH around 7 or so, where should I get my water from?

should I use a combo of Culligan Water and another spring water?

 

[coldmachineUK]

I think if I did a 5-6 gallon water change on my tank now that will be fine since the ph is so high (Please, correct me if i'm wrong I was going to do it at somepoint today)

You really don't want to be dropping your pH from 8 to 6 so suddenly, it will cause more fish to die on you
You really need to have something in there to gradually change the situation, preferably natural. I hate recommending meds/chemicals, but in this case maybe it's extreme enough to warrant something like "pH Down"...
I have never used this product, and don't know how it works: perhaps someone else has experience?

 

[exactionfigure]

I was thinking since the PH is already somewhere around 8 that adding about 5-6 gallons of this water will balance it out leaving me somewhere in the 7s

I did some reading on lowering PH and maintaining PH and some things said to use have RO water and half spring water...

Anyone else have other opinions

 

[Guest]

i have used ph down with no adverse effects, but i used it very sparingly. it works fast so if you do use it, be careful.