pH crash!

[fishandplants]

I posted a couple days ago in the new-commers area, but I cannot get the pH in my tank back up. I hate to be wordy, bit I know you will need the details. Please someone advice! 10 gallon tank started on 12-15 unfortunately, fish in. 3 platys and a guppy girl, all surving and seemingly happy. On 1-20, the tank read Am=0, nitrites 1, and nitrates almost 40 (API master kit),so I thought i was almost there. By 1-28, my pH had dropped from it's normal 6.8ish to a 6.2 and I started reading ammonia again. By the 31st, my amm was spiking 3-4 again, nitrites climbed, and my nitrate readings plummeted. My pre-PWC reading tonight were Amm3, 0 nitrites and nitrates, pH 6 or lower. The only change I have made was to put in an anacharis plant last week of Jan. In the last few days, I have done 2 very large 50-60PWCs, and added some limestone. within 12hours of WC pH falls to 6 again (tap tests at 7.6.) I assume that the pH drop killed my bacteria, but I can't get it to stop falling. Also in the tank, few trumpet snails, 2 mystery snails, 2 species java fern, anacharis, and moneywort. All plants healthy looking. Should I go by Ph up, or is there a better game plan? Baking soda? Help, my tank is going so backwards!

 

[Mrs.h2012]

First off, stay away from pH up/down. They do
More harm than good. I believe it's crushed coral you can add to your filter that helps raise pH naturally; hopefully someone else can chime in on this. And one thing I see you need to be aware of... Is your levels. When doing a fish in cycle, levels must be kept at or as close too (I understand you cant be by your tank every waking minute of everyday to monitor things) .25 for ammonia me nitrite and anything at 20 or below for nitrates. Anything above those levels are bad for fish, so keeping your levels in check is crucial to doing a safe fish in cycle. I fish in cycled a 10g with 2 platies.. And I can say from experience there will be days you have to do multiple (yes more than one) water changes in one day to keep levels in check.

 

[fishandplants]

Thanks ms h, I am well aware that those levels are very bad, and I have done almost eod WC since I started reading up on cycling. The local fish store guys told me not to do water changes, or vacuum the gravel, so I'm glad to hear I am right to do WC, and could even increase them. Any ideas on why the dropping pH? I really want to use as few chemicals as possible, but if I don't get the pH situation fixed, my tank will never finish cycling and the poor fish have endured enough. I am getting a piece of used filter media from a co-worker, but won't the bacteria just die at such a low pH?

 

[shellieca]

It seems odd your Ph would drop with the limestone, my understanding is that it can actually raise Ph. I wouldn't adjust the Ph chemically, you can get some crushed coral, put it in a mesh bag either in the filter or next to it. Start small, test the water 24 hrs later, if its not where you want it add a little more. Repeat until you get the Ph level where you want it. That's ,y advice someone else may offer something different.

 

[Hholly]

Basically when nitrates get high, pH drops. Crushed coral will help. But more water changes to restore buffers and lower nitrates are the answer. Don't be afraid to do more than one 50% water changes in a day.

 

[CharlieKlein]

I'm not the only one!!! Lol this is harping to me as we speak! I'm cycled. Oh chrashes and nitrites are back! So I think the next think crushed coral. Here's another question. Are our cycles restarted or will the coral bring them back to finished, and why did they crash?(ps I have lava rock)

 

[Teakwood]

Does your tap water have a consistent ph? Just curious no real advice to offer other then what everyone has said.

 

[CharlieKlein]

Yeah a solid 7 on the dot.

 

[Hholly]

The problem seems to be lack of buffers and high nitrates for both of you.

 

[fishandplants]

Tap is always between 7.6-7.8, aquarium stayed at a 6.8-7.2 for whole 1st month of cycling. CC only comes in 30lb bags for 40 bucks? Seems a lot for a handfull, but I'll do it if no alternatives. My nitrates are gone now, and so are my nitrites. I seem to be back to the ammonia only beginings of the cycle.

 

[Hholly]

Tap is always between 7.6-7.8, aquarium stayed at a 6.8-7.2 for whole 1st month of cycling. CC only comes in 30lb bags for 40 bucks? Seems a lot for a handfull, but I'll do it if no alternatives. My nitrates are gone now, and so are my nitrites. I seem to be back to the ammonia only beginings of the cycle.

Have you priced aragonite? (saltwater section) It does the same thing as crushed coral.

 

[fishandplants]

Aragonite??? No, but I'm on it,THANKS.

 

[Autumnsky]

How did this turn out? What else did you do?