High PH =(

[Friendly]

Hello! I'm having a problem with the PH of my planted tank. It's really high (around 8.0) and I don't think my plants like it too much. One of my plants is changing color.

I have tested the GH and KH and the results are (I used the Nutrafin test kit):

GH - 140
KH - 80 mg/L (which is good)

I don't really want to add any chemicals to lower the PH or to lower the GH. I was thinking about adding some peat to my filter. Is peat a good idea? Also would it lower the KH?

 

[workfortheman]

Peat is commonly used to lower the pH. It can be touchy, so if you go that route only add a little at a time. I believe it will affect the KH, but not too sure about that one.

Many plants can tolerate and thrive in a higher pH. What are your tank specs (size/depth, lighting, co2, fertilization, substrate, nutrient levels)?

 

[malkore]

1. pH of 8.0 is not that high...your plants are not suffering from high pH

2. Kh of 80 is actually kinda low compared to your pH. that's only about 4-5dKh. a pH of around 7.6 would be 'normal' for that Kh level.

3. nothing wrong with your Gh

I agree with workfortheman, we need more tank specs.

 

[Friendly]

Many plants can tolerate and thrive in a higher pH. What are your tank specs (size/depth, lighting, co2, fertilization, substrate, nutrient levels)?

Size of tank - 75G

Lighting - 2.5W 6700K

I don't have a test for CO2 but I am using a Nutrafin CO2 system.

I just bought some Flourish iron and Potassium. Before I have been using Kent freshwater plant fertilizer.

Substrate is a mix of Flourite and regular gravel (I also use root tabs).

The only test I have for nutrients are PO4 and NO3. The results of those tests are:

PO4 - 0.25 mg/L
NO3 - 5 mg/L

Don't you think plants would do better with a lower PH? I was thinking of having the PH in the 6.9 - 7.5 range.

Thanks a lot for the replies!

 

[malkore]

Friendly,

You must not know about Travis Simonson's tank.

http://www.cafepress.com/aquacalendar.34084515

It made the front cover of our 2006 Calendar, and his pH is something like 8.2 until the CO2 injection lowers it, as he keeps true Lake Malawi water parameters.

A nutrafin CO2 system isn't gonna do squat for your tank. You'll need about 4-5 gallons worth of DIY vessels to generate enough CO2, and the ladder diffuser isn't the right kind of diffuser for that size of tank, unless you added 1 or 2 more.

Basically, you need to start looking at pressurized CO2 systems...I'd get a 10lb cylinder, the regulator of your choice (I like the Milwaukee) and decide if you wanna buy a powered diffuser, or DIY one for a fraction of the price.

Your phosphate is a little low, as is nitrate. You should invest in dry ferts from gregwatson.com including potassium, as it takes about 1/3 of that bottle to give 20ppm of K in a 75gallon tank, and that's a standard amount to dose after a weekly 50% water change.

Doesn't sound like you're dosing traces either, aside from the bottle of Iron you just got. Plantex CSM+B from gregwatson.com (he provides mixing instructions too).

Your lack of CO2, NPK ferts and trace ferts causing your plant problems. If you get CO2 into the water, the pH will drop a little, but pH is NOT the source of your problematic plants.

 

[Friendly]

I see, so the PH is gonna be ok. I was just a little worried when I saw that it was high. I've had the nutrafin CO2 system (I bought two of them) for over a year. I never even knew about pressurized CO2 back then. I also haven't really looked into DIY CO2 because I don't want to screw it up.

I tried to get flourish phosphorus and nitrogen at my lfs but they only had iron, potassium and excel. As for gregwatson, I unfortunately don't have a credit card .

My plants are doing well and look healthy but one of my plants turns red for a day or two and then goes back to green. I was thinking that is was due to the high PH. But it's NOT so it's all good

Thanks for the help malkore.