Low ph?

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

Any suggestions to help raise my PH? If you suggest coral can I just put it in my Canister filter? If so how much per gallon? DO you have somewhere to help me figure out causes to my low PH? I have Pressurized CO2 and I also have a Co2 indicator in my tank. So I am not over dosing Co2. Any help is always appreciated.

Jodi

 

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

Also my levels are all zero except my Nitrate it was 0-5ppm

 

[Old Scales]

Test the pH of your tap water. Take a sample, let it sit out overnight to degas then test. If it's not low, test your tank water at the end of your CO2 period. If it's a lot lower, then you may have a low KH(carbonate hardness) of less than 4 degrees. This is a common problem with injected CO2 and very soft water. Remedies can be a small packet of crushed coral in your filter or a small(and I mean small) amount of baking soda at each water change. One teaspoon per 25 gal will raise your KH about 2 degrees. Hope this helps. OS.

 

[Rivercats]

You need to test your Ph first thing in the morning before turning on your CO2 as this will give you the true Ph of the tank. When using CO2 your Ph will drop during the day due to the CO2 but will rebound back up during the night as the CO2 dissipates from the water.

What is your Ph reading and when are you testing for it? Also do you have a Kh and Gh test kit? It would be very helpful to know what your Kh is.

 

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

No I don't have a kh tester. What is that going to tell me?

 

[Rivercats]

No I don't have a kh tester. What is that going to tell me?

It will tell you if you have enough buffer (calcium) in the water which is what keeps ph higher. If you have a kh of 4 or above there is enough buffer in your water to keep ph stable.

 

[Old Scales]

Thr same people, API, that makes the master test kit also sell a GH-KH test kit. It's about $8 - 12 dollars. It will last you darn near forever. Hope this helps.

 

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

Thanks I am heading up to take a non co2 reading and then to my LFS for a kit

 

[Old Scales]

Oh cool! Good luck. Post us what you test at. OS.

 

[ScotJudd]

If it helps - l dissolve 20ml of Bicarbonate of Soda in 500ml of water. The I use this solution at 20ml per 10l bucket of new water on PWC. I aim to keep my tank at 5-6 Kh and make minor changes to the amount of solution to my 10l bucket. It seems to be a more controlled way to measure and control the amount of bicarb being added.

 

[ScotJudd]

Oh, I forgot, ph will rise with the bicarb buffer, so do it slowly so not to shock the fish, but the daily drop due to Co2 injection will be less. Worked for me!

 

[Old Scales]

Excellent idea. I think I'll do it that way too. Thank you.

 

[Jodisgermanshepherd]

I Took the test lol, lights off and no co2 pumping and it is lighter than it was last night. So still was a 6?