My PH Levels!

[NatalieFish]

Hello!
I have tested the ph levels in my tank and it is currently at " 6.0 " which is " too acidic " i have to get some ph regulator but i know i need to read the instructions with how to use it but i just need to make sure i know everything. i want to be sre that i am using is correctly. i want to make sure that everything is okay and that i am doing it right. When i get the ph regulator how should i do it, what do you recommend and since my tank is at 6.0 right now should i wait to get the ph regulator or should i rush? i really want to get this done . i recently got two new fish. one died but the other is still trucking. i did was i was supposed to do when transferring a new fish. so i don't need ad vice on that. its mainly this ph regulation stuff. is there anything else i need to consider? i really want to take care of my fish and im trying very hard to learn! thank you so much!

Natalie Fish!

 

[mfdrookie516]

what is your tap ph?

 

[HN1]

Don't chemically alter your pH. If the fish are fine, they are fine. How long have they been in there? What type of fish? Tell us a little about your tank....

 

[NatalieFish]

reply

Don't chemically alter your pH. If the fish are fine, they are fine. How long have they been in there? What type of fish? Tell us a little about your tank....

hello, thank you for replying. im not entirely sure o what kind of fish i have , im pretty darn sure i have two gold fish, a pleco, a l.. l another bottom feader.. louch! yes a louch and two white ones, im not sure what they are.. they w ere already in the tank. i bought h e tank with he whole " sha bang " when i moved in here. they're two white fish of the same kind im assuming the same sex cause they're no babies they're prety white ones you can see almost right through them.. um and.. thats all i have.. why do you say don'e " chemically alter my ph? and how do i know if the fish are fine ? " i just want to make sure because i love them..

thank you SO SO SO much!!!

nataliefish

 

[NatalieFish]

hello, thank you for replying. im not entirely sure o what kind of fish i have , im pretty darn sure i have two gold fish, a pleco, a l.. l another bottom feader.. louch! yes a louch and two white ones, im not sure what they are.. they w ere already in the tank. i bought h e tank with he whole " sha bang " when i moved in here. they're two white fish of the same kind im assuming the same sex cause they're no babies they're prety white ones you can see almost right through them.. um and.. thats all i have.. why do you say don'e " chemically alter my ph? and how do i know if the fish are fine ? " i just want to make sure because i love them..

thank you SO SO SO much!!!

nataliefish

my tank is huge. like a 77g im not sure how many gallans my tank holds its a big tank.. i've had them since i moved in bought the tank adn everything that was in it and god knows how long they had em for i recently did a major cleaning of the tank got a new filter because the previous owner didn't clean the tank and .. thats disgracful .. but anyway.. thats all i know... 5 of 8 survived... so im happy i could save some..

 

[HN1]

I say not to alter it because the vast majority of fish we keep are fine in a wide range and stability is more important than a specific number. Make sure to test your water and do good regular water changes and they will be fine. We'll talk about your stocking at a later date....

 

[NatalieFish]

I say not to alter it because the vast majority of fish we keep are fine in a wide range and stability is more important than a specific number. Make sure to test your water and do good regular water changes and they will be fine. We'll talk about your stocking at a later date....

Stocking!?!?!??! lol WHAT!?

 

[NatalieFish]

my tank ph

what is your tap ph?

my tap ph? do you suggest i test that ? because when i put tap water in the tank for water changes i treat it with water conditioner.

 

[HN1]

The fish in your tank = your stocking.

 

[mfdrookie516]

yes, test your tap water ph, then also test it after it has sat in a bucket overnight... if the taps ph is dropping significantly after it is in your tank, then there may be something in the tank lowering it, or it could be as simple as lids on the tank not allowing proper oxygen exchange... if you could post pictures of your fish, we can id them... also if you have the dimensions of the tank, it is really simple to calculate gallons

 

[WhiteDevil]

6.0 is fine for most fish, South American fish are the ones who really like that Ph range, but as long as the parameters including Ph dont fluctuate often and/or rapidly the fish will adapt.

 

[NatalieFish]

re

yes, test your tap water ph, then also test it after it has sat in a bucket overnight... if the taps ph is dropping significantly after it is in your tank, then there may be something in the tank lowering it, or it could be as simple as lids on the tank not allowing proper oxygen exchange... if you could post pictures of your fish, we can id them... also if you have the dimensions of the tank, it is really simple to calculate gallons

Hey,
okay, that makes sense, thanks i will do that then. and ill post individual pictures of my fish. i have some on my profile but i need to get the flash reduction to get a good pic thanks again ill let you know when there's some stuff up.

 

[NatalieFish]

my tap w ater ph

what is your tap ph?

HEY! thanks for replying to me! i just checked my ph level of my tap water and its about the same actually as the water in my tank right now.. it changes the same color.. so im assuming my tap water is 6.o too..? i just took some from my tap in the kitchen in a little container and tested it from that.. I went in to my local pet store today and asked them about how to use the ph regulator and etc and they let me know that i could get this that or the other thing but i could just do some water changes.. i didn't ask him how many but i was then told by a different person that it would be too stressful to do that many water changes to bring the ph level to 7.0 and im totally lost now i dont konw what to do im thinking about getting that ph regulator which in the first place, i was told it might be too stressful for the fish! can you suggest anything or otherwise? thanks allot.

 

[NatalieFish]

my ph levels

I say not to alter it because the vast majority of fish we keep are fine in a wide range and stability is more important than a specific number. Make sure to test your water and do good regular water changes and they will be fine. We'll talk about your stocking at a later date....

hey, its me again natalie fish. about my ph levels you told me not to bother with chemically altering my fish tank? i like that aidea because it gets rid of any anxiety i might have of something going wrong. i made a new thread because im impatient and i don't know how much time i have before the ammonia levels start really affecting my fish. like i said the ph is at "6.0" but i've been told its not exactly " Serious" but i just fear that it is affecting my fish. im incredibly paranoid i guess. i keep a very close eye on them..

thanks for reading!

hope for a reply!
XD
Nataliefish.

 

[HN1]

hey, its me again natalie fish. about my ph levels you told me not to bother with chemically altering my fish tank? i like that aidea because it gets rid of any anxiety i might have of something going wrong. i made a new thread because im impatient and i don't know how much time i have before the ammonia levels start really affecting my fish. like i said the ph is at "6.0" but i've been told its not exactly " Serious" but i just fear that it is affecting my fish. im incredibly paranoid i guess. i keep a very close eye on them..

thanks for reading!

hope for a reply!
XD
Nataliefish.

Hey Natalie,

I'm not sure what you mean here? Your pH and ammonia are seperate. Any ammonia can be very dangerous for the fish and should be reduced immediately through water changes. If your tank is fully cycled, ammonia should not appear. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding.

 

[NatalieFish]

ph and ammonia

Hey Natalie,

I'm not sure what you mean here? Your pH and ammonia are seperate. Any ammonia can be very dangerous for the fish and should be reduced immediately through water changes. If your tank is fully cycled, ammonia should not appear. Sorry if I'm misunderstanding.

im talking about my ph levels.

 

[HN1]

pH won't affect your fish once they're acclimated and the level is stable, regardless of specific value (within reason of course). Some fish may need specialized pH values to breed, etc. but other than that they are more adaptable than we often give them credit for. I've kept Africans with source water of 6.0, tank level at 7.2. Conversely, I know an apisto breeder that has source water coming out at 7.6. Don't worry about the number. As long as it doesn't fluctuate, they'll be fine.

 

[NatalieFish]

re

pH won't affect your fish once they're acclimated and the level is stable, regardless of specific value (within reason of course). Some fish may need specialized pH values to breed, etc. but other than that they are more adaptable than we often give them credit for. I've kept Africans with source water of 6.0, tank level at 7.2. Conversely, I know an apisto breeder that has source water coming out at 7.6. Don't worry about the number. As long as it doesn't fluctuate, they'll be fine.

Oh! Okay then, that puts me at ease and it makes good sense to me. My fish DO seem to be okay i just wonder sometimes i guess.i study their behaviors and sometimes i wonder if they are acting different and it worries me if i think the are. ill just keep testing the ph to see if it changes and ill do my water changes.. how many water changes to you recommend per month?

Thanks so much!

 

[HN1]

Oh! Okay then, that puts me at ease and it makes good sense to me. My fish DO seem to be okay i just wonder sometimes i guess.i study their behaviors and sometimes i wonder if they are acting different and it worries me if i think the are. ill just keep testing the ph to see if it changes and ill do my water changes.. how many water changes to you recommend per month?

Thanks so much!

4. I'm a big believer in weekly 50%+ water changes. Bi-weekly can be fine, so can a smaller percentage though.

 

[NatalieFish]

re

4. I'm a big believer in weekly 50%+ water changes. Bi-weekly can be fine, so can a smaller percentage though.

oh really? i've been told by everyone so far that i should syphon no more than 25% at a time.. but yea i think i can handle bi-weekly cause i have a hectic schedule and i don't trust my fiance to do them haha..