Need help with ph

[GuppyKeeperTim]

Hello everyone...does anyone know of an effective and safe way to increase the ph in a tank? I have a 40 gallon and a 10...both were at 7.0 and have dropped to about 6.0. No matter how many times I put in those 7.0 tablets the tank ph never changes. I know that I probably need to buffer my water but I cannot find anything like that around my location...I tried some Neutral "crap" but that did not work either...other than this ph problem my tanks are flourishing as the fish are breeding regularly (guppies and platys). Also unrealted question, does bamboo plant cause an odor to the tank??? No matter haw many times I vacuum the tank and complete water changes the odor does not disappear...any advice would be great...

 

[bruinsbro1997]

The best way is to get some natural buffers, like crushed coral or limestone and add it gradually.

 

[BBradbury]

Your pH Question

Hello Guppy...

In all my years, I've never heard of acidic city water. You may have a real, honest to goodness, municipal water problem.

Try picking up some pieces of driftwood in your local water areas and get them into your tank. Enough pieces either floated with some plants attached or driftwood weighed down with rocks can make the water more alkaline.

B

 

[Herotilapia_Multispinosa]

fish are perfectly fine in stable PH . i would advise you stop using the chemicals as it could cause major fluctuations and end up killing your fish.

 

[GuppyKeeperTim]

The best way is to get some natural buffers, like crushed coral or limestone and add it gradually.

Looks like many people will offer their expertise...

 

[GuppyKeeperTim]

fish are perfectly fine in stable PH . i would advise you stop using the chemicals as it could cause major fluctuations and end up killing your fish.

Thanks for the advice...I am going to look into all of the advice the members have offered. I was really deep in the hobby about 30 years ago and never had this much difficulty with water stability...

 

[foster53]

How often do you do water changes, and how large are they? If you are going more than 2 weeks between W/C's that will have a tendency to drop the ph. The bio process occuring in the tank produces acids that eventually overwhelm the buffering capacity of the water. Testing you water for kh and gh will help you figure out why the ph is dropping. The bio load of the tank can make this occur faster also. Previous advice(stop using chemicals) very good advice. Also fish do well in stable water conditions. Try doing a 40-50%W/C once a week and your ph problem should diminish or disappear

 

[bruinsbro1997]

Try picking up some pieces of driftwood in your local water areas and get them into your tank. Enough pieces either floated with some plants attached or driftwood weighed down with rocks can make the water more alkaline.

Actually to correct you on that one, driftwood lowers your pH because it leeches tannins into the water...

 

[GuppyKeeperTim]

Our water is actually very alkaline but I add treatment to each water change to bring it to neutral 7.0 I have tried leaving it a bit alkaline 7.4 or so...vacuum the tank at least once a week and recently 3 times a week in hopes of affecting the ph...but no luck. I also have a foul odor coming from the tank...do these new bio wheels cause this??? Can't figure out how this smell is present with so many water changes. The tank is about 40 gallons and I regularly vacuum out 5 gallons, replace with new treated water, vacuum out 5 more gallons and replace with treated water...still no change to the ph or the smell. I appreciate all of the feedback I have been getting...I have added a few seashells to the tank in order to try and "naturally" bring up the ph. Looked for crushed coral but it is only available in large bags locally...a semi trusted source told me to try the shells...

 

[BBradbury]

pH Questions

Actually to correct you on that one, driftwood lowers your pH because it leeches tannins into the water...

Good morning bruins...

The driftwood pieces I recommended are from local rivers and lakes. I just use driftwood I collect from the local rivers and never noticed color changes in the water with the these pieces.

B