Hey guys. New to this great forum. I have a very annoying problem. I have a 37 gallon freshwater tank with a 70 gallon filter. Filter has all new components, charcoal, sponge, etc. Temp. of tank is 76 degrees and I am using well water. My problem is, I can't seem to get my PH level higher. The well water that I am using comes out neutral out of the spicket. I do a monthly water change and 3 days later my PH level is piss yellow (very low). I recently bought 8 fish from the local pet store. $2-$5 fish, nothing special and they all ended up dying. If you ask, I do have 2 fake plastic plants. How can I higher my PH level and keep it there? Like I said it is very annoying and any help I would absolutely appreciate it!
BIG problem!! Help GREATLY appreciated!
- Thread starter rammin88
- Start date
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Jnthn932
Aquarium Advice Freak
You can buy a PH raiser from your LFS. API makes a good one.
would that keep it up? I hear it only keeps it up for about 24 hours. But its what I heard
librarygirl
Look It Up
So is the whole tank and filter new? If so, you have more problems than PH I'm afraid. Are you testing ammonia, nitrite, etc as well? You mentioned a monthly pwc so I'm assuming the tank has been set up for a while? Did you replace all of your filter media? If so that could cause a mini-cycle in which toxins can spike and without frequent water changes it could kill the fish.
What exactly is your PH out of the tap? You could buffer it naturally with some crushed coral or crushed argonite. Most pet/fish stores sell it in the saltwater section. Just get a small amount and put it in a filter media bag or clean nylon stocking and put it in your filter, it should help buffere the water and stabilize PH. Fish can adapt to pretty much any PH unless it's crazy high or low (and a PH in the low 6's can cause bacteria to pretty much grind to halt which couuld also be causing the toxins in the water to spike).
Also a pwc per month is not a lot at all; you should be doing a 50% pwc once per week at least for good maintenance as well as vacuuming the substrate regularly. Regular pwc can also keep PH stable unless it still drops between water changes. I'd test your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate as well b/c those could be high and causing the deaths.
What exactly is your PH out of the tap? You could buffer it naturally with some crushed coral or crushed argonite. Most pet/fish stores sell it in the saltwater section. Just get a small amount and put it in a filter media bag or clean nylon stocking and put it in your filter, it should help buffere the water and stabilize PH. Fish can adapt to pretty much any PH unless it's crazy high or low (and a PH in the low 6's can cause bacteria to pretty much grind to halt which couuld also be causing the toxins in the water to spike).
Also a pwc per month is not a lot at all; you should be doing a 50% pwc once per week at least for good maintenance as well as vacuuming the substrate regularly. Regular pwc can also keep PH stable unless it still drops between water changes. I'd test your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate as well b/c those could be high and causing the deaths.
I was having a problem keeping my ph up during my fishless cycle. It kept going down as low as your's and probably even quicker and that was starting with tapwater that is 8.4. A forum member (librarygirl) recomended I get some argonite sand in the saltwater section. I bought a bag and put only a handful in a new nylon and in under an hour my ph was 6.4. Maybe you want to try that.
Jnthn932
Aquarium Advice Freak
Not sure. I've never had to use it. It sounds to me like your tank isn't cycled. Common problem for people is they don't allow their tanks to cycle before putting in fish and they die. You need to run your filter for at least a week with no fish in tank so it can build beneficial bacteria that will help keep your PH at the proper level. After a week test again and if all of your parameters are good, you can safely put fish in.
Fish tank is not brand new nor is the filter. I do have 2 bottom feeders and two 3 inch long 3 inch wide pan like fish that been in there since I started it almost a year ago and seem not be effected. I first noticed my problem when all my smaller fish were starting to die out of no where. When I do water changes I have taken out almost %50 of my water before but usually I just take out six gallons. Filter media, you talking about the little white blocks that sits on top of the filter? I have even taken those out my last water change and the problem still occured. I will try the crushed argonite. How long do I keep that in there for?
Also, where do I put it in the filter? On top of the sponge, charcoal? And would a handful in a small nylon stocking be good enough?
Also, where do I put it in the filter? On top of the sponge, charcoal? And would a handful in a small nylon stocking be good enough?
