katefshaw
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
- Joined
- May 15, 2014
- Messages
- 17
Hi there,
I am currently in the middle of a fishless cycle with my Fluval Edge 23l tank. I am 2.5 weeks into the cycle and have been following the 'almost complete guide to fishless cycling,' on this forum. It is an unplanted tank and contains bogwood. I plan on keeping red cherry shrimp and have added a heater to the tank, with the temperature currently set at 26 degrees. My last reading of the water in my tank was:
Temp - 26 degrees centigrade
Ammonia - 2ppm
Nitrite - 5ppm
Nitrate - 5ppm
PH - 8.8!!!
My tap water parameters are:
GH 71.6 ppm very soft
KH 35.8ppm
PH 7.4 ppm
I am quite concerned about the spike in my ph levels and I am aware that it is probably due to my tap water being soft, having little buffering ability, combined with the addition of ammonia to the tank. I was wondering whether I should do a partial water change to restore ph levels and was wondering how much water i should change (50-60%?)?? I was also wondering whether I should place some crushed coral into my filter to increase carbonate hardness to stabilise my ph, but I am concerned that if I do this it will raise my ph too much to keep invertebrates?? I think they add sodium hydroxide to my tap water to increase ph to protect the pipes so I am a bit concerned this will affect the shrimp.
Thanks so much for reading!!
I am currently in the middle of a fishless cycle with my Fluval Edge 23l tank. I am 2.5 weeks into the cycle and have been following the 'almost complete guide to fishless cycling,' on this forum. It is an unplanted tank and contains bogwood. I plan on keeping red cherry shrimp and have added a heater to the tank, with the temperature currently set at 26 degrees. My last reading of the water in my tank was:
Temp - 26 degrees centigrade
Ammonia - 2ppm
Nitrite - 5ppm
Nitrate - 5ppm
PH - 8.8!!!
My tap water parameters are:
GH 71.6 ppm very soft
KH 35.8ppm
PH 7.4 ppm
I am quite concerned about the spike in my ph levels and I am aware that it is probably due to my tap water being soft, having little buffering ability, combined with the addition of ammonia to the tank. I was wondering whether I should do a partial water change to restore ph levels and was wondering how much water i should change (50-60%?)?? I was also wondering whether I should place some crushed coral into my filter to increase carbonate hardness to stabilise my ph, but I am concerned that if I do this it will raise my ph too much to keep invertebrates?? I think they add sodium hydroxide to my tap water to increase ph to protect the pipes so I am a bit concerned this will affect the shrimp.
Thanks so much for reading!!