pH crash from driftwood???? HELP

[JerseyGirl1385]

Hello everyone!

Another dilemma! Last night bought an API master kit and used it for the first time.

I had recently added new fish ( 4 Angels Friday and 4 Cory's on Monday) and the results were as follows:

pH 7.6
A 0
No2 .25-.50
No3 5-10ppm

Did a 30% WC last night and retested

Results

pH 7.6
A 0
No2 0
No3 5ppm

So I went ahead and added my driftwood ( boiled for 5 hours) and some java moss early this morning.

Just came home and tested my water and these are my results:

pH 6.4 !!!!!!!
A 0
No2 0
No3 0-5ppm

I have a 37g tank with 4 Angels, 4 Cory cats, pleco and 3 platy's.

Not sure what to do from here. Do I take the driftwood out? Do a WC? Agh!!!!!!!
Thank you in advance!

 

[RussellC]

Geez... this one's certainly over my head.

That said, were it me? I'd redo the pH test to make sure I didn't miscount the drops or something.

 

[JerseyGirl1385]

Ok I'm doing it now

 

[JerseyGirl1385]

Um... Could something have gone wrong?

I swear on the paper my water came out light green (6.4- took the water from the top with my syringe) and now I stuck my hand waaaaay in and took the water from there and now it's dark blue ( 7.6 )

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Did your ph crash or just drop to 6.4 and stabilized there?

 

[Cichlid Kid]

Nevermind. Didn't see ur last post.

 

[JerseyGirl1385]

Sorry for posting AGAIN...
My angel fish are just acting funny to me ( they're all hanging on the bottom. They've eaten. And every time I open the good they come flying up hoping I'm going to feed them. They're fins aren't clampped, no one is bloated, no one appears "sick" ) but then again I'm not sure how Angel fish usually act.
My platy's are awesome, the Cory's are back to work- they were hanging out just chilling which is what made me test the water in the first place. They're back to getting busy lol

:smack my head: I love the stock in my tank lol
And I get overly worried, waaaaay too quick.

 

[RussellC]

:smack my head: I love the stock in my tank lol
And I get overly worried, waaaaay too quick.

Hey, if I made a change in my tank and saw that kind of a pH drop afterward? I'd worry too.

Glad to hear that the second pH test was more in line and that everyone seems active and happy!

Best!

 

[mikem691]

I think all is ok. Mine are hyper some times and other times they will just hang in the back and do the same if i walk by. It may be the new wood that they arent sure of. Some times a land scape change will make a few fish hide for a while till they are use to it. I have one silver dollar that is freaked out about any change in the tank and will hide for a while till he gets use to the change.

 

[JerseyGirl1385]

Awwwe I didn't really think they'd be bothered by it. Mr. Pleco loves it. Everyone else slows down when they swim by it, look at it and hightail away from it lol
Thanks so much guys.
It feels good to know I have a healthy tank.

I saw this "quote" posted on another forum when I was reading up on some other material, it seems to fit us aquarists very well lol

" Why do I love fish? You can't pet them, you can't play with them, you can't teach them tricks, they aren't warm and fuzzy... Why do I love fish? Because every time I stare into their little world I have created for them, every problem I have just floats away..."

Thank you again!

 

[Rivercats]

I have 10 angels and sometimes they just chill. Like right now, sitting in the sunroom where the 220g is and I see 5 hanging out just above the plants and 5 are obviously chilling in the plants. Some people say their angels school, but since all mine have matured they all just go around the tank doing their own thing.

Not long ago I had the same thing happen, my ph is usually right about 7.0 and when I took a reading it was 6.2. I almost flipped, then redid the test and it was fine. Guess I didn't something wrong... we are human after all.

 

[marsh]

I heard the shaking the test tube of water before adding the chemicals helps with accuracy.

 

[JerseyGirl1385]

I did. I shook each bottle and each vial of water.
I was talking to my girlfriend while I was reading the directions. Guess I didn't do it right and thank God for that bc I almost had a heart attack.

I'm so glad that this forum is here, I tell you.
I have learned so much in the 6 months since i've started.

Thank you to everyone who answered.

 

[ibn219]

Add some shells they will help buffer the ph the calcium in the shell neutralizes acid. I have the opposite problem easy to go up hard to go down

 

[MMantelli]

Wood can lower ph u can use a ph buffer, limestone or lava rock to make up for the wood