The pH of my tap is fine, the tank...not so much.

[PatStewart]

So I'm having some alkaline pH problems. I read again and again not to doctor my pH but something is wrong I feel within the tank itself. My tap test at ~7.2. The test tubes on the top
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/CardassianKeldon/photo-1.jpg
But when the water enters my tank it turns to ~8.2. (bottom test tubes) My tank have plants & a piece of driftwood (which I thought would lower the pH). I can't explain what within my barren tank is causing such a drastic shift.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y47/CardassianKeldon/photo1.jpg

My ammonia is ~0.0-0.1ppm for the last two weeks and nitrate & nitrate have never tested above 0ppm. I do 5 gallon water changes every week & dose once a week with Flourish.
Fish count:
4 Neon tetras
9 Emerald Cory's (sp)
2 Mystery snails

Any aquarist have any chemical explanations for this? Any natural remedies such as a substrate change (currently flourite) or maybe more driftwood? I feel like this --> trying for a month to adjust this. A pH of 8.2 is something I'd dream of if this was a saltwater tank.

Thanks in advance.

 

[fort384]

I removed the HTML tags from your post and left links to the images. Our board supports BB tags, but not html tags...

Probably not much to worry about with what you are stocking. So long as acclimate slowly, they should be fine.

Try this: take a glass or bowl of tap water and let it sit on the counter for 24 hours, then test. It might not be the tank at all, but off gassing from your tap water over a period of time.

 

[PatStewart]

No change

pH @ 3hrs = 7.4
pH @ 24hrs = 7.4

A shift of 1.0 is pretty drastic. Would a high bioload, and all the ammonia, create such a drastic change?

 

[fort384]

It would take a lot for the bioload to shift it that much.

What are your nitrates and ammonia testing at? What kind of substrate is in the tank? What kind of rocks?

 

[PatStewart]

Nitrates are at 0ppm
Ammonia is at 0-0.1ppm

Flourite gravel & no rocks, just driftwood & plants.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Ammonia would cause the pH to drop... As long as it's steady in the tank, I really wouldn't worry about it

 

[fort384]

yeah, I agree. It isn't too high to keep most fish. So long as it is stable, it is ok.

It is puzzling though, that you are seeing that much of a jump from your tap to the tank with apparently nothing in the tank that should cause it.

 

[tozbro]

Hi do you have any coral in your tank. Coral will raise ph.

 

[fort384]

I am hoping not since it is a FW tank...

 

[TangoTank]

I've read you can put crushed coral in a mesh bag in your filter or elsewhere in your tank to affect pH. I'm pretty sure it's even for FW tanks. pH+ & pH down shouldn't be used in most cases. That's what I've taken from it. Good luck!!

 

[fort384]

That would raise pH. I agree on not using liquid additives to lower it.

 

[PatStewart]

I'm hoping maybe it's just a temporary thing. Hidden dead fish decaying?

For now I'm going to make it a habit of pre-mixing my PWC water and using buffer salts. Over the period of a few weeks (5 gallons a week) I hope this will adjust pH and not stress my fish out.

Just like my SW tanks I'm learning not to use straight tap water for FW tanks either.

On a side note, here's some shameless self promotion.
http://patstewartfwtank.blogspot.com/
I made a blog as a journal for my tank. I prefer it to a thread here so comments don't clog up the system.