Ph keeps rising - help!

[Kss123]

Hello everyone I have 2 * 18 gallon aquariums. One is a year old and one is three months old. Both have fully cycled (Started the second one with gravel from the first one). They are lightly planted aquariums.

Originally I had trouble with my aquarium becoming more acidic over time. I had to add shells to help it stabilise, and I purchased device to measure pH constantly.

Now I am having the inverse challenge where my pH keeps rising. In aquarium number one the pH is at 7.6, though it was at 7.0 when I finished my water change 2 weeks ago. I removed all of the shells.

In aquarium number 2 the pH Was 7.6 after my water change and is now 7.9. I added a large piece of driftwood to aquarium last month to try and stop the increase. Only things in that aquarium are the gravel, pieces of driftwood, some plants and the fish and snails.

Fish aquarium 1: 3 Cory catfish, 3 White cloud Mountain minnow, 1 Harlequin rasborra, 2 clown killifish, 2 snails.

Aquarium 2: 4 cardinal tetra, 5 ember tetra.

Any ideas?

Thank u

 

[charliebankston]

This post (not being critical of op doing the best he can) is the very reason why it's better to have a steady ph instead of an optimal. 9 out of 10 times it just winds up being a constant battle to either raise or lower the ph level. Unless your fish require an unusually high or low ph, i would quit fighting with it and stressing the fish with it fluctuating all the time. Imo

 

[Kss123]

This post (not being critical of op doing the best he can) is the very reason why it's better to have a steady ph instead of an optimal. 9 out of 10 times it just winds up being a constant battle to either raise or lower the ph level. Unless your fish require an unusually high or low ph, i would quit fighting with it and stressing the fish with it fluctuating all the time. Imo

Yes this would be fine if it stabilized but it keeps changing of its own accord. If I just leave it, it seems to keep rising!

 

[charliebankston]

Most fish do well in a range of 6.5 to 8

 

[charliebankston]

Maybe this helps

 

[HopeGR]

Would fluctuations in the ph cause flashing/flicking in fish?

 

[charliebankston]

Would fluctuations in the ph cause flashing/flicking in fish?

If it was way out of this range. Too high or low it might. Lice, flukes and other parasites will also

 

[Delapool]

Just curious - is the ph device in the tank and reading constantly or is it more like a ph pen that can be dipped into tank and give an instant reading?

 

[charliebankston]

Just curious - is the ph device in the tank and reading constantly or is it more like a ph pen that can be dipped into tank and give an instant reading?

Like an ept or clearblue easy?

 

[Kss123]

It measures constantly and sends accurate when I do a normal test tube check.
Milwaukee MC120 pH Monitor with Mounting Kit, 0.0 to 14.0 pH, +/-0.2 pH Accuracy, 5.5 to 9.5 pH Set Point https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Z4HR82/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_mjbgl8j8oOoQG

 

[charliebankston]

Maybe try a bag of buffer in your filter.