I have several tanks most are fine and within the range I require, but 2 tanks are way out of range PH wise. My 90 gallon has two small fish 1 silver arrowana and 1 pastel cichlid (both are very young). The ph is 8.0, Ammonia and Nitrites are almost 0. I have no coral or anything in the tank and can not get the ph to go down. The other tank is a 55 gallon that is over crowded with mixed peacocks mostly young adults breed from my 125 gallon. Anyway this tanks PH is 6.6 no ammonia and high Nitrites. I have changed water for days trying to get the nitrites down and have added electroright and PH up but still it stays low. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT?
ph problems
- Thread starter pjetty
- Start date
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madasafish
Aquarium Advice Addict
The greatest favor you can do yourself in terms of pH balancing is to not use store-bought chemicals. These have only temporary effects, and commonly harm the fish.
For increasing pH, your best option is to go natural. Buy yourself a small bag of crushed coral, and a mesh bag or two. Transfer the coral to the mesh bag and wash the whole bag to make sure that you get out any particulate matter that will fit through the apertures in the mesh. If you wish, you can also crush the coral a little more yourself to add surface area. Then, add the crushed coral mesh bag to your filter. You will find that the KH of the water will increase quite quickly, and that the pH will increase accordingly.
For decreasing pH, your best option is, again, natural. 2 choices. Adding Malaysian (or African Swahala) driftwood to the main body of your tank, or adding peat to your filter. Hagen sells peat for their Fluval line of canister filters, and peat or peat moss (Sphagnum spp.) can also be found quite simply in bogs (cheaper, but harder to get). Both should lower the pH of your water.
As to the reason for the difference in the first place, I'm stumped. I can only guess that some of the ornaments, or the substrate you have, are influencing the pH. More concretely, my guess is that the KH (buffering capacity) of your tapwater is low, allowing pH to swing greatly between lows (6.6) and highs (8.0). It might be a good idea to have a little bit of crushed coral in both tanks in order to buffer the KH of the tank, and protect your fish from sudden pH swings.
For increasing pH, your best option is to go natural. Buy yourself a small bag of crushed coral, and a mesh bag or two. Transfer the coral to the mesh bag and wash the whole bag to make sure that you get out any particulate matter that will fit through the apertures in the mesh. If you wish, you can also crush the coral a little more yourself to add surface area. Then, add the crushed coral mesh bag to your filter. You will find that the KH of the water will increase quite quickly, and that the pH will increase accordingly.
For decreasing pH, your best option is, again, natural. 2 choices. Adding Malaysian (or African Swahala) driftwood to the main body of your tank, or adding peat to your filter. Hagen sells peat for their Fluval line of canister filters, and peat or peat moss (Sphagnum spp.) can also be found quite simply in bogs (cheaper, but harder to get). Both should lower the pH of your water.
As to the reason for the difference in the first place, I'm stumped. I can only guess that some of the ornaments, or the substrate you have, are influencing the pH. More concretely, my guess is that the KH (buffering capacity) of your tapwater is low, allowing pH to swing greatly between lows (6.6) and highs (8.0). It might be a good idea to have a little bit of crushed coral in both tanks in order to buffer the KH of the tank, and protect your fish from sudden pH swings.
madasafish
Aquarium Advice Addict
Also, make sure that your testkit it accurate. Have the pH checked next time you're at the store by bringing in samples from both tanks.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
What are the ages of the tanks in question, in terms of how long they have been set up? Also, what is the pH of your tap (test after it has been sitting in a container for about 12-24 hours) as well as the tap KH?
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