Frustration

[AirRazr]

I have been doing my tests daily since the 7th. I have seen the amonia and other chemicals fluctuate since I started testing. Since about the 13th, I have seemed to plateau. My NH3 has been at 0, NO2: 0, NO3: has been running steady at 5 (today it was up to 10), and my pH has been steady at 8.0. I can't get the gosh darned pH above that. I have Marine buffer that I use everyday. I always disolve it in declorinated tap water but I can't get the pH up. I know that my tank isn't that old, but it's kinda frustrating. I have invested a good amount of money into the tank and am just anxious about getting my fish.

What can I do to try and stabilize the pH?? (without having to take out a loan to afford it)

TIA

Wes

 

[quarryshark]

Try a couple of decent size water changes with pre buffered and airated mix, see if that helps. Do you have a glass cover? If so you may want to open it for a while. Is there much surface agitation?
8.0 is really not that bad, just don't want to dip below that.

 

[AirRazr]

I do have a glass canopy. My return from my filter is a bar with holes in it for the water to pass through, the end that is attached to the hose is right at the surface of the water and the rest of the bar is diagonally slanted so the agitation goes a little deeper under the surface (if that makes sense).

I don't own a powerhead (yet), and without a RO unit...what is the best way to airate the water for the WC?

Wes

 

[quarryshark]

Well, an RO unit would be a great investment for the future, but for now can you get RO water from your LFS? To airate, an airstone is what I use. You can add buffer to your change water until you get the reading you want. You then airate it and do the water change.
Open the glass top and maybe a window in the room for a few hours. Believe it or not, that may help raise the PH. Once again, 8.0 is not bad, I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[AirRazr]

Thanks, Kurt.

I know this is goingto be an enjoyable hobby, just itchin to get the cycle completed. Is 8.0 ok to start thinking about adding snails or crabs?

 

[quarryshark]

What I did was start out with a few snails. After a week or so and none of them went belly up, I added a few hemits. If all goes well with the snails you could get a qt set up and start thinking about your first hearty fish.

 

[BillyZ]

QS is giving good advice, and I'm just going to second his opinions on removing the glass cover as I think that will be the most beneificial. The oxygen levels in the water can greatly affect th Ph. Good luck, stay patient.

 

[AirRazr]

Kurt & Billy,

Thanks for the great advice. I have been leaving the canopys open for a couple of hours and it seems to have made a huge difference. I went today and bought 2 Maxi-Jet Powerhead/Pump Model 900 for each of my back corners. I hope this is enough to provide more oxygen for the water and more water movement.

Thanks again for your help.

 

[quarryshark]