Low PH

[boadams87]

How and with what do I need to raise my ph? Its 6.0.

[BBradbury]

Originally Posted by boadams87

How and with what do I need to raise my ph? Its 6.0.

Hello b...

Your water is extremely acidic for municipal water. If you get some plants into the tank, they'll likely thrive in that water. I'd recommend some floating stems like Water wisteria, Water sprite and Pennywort and get some driftwood into the tank too. Mopani wood is good and doesn't leak tannins into the water.

See what affect these have on the water.

B

[boadams87]

Its 7.2 str8 out of the tap? I've got a small Dw. In it

[BBradbury]

Originally Posted by boadams87

Its 7.2 str8 out of the tap? I've got a small Dw. In it

Hello again b...

A pH of 7.2 is fine. Most aquatic fish and plants will adapt to the majority of public water supplies, so I wouldn't be concerned. Just treat the tap water for ammonia, chlorine and chloramine.

B

[boadams87]

Ok this is my parameters b4 a PWC.

AMM-. 50
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate-. 80

Then after a 80% WC

Amm- in between .25 - .50
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 10

So what do I need to do about the ammonia?

Oh and i checked my high ph and it's in between 7.8-7.4.

[BBradbury]

Originally Posted by boadams87

Ok this is my parameters b4 a PWC.

AMM-. 50
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate-. 80

Then after a 80% WC

Amm- in between .25 - .50
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate- 10

So what do I need to do about the ammonia?

Oh and i checked my high ph and it's in between 7.8-7.4.

b...

IMO, your water changes don't need to exceed 30 percent during the cycling process. Just test the water daily or every couple of days and when you see a trace of ammonia or nitrites in the water, just do a 30 percent change.

You'll get enough practice with larger water changes once the tank is cycled.

You don't need to be concerned with pH, hardness or those things. Your fish and plants will adapt to your water conditions. Just concentrate on the water changes.

B

[boadams87]

Im not cycling. Its been established

[librarygirl]

Originally Posted by boadams87

Im not cycling. Its been established

Where is the ammonia coming from? In established (cycled) tanks the ammonia and nitrite should be 0. Have you added anything recently or changed filter media or anything? Could a dead fish be in the tank?

If there are fish in the tank then I'd do water changes to get the ammonia down and figure out why it's there.

[boadams87]

On my first post I stated its coming str8 from the tap at. 50 so I guess that's it. No dead fish nothing new.

[boadams87]

And I did a 80% WC and its still somewhere between. 25 & .50

[librarygirl]

Oh, sorry,missed that part. If the tank is truly cycled the ammonia should disappear within 24 hours or less. Does the PH in the tank drop to 6 between water changes? If it's 7.4-7.8 that's fine, if it starts dropping then you'll have to either do a couple of water changes per week to keep it stable or (and if that doesn't work) you can add some crushed coral or argonite to your filter to help buffer the water; it's sold in most pet/fish stores in the saltwater section.

[boadams87]

It was 6.0 then I checked the high ph and it was that. So tomorrow ill check it again.

[librarygirl]

Originally Posted by boadams87

It was 6.0 then I checked the high ph and it was that. So tomorrow ill check it again.

Usually if the high PH test is needed it will read the highest color on the regular PH kit (the blue 7.6 color). If the regular PH test reads at 6 then I fear that might be your PH.

[boadams87]

Oh ok. Kinda thought so but why is it like 6.8-7.0 from tap then drops after wc to 6.0?

[librarygirl]

Originally Posted by boadams87

Oh ok. Kinda thought so but why is it like 6.8-7.0 from tap then drops after wc to 6.0?

PH can change after the water gasses out. My tap PH is 8.4 but then after it gasses out it drops to 7.8 which is my tank's PH. To test this you can leave out a glass of water for 24 hours and then test PH and see where it is. If it's 6, then that's the cause.

[boadams87]

Ok so do I need some CC?