klikini
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Hi everyone,
I have a 20 gallon long that is 3 years old and has been perfectly fine up until the past month or two, when the pH dropped to 6 and got stuck there. It might actually be a little below 6 (the minimum pH of the API test), so I got some pH test strips that go down to 1 and they showed it around 5 or 6 (hard to tell exactly due to the wide pH range but limited color range of the test).
After talking to my LFS about it (and a lot of moral reflection), I decided I would like to add a blue ram to help cull the platy population. However, they recommended I get my pH higher first, so that's what I'm determined to do.
Now, I've read dozens of times during my research lately than chasing pH is bad, but I've only ever seen it in response to (what I consider) perfectly accepting pH values around 7–8 and never anything this low. I am hesitant to add "pH up!" chemicals as I don't think they will solve the root cause, and the low pH will just return later and provide another shock to the fish.
I have successfully raised the GH from 1 to 8 using Seachem Equilibrium (and some crushed coral), but I can't seem to get the KH to increase at all (it turns orange with the first drop!). This seems weird to me because in my other tank (a 5.5 gallon shrimp-only tank), the KH is 4 and the GH is 6, and they fluctuate more or less in sync with each other.
What I've tried:
Is there anything else I can try to fix this?
Am I correct in assuming the pH shock is what killed the other cory and is causing problems for the juvenile platys?
Thanks,
— Andy
I have a 20 gallon long that is 3 years old and has been perfectly fine up until the past month or two, when the pH dropped to 6 and got stuck there. It might actually be a little below 6 (the minimum pH of the API test), so I got some pH test strips that go down to 1 and they showed it around 5 or 6 (hard to tell exactly due to the wide pH range but limited color range of the test).
After talking to my LFS about it (and a lot of moral reflection), I decided I would like to add a blue ram to help cull the platy population. However, they recommended I get my pH higher first, so that's what I'm determined to do.
Now, I've read dozens of times during my research lately than chasing pH is bad, but I've only ever seen it in response to (what I consider) perfectly accepting pH values around 7–8 and never anything this low. I am hesitant to add "pH up!" chemicals as I don't think they will solve the root cause, and the low pH will just return later and provide another shock to the fish.
I have successfully raised the GH from 1 to 8 using Seachem Equilibrium (and some crushed coral), but I can't seem to get the KH to increase at all (it turns orange with the first drop!). This seems weird to me because in my other tank (a 5.5 gallon shrimp-only tank), the KH is 4 and the GH is 6, and they fluctuate more or less in sync with each other.
What I've tried:
- 25% water change, twice a week, for the last 2 weeks. It doesn't make much of a difference in the hours and days following even though the tap water pH is 8.2 (also measured with the API kit).
- Adding crushed coral, per the recommendation of my LFS. It raised the GH a bit but didn't change the pH. I also had some trouble getting it to dissolve even after 2 weeks and moving it from the substrate to the HOB filter for more water flow.
- Adding Seachem Equilibrium. I was previously in the habit of doing this with each water change but stopped about a year ago, until this week. This also raised the GH significantly, but not the KH or pH.
- Removing 90% of the live plants, as my LFS identified this as a possible cause of the low pH. No change in pH.
- Turning off the CO₂ completely for a week. No change in pH, so I have re-enabled the timer.
- AquaClear 50 HOB filter
- Two 50 W heaters each preset at 78°
- Light on for 8 hours a day
- CO₂ around 1 bubble per second while the light is on (it's planted tank; see attached photo)
- Bubble bar for more water oxygenation
- Approximately 3 adult platys.
- Approximately 5–10 juvenile platys.
- A couple of them seem deformed and unable to move very well, but they still eat whatever food falls near the substrate. They were fine until recently, and they do better immediately following a water change, so I don't think it's inbreeding, just the pH messing them up, but I could be wrong.
- Approximately 20–50 baby platys, some barely big enough to see.
- 1 cory catfish
- The other very sadly died a few days ago, I think as a result of the pH drop.
- I know you're supposed to have more than that (and I used to!) but I've had a difficult time finding healthy ones in stores around here.
- Uncountable number of bladder and ramshorn snails.
- Occasionally I will see a blue shrimp (neo.), but it's been a while, so he may have finally died of old age since he was a very early addition to the tank.
pH (tap water) | 8.2 |
pH (tank water) | 6 |
Ammonia | 0 ppm |
Nitrite | 0 ppm |
Nitrate | 0 ppm |
KH | <1° (<18 ppm) |
GH | 8° (143 ppm) |
Is there anything else I can try to fix this?
Am I correct in assuming the pH shock is what killed the other cory and is causing problems for the juvenile platys?
Thanks,
— Andy