Need help with pH

[Tellurye]

Hey guys,

I'm pulling my hair out about the pH in my newly established 55 gallon tank. It's cycled.

Here are my tap water parameters:
pH: 7.0
Ammonia: 0-.25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 10ppm
KH: 143.2ppm

Here's my tank:
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm
KH: 125.3ppm

Every time I do a 25-50% water change, the pH will drop down to about 7.4-7.6 depending on how big the change is.. but the next day it always goes back to 8.2. This particular tank needs a lower end pH, like 6.0-7.0, and I can't seem to get it there. And I've been doing water changes every day! I also use a water softening pouch in the canister filter to try to soften the water.

I've been looking hard for driftwood and peat moss in my area, but I just can't find ANY. It's like all my LFS are incompetent. Ugh.

Any advice? I am getting very frustrated. The tank is for my blood parrot, albino tiger oscar and angelfish.

 

[molliwopp]

If your tap water is a ph of 7 then theres something inside the tank raising it back up. What sort of gravel sand do have in there? Any rocks? Crushed coral?

 

[Wy Renegade]

Agree with the above. What are you using for a substrate and where did you get it? If you're using gravel for a cheap source, it is very likely that is the source of your issue.

 

[Tellurye]

thanks for the replies.

I should have mentioned I did cycle this tank with media from my other tank - a 60 gallon African cichlid tank, that does have a pH of 8.2 because of the Texas holey rock I have in that tank. I used 4 to 5 cups of gravel from the high pH tank, and used the bacteria from the filter in this new tank. Also a fake stump and 2 live plants I moved from that tank. But I would have figured that those things wouldn't raise the pH? At least not permanently.

 

[Wy Renegade]

I wouldn't have thought so either, but once again, what are you using for substrate in your current tank? And what type of gravel did you transfer from your other tank. It is obvious from your pH that you have something in the existing aquarium that is raising your pH rapidly, the most likely culprit is your substrate, although it is not the only posibility.

 

[Tellurye]

It's just generic gravel bought from petsmart about 2 years ago. in addition to the 4-5 cups of gravel brought from the african tank, i just used more of the same kind that was left over in a bag. It barely covers the bottom of the tank. It's probably medium sized gravel pellets?

 

[Wy Renegade]

Drop a cup or two in a small container of tap water overnight. If the water tests with high pH by morning, you have found the culprit. If not, we need to keep looking.

 

[Tellurye]

Ok, I set aside some water. I've heard of aging water before or what not, but didn't think to test it later in this situation. We'll see tomorrow! Thank you for your help. Let's hope that this is the problem, or something easy!

Btw I looked at your bog... it looks so sweet!

 

[Tellurye]

Ok. So I let my tap water sit in a glass cup for a day. The pH did seem to rise... but I'm pretty confused about the reading. Using API master test kit, the regular pH test tests about 7.6 or slightly higher... yet with the high end pH, it tests lower than 7.4. Confused? You betcha!