Why does my pH keep going up?

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Ellenquacker72

Ellenquacker72

Aquarium Advice Freak
Joined
May 30, 2011
Messages
295
Location
Canada
The pH in my tank is currently 8.4 ish. Tap water is 7.6. I did a 90% water change, and the ph went down to 7.8. The next morning, it was back up there to 8 something. I am kinda guessing at the 8.4 number, since the test color comes out a very pink purple, which doesnt match the high pH chart. I don't understand why this can be. (API master test kit)
Currently:
10g tank
There are no fish (hopefully later though :()
We have a 70ft well
Softened water pH of 7.6
Marina aquarium gravel
3 java fern 1 money wort
Fluval U2 internal filter
Elite mini 50W heater
Aqua-glo 14W lightbulb
I plastic shelter/cave thing
4ppm ammonia (fishless cycle)
0 nitrates or nitrites (started may 13)

Why would it keep going up like this? I am very frustrated. :(
 
Do you have any rocks or something that you found like... Outside or anywhere other then a pet store? What's your substrate?
 
I have this gravel.
And I use prime in my tank to condition it.
I'll try leaving the tap water out for a while and test it though...
 

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I confess to being confused by the whole concept of hardness/softness buffering pH. So I will leave the science of the process to others to explain. But I will tell you what worked for me...

I had the same problem for years...pH drifting up. I had to test weekly, and adjust with a bit of baking soda as needed. But I had to stay right on top of it, or suddenly get a dangerous sudden change. I was whining about it to someone at my LFS, and she suggested putting a mesh bag of crushed coral in my filter. Sounded harmless, couldn't hurt. So I did it. And it worked! My pH is rock steady now at 7.5.

I just have to remember to roll the bag between my palms every time I clean the filter. The crushed coral builds up a film on it over time, and that seems to reduce it's effectiveness. Rolling the bag under running water removes the film, and it is as good as new. When the bag starts looking a bit empty, I just add more. I think I paid $15 for 25 pounds...pretty much a lifetime supply!
 
Update: just did a 100%water change(ug) using unsoftened, conditioned with prime water. PH in tank is currently 7.8. Which I'm happy with for now. Hopefully it doesn't go back up. (fingers crossed)
I left a bit of tap water out, test wad the same.
One thing of note: when I had my tank empty, I left it for a while while I had supper. When I got back, I noticed that when I got close to the tank, it smelled fishy. I haven't noticed anything before, but the tank is usually wet of course :) but when it dried it smelled... There has been a bit of slime on everything in my tank for a few weeks. Why is this? There aren't any fish!!!
 
Ellenquacker72 said:
Update: just did a 100%water change(ug) using unsoftened, conditioned with prime water. PH in tank is currently 7.8. Which I'm happy with for now. Hopefully it doesn't go back up. (fingers crossed)
I left a bit of tap water out, test wad the same.
One thing of note: when I had my tank empty, I left it for a while while I had supper. When I got back, I noticed that when I got close to the tank, it smelled fishy. I haven't noticed anything before, but the tank is usually wet of course :) but when it dried it smelled... There has been a bit of slime on everything in my tank for a few weeks. Why is this? There aren't any fish!!!
Click to expand...

I REALLY hate to be the bearer of bad news :-(...but dry bacteria = dead bacteria. How long did it sit empty? The vast majority of your beneficial bacteria is in the filter (hopefully that stayed wet?), but there is still some on every surface of your tank. I know you're in the prices of cycling, but you might want to prepare for it to have set you back a few days. Just recently a member had just finished cycling their tank, drained it at the end and left it empty for an hour while he redecorated. The walls and decorations dried out and it set him backwards in his cycle about a week :-(

When you said "unsoftened" water, was the water that was previously in the tank put through a water softening system?
 
Yes it was. Very much so. I had been putting in hot water from the softened tap... I thought bacteria liked warmth. Hehe But I didn't realize that it Was softened until today... This is a.very educational process.
I figured there wasn't any bacteria in there since nothing was happening. But the slime was bacteria? Oops. I'm sure the filter was still wet inside. And the gravel was still under and inch of water. But the sides were definitely dry.
 
i had ph probs (fluctuating like yours) so i changed the 3mm gravel substrate to micro fine crushed coral sand.

keeps the gh/kh/ph in check, but i love the way the fish filter it through their gills, dig holes or tunnel under rocks, etc.
i really enjoy watching their natural behaviour with it.

with the gravel they never showed any interest in sifting or moving the substrate.
 
Il probably put sand in my 20g. :) but I've already bought the stuff for this tank. Can't just waste it along with 18$ sadly.
 
Ellenquacker72 said:
Yes it was. Very much so. I had been putting in hot water from the softened tap... I thought bacteria liked warmth. Hehe But I didn't realize that it Was softened until today... This is a.very educational process.
I figured there wasn't any bacteria in there since nothing was happening. But the slime was bacteria? Oops. I'm sure the filter was still wet inside. And the gravel was still under and inch of water. But the sides were definitely dry.
Click to expand...

The way water softeners work is kind of complicated when it comes to aquariums...but it's probably fair to blame it on your fluctuating pH.

By hot water I assume you mean fairly warm similar to the same temperature in the tank?

If the walls and decorations dried out...you'll definitely lose some beneficial bacteria. Luckily if the gravel and filter remained wet, you won't be starting completely over.

If you get a chance, try and read over the guide in my signature. It actually covers all the things we've been dealing with including water temperature, alkalinity and where the bacteria grows and how to maintain it. Keep us posted :)
 
PH back up to 8.2 with the new water from 7.8 . It' hasnt even been 12 h and it's already up!? This water isn't softened!!! I took it from the hose outside!
 
I left some water out for a few hours, test came out as 7.6 no change whatsoever.
Does anyone know what dark pink test results would be on an API test kit? ( high ph) it's up to that color since this morning.
 
There was no change after aerating it? Or just leaving it out? Leaving it sitting isn't going to do much to raise the dissolved oxygen level. I was just curious because aeration raises tank PH.
 
I've decided that my water sucks. I don't know how do aerated properly I guess, but I'm assuming it's just 9 naturally, since nothing else makes sense.
So, tonight we did a 100 water change, using rain water (ph 6.6 before aeration) and am going to see how tha t works out. I'm not looking at this as a long term solution. Just curious, and hoping it will keep my plants alive until I can buy ( :( ) some water. I mean come on, my java fern was dying. That just doesn't happen easily.
Will poly/carbon filter clean out goo from a rain barrel?
 
aerating it just means putting an air line in there so it bubbles. You could probably achieve the same thing by putting it in a jar and shaking it up every so often.

I don't know what kind of goo you are talking about, if it's just biofilm, then yeah it might get picked up by the poly filter.
 
Well, the water is brown kind of goo. Check again in the morning see if anything changes in the ph or goo levels
 
Went up again! Would water in rain barrels be aerated if it's been sitting there for a few days?
It was 6.6 and is now 7.4. How much sense does that make?
I figured that since the rain barrel always has new water pouring into it, it would be aerated.... I just don't know anymore
Would distilled water that you buy in stores ph change?
 
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