inari

Hey guys,

Man i hate having to post on this type of forum it means I screwed up somewhere along the lines, well here is the deal. For quite sometime now I've been running a sterile cycle no matter what I do I can't seem to get it going again, I think back around Nov is when the cycle died out, the tank got super cold and I did a huge water change....yeah I think you can fill in the rest of the details from there. So running a sterile cycle I haven't been having too many issues with it since it's a beta and I tend to keep up on my water changes, Now here is the issue last night my beta was acting odd so i decided to test the water, Ammonias came out where I expect almost non-existant since I had done a water change the day prior, the Nitrites were at 0 .... I figured as much so since everything was kosher I decided to test the pH that's where the problems starts I had a pH of 5.0 idk if it was lower since my tests don't go that far down .... So I got concerned and I added some pH regulator (pkg says that it keeps it around 7) I tested the water this morning and discovered that it was again at the 5 I tested my GH and KH and it is extremely soft (less than 1 degree of hardness for either) So should I harden my water before I try to mess with the pH? Anything I can do to lower it and keep it low (out side of pH down, and a regulator) thanks guys,

Inari

TedsTank

Well first I would recommend that you test your tap water.

Do you use a water softener in your home sysytem?

Originally was your water PH normal or higher? Did you add any ornaments not recommented for aquarium use?

Instead of relying on PH regulator it would probably be better to add
something natural to keep your PH higher.

IMO the chemical buffers can be tricky and backfire on you.

I haven't had a problem getting low PH (which I want) since I changed to RO water. You have the opposite problem...your water has nothing...no buffering.

Sorry, I am not sure the best natural way to do this, but someone will show up here to help with the details. Meanwhile check out everything I mentioned above, especially if your tap water is different from your tank water. If so then it is something physically in your tank causing this problem.

inari

yeah I have to agree there is something physcially wrong in my tank, I'm sorry I should have answered those questions in my original post I'm getting old at 23 lol anyway to answer your questions; tap pH is a perfect 7, we do not use any softeners it comes right from the city. I do not have any real ornimantes in my tank as it is, I do have a random question for any coming to this post tho, I have two old Air stones, they were originally in brackish tank, I am going to wash them with hot water, (treated of course) to dissolve the salt out, does anyone think this will affect the salinity, I know that oxygen can affect the pH so that is y i'm considering putting one in, and I cannot remeber what the natural pH regulator is that raise the pH thanks again,

Inari

TedsTank

With a small tank like yours, I am not sure what is best. If you add shells they will help buffering but it is a slow process....when you do a water change your Ph will change and then come back...so best project is get what is causing it out of your tank.

Test your tap water after waiting 24 hours, BEFORE putting it in your tank.Elimination...get new airstones...although the old shouldn't be a problem if they are those little ones....takes alot to lower Ph from 7 to 5.

Do you have gravel or sand in your tank?? It could possibly be crashing your Ph.

What I really want to say is strip out you tank, it is small and start over...watch what you add.....and by all means protect your betta!!!! while you do this.

inari

i'm using gravel atm, I'm considering revamping my tank entirely as it is, atm i'm playing mad chemist to stablize the water, i know the dangers but something has to be done to bring the pH back up, I don't know what else to do, I'm rinsing the stones a few more times just to get as much of the deposited salt off them as possible, the reason i'm not using new ones is 'cause I hate most of LFS and I don't want to give them money unless I have to. I am doing everything I can think of to protect my baby, (he's spoiled rotten really I mean he gets blood worms once a day and the chemicals to treat the tank are only the best) anyway the only thing i have in there atm is gravel, the filter (bio wheel style) and a single stalk of bamboo...wait one more thing, those lava looking rocks i've been trying to get green algea going to help my tank and of course that hasn't worked either. When you say start over are you saying to throw out my current decor and get new ones, heck if you want a pic of the tank u can see what is in there.

I have no idea what is going on with it, I hardened the water way up last night and this evening when I tested pH and hardness i get terrible readings, I raised my pH up to 6.5 which is ok not the greatest but managable; and then I jumped the GH up to about a 12 so hard water less likely to flux well something is killing the hardness I have 3 GH and <1 KH don't know what can do that anywa i'm looking into restarting anyway, i'd like to get some nice plants in there. I might just swap Getsy out to a bowl for the time being 'cause that would be atleast controlled better than my tank anyway thanks for your help if u think of anything especially with my current up date let me know, thanks ted

TedsTank

coral gravel will stabalize your ph and keep it up. There are other infos on water conditioning....i'm at a loose about this!!!

lew2000

A couple of things if i can help:

Try this link:

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/AquariumKH.html

How old is your test kit, is it reagent or strip. It would seem to be working since you say your tap water test shows 7.0pH? Secoandarily, any bacteria present would stop thriving at 6.pH or less. However, at below pH 7.0 ammonium is present versus ammonia which is less toxic than ammonia. You shouldn't have any nitrite/nitrate present becuase the ammonia/ammonium isn't being nitrified by bacteria.

GH doesn't influence pH: pH is a measure of the amount of hydroxyl and hydrogen ions present in the water, while hardness is a measure of the amount of dissolved concentration of magnesium and calcium ions.

KH is the buffering capacity of the water and affects pH in that it regulates pH changes - 50ppm is usually what you shoot for. Buffering solutions provide at best a temporary solution, as once the buffering is used - you have the same issue as before.

Crushed Coral can bu used to raise maintain pH in a low bio-load tank. This should rectify whatever is cuasing the KH to drop and lower pH.

inari

OK so that everyone knows, I know my chem pretty well, however, i may have been miss naming the ion i have been known to do that before, however, the best i can figure The NH3+ is reacting with the water creating a slightly acidic environment. since NH3+ is a weak base. Ok so now that everyone knows what my hypothesis is about this issue and you guys have told me how to fix it which I thank you. I have used emergency chemicals to help start to stabilize my tank and have yet another issue, all the $*(% checmicals i used apparently have reacted and now i have an oily scum on the top of my tank, anyone know how to get rid of it, and no chemical solutions I did what I had to in an emergency situation and I know that chemicals are used for just that emergency only. I can't remeber the exact age of my tank but it really doesn't matter anyway since i'm running on a sterile cycle. (if you read some of my really really REALLY early posts you'll discover that's pretty normal for me and I do pretty darn well keeping everything going well even in the sterile environment lol) I've been trying to kick start my cycle but have been extremely unsuccessful. So the nitrifying bacteria are pretty much non-existant in my tank. now can someone please tell me how to get rid of this short of a skimmer 'cause i'm pretty sure they don't make them for 5 gallon tanks lol any help would be great thanx guys u have helped quite a bit already

~Inari