Psychlist1972

I'm starting a new tank. I measured pH using the regular API kit and the test turned a beatiful blue - pH of around 7.6, maybe higher.

The current goldfish tank upstairs has a pH around 6.8/7. House water is around 6.6.

Since I bought this tank (used on craig's list), I have done the following:

• Cleaned it out with < 1/20 bleach/water solution
• Emptied solution
• Filled up with new water with tons of stress coat (no bleach smell at all)
• Added eco-complete and the eco-complete water clarifier
• Added pool sand
• Added a piece of driftwood I boiled for hours upstairs
• Filtered over night without bacteria media to get some of the dust out
• Added two white + orange + very light green rocks from LFS (quartz maybe?), also boiled
• Added a bunch of little black rocks from LFS (also boiled)
• Added existing large rock from established tank to help cycle (the tall rock)
• Added existing filter and filter screen from established tank to help cycle
• Added a little fish food for cycle

No fish yet. ammonia is zero. Haven't tested nitrate/nitrite yet.

The plus is the goldfish will probably like slightly higher pH anyway. The minus is I'm not sure what to do to maintain it, and I don't feel like shocking them with every water change.

Any idea of the likely culprits for the high pH? If anything, I expected low pH due to the driftwood (it's real driftwood, malaysian or something from LFS)

Pete

Attached Images

	ph_driftwood.jpg (61.5 KB, 26 views)
	ph_existing_rock.jpg (72.6 KB, 25 views)
	ph_rocks.jpg (81.5 KB, 25 views)

WolfPack21

From my experience the Ph seems to jump around a lot when you first start a tank. If anything I think the higher Ph will help your tank cycle. Maybe the bleach you used to clean your tank has had some effect. I would wait till your tank cycles before you try to lower it, I would not use any chemicals as well. I am sure someone with more experience will have more input...good luck!

Psychlist1972

Thanks WolfPack21

I don't plan to do anything to artificially lower it. The only thing I would do, is remove some rocks or something if they're the cause. I want something I can sustain

With the existing filter media in there (it's sitting on top of the existing media in the aquaclear 110, so water is flowing mostly through it), the tank will probably cycle very quickly. I'll keep an eye on it, though.

Pete

zowie717

driftwood lowers PH i had to take my big piece out of my tank.....but it is still gonna take a little bit of time to lower it while it adjust and slowly leaks its tannins etc, but is that eco-complete substrate? which i had in my tank also and i had a problem with ph. but rocks do raise your ph. i dont know if there is certian kinds of rocks you can put in that will not raise the ph.....maybe someone will know on here.

Psychlist1972

@zowie717

Yes, I have both eco-complete and sand in there. According to the manufacturer info, eco-complete won't change pH. Not sure if that actually plays out in the real world, though.

Pete

zowie717

hmmm i dont know anything about pool sand. my experience with eco was it raised it, and that was my attempt at a planted tank so i had lots of problems, then decided to go with cichlids, but it wasnt good for my cichlids and i needed to raise it more, so i did a substrate change to the argonite sand and crushed coral.. but

i would wait a little bit and keep testing and if it doesnt lower it, then try elimanition process , but first removing rocks, then the driftwood, then the substraste. it just might need time to settle. but i guess your first priroity is cylcing the tank, then you can see what your ph is and if you need to do anythign else... good luck...its always hard to wait for that... ; )

Psychlist1972

Just found this on the eco-complete site. ALways with the fine print *sigh*

"Q: My pH and KH went up after I put Eco-Complete™ Planted in my tank with RO water, what’s going on?

A: While Eco-Complete™ Planted does not affect pH and KH long term, you will find that it will give a small bump to both of these parameters initially, and this is especially noticeable with the use of RO /DI water. Fortunately this is just a small amount of calcium Carbonate that is on, not in the substrate and it will dissipate with the first couple of water changes, usually in the first couple weeks. Planting the tank will also help. Keep in mind that one should never add particularly sensitive animals to a tank in the first few weeks anyway but that this is especially important with this situation if the animals are pH sensitive- requiring a low pH."

Pete

zowie717

good that you found that, so its a hurry up and wait game now.. ; )

pepetj

I back that info on Eco-Complete raising pH and KH as a short term phenomenae. It has happened in some but not all my tanks and I still don't know exactly why (different batches maybe?). In one of my tanks it took 4 weeks to stabilize where I feel comfortable and has been stable ever since.

Pepetj
Santo Domingo