fishgirl

I am having trouble keeping my pH stable my tap water is 7.2, with in a few days the tank pH is 6-6.5.
What can I use to buffer the pH? and how much shoud I use?
I have a 10gal tank fully cycled
I use Under Gravel Filter HOB filter with bubble wand.
I have live plants/africa root.
pH 6.5...ammonia .25...nitrite 0...nitrate 0...temp 76/78
Ammonia is up a litte as hubby over feed.(fish are fasting a few days)
Platies
Dwarf Gourami
Cory Cat
Oto
neon tetra
Hybred tetra

Chief_waterchanger

First of all the tank is overstocked.
Make sure you are stirring the gravel over the under gravel filter. Because if it is not stirred the organic material will rot and drop the pH.
Tetras are schooling fish, as such should be kept in groups of 5 or more. Platies should be kept in trios (male and two females.) Not that the lack of numbers for schooling is going to affect your pH, but it is an observation.

armadillo

If only my pH would drop... 8.0 out of the tap, 8.0 in all tanks.

Beeboy

My pH is 6.8 out of the tap and I have to raise it for my tank to just get to 7.0.

Beeboy

Allie

You could add some crushed coral in your gravel...it brought our 6.0ph to a 7.5ph like with in a day or so.

Chief_waterchanger

Make sure not to do that with fish in the water. Raising the pH that much in a short time period like that can be deadly to fish.

Butterfly

Except for a very few really sensitive species of fish they will acclimitise to your ph. a stable ph is much easier for your fish to deal with than one that is fluctuating because of useing ph altering chemicals.
Carol

fishgirl

I bought a small tufa rock to slowly bring up the pH closer to what is coming out of the tap.
I bought some crushed coral but have not put it in the tank.
Will it raise the pH to fast? How much should I put in a 10gal to raise the pH .2 a day? until I get the pH up from 6.6 to 7.5 ?
Susan