eepruls

Hi,

My 10 gallon tank is completely cycled and ammonia and nitrites are 0. I change about 15% of the water each week. The tank water has always had a high pH of 7.6 (when I was cycling and even now a month after the cycle is complete). I tested the water from the tap and it is neutral at 7.0. I have no shells in my tank that could be releasing calcium carbonate.

What the heck is causing the pH to increase as soon as it's in the tank?! Does that water conditioner stuff increase the pH? I have 3 aqua ferns and two aquarium tree ornaments that are said to be inert (only one of them was in there during the cycle, the other added after the cycle was complete). I have one betta fish in the tank.

I would appreciate your thoughts why the pH increases in the tank. What am I missing here?

Butterfly

Are you letting your test sample from the tap set for 24hrs before testing it?
Doing this will let the Ph settle like the water in your tank has.
Carol

susitna-flower

I wouldn't worry about 7.6 ph, I can't really say what is causing it unless your substrate is leaching something, but most fish can adjust to the ph, and as you do frequent 25% water changes it should stay constant which will be fine for Stewie, who I might add is a fine looking fella!

eepruls

Hey thanks! I let some water from the tap sit and indeed it was a little higher pH than when it comes directly out of the tap. Water directly from the tap is 7, letting it sit raised it to 7.2, and the tank is 7.6. It never fluctuates in the tank. It's always 7.6. It must be the 'inert' ornament that's been in there all along. That's the only thing that it could be really.

It's an aquarium ornament (fake driftwood) I bought from Petland. I noticed the other day that the brown colour on one part is rubbing off and showing the white substrate. Why would an aquarium ornament made for being underwater in an aquarium suffer from rubbing and peeling? What a piece of ! I don't know if it's responsible for raising the pH but still, it should be better quality.

wkinne02

Sorry for the late reply, but having a stable Ph is more crucial than having an "ideal" Ph. Most commercially available fish can thrive in a wide range of Ph, provided that the Ph remains more or less constant--which appears to be the case in your situation. Therefore, I wouldn't worry about it if I were you.

eepruls

That's very good to know wkinne02. I appreciate the comment.

RiffDawg15

wkinne is absolutely correct. A stable ph is better than anything else. Ph changes cause fish to be stressed and open the door for sickness.

I wouldnt worry about 7.6 ph. Stewie has already adapted to it and will be just fine. He looks great by the way. I really like the colors on his tail fin!