Constant low PH

[TheAwkwardAccountant]

I have a 120 gallon tank with 5 red belly piranha in it, all under 2 inches. For some reason I can not keep the PH at a acceptable level. I often test the water and add the instructed amount of PH up when I see it is low. Two days later it becomes low again. I took it to Petsmart to get tested and it was at 6.2. After I added a good amount of PH up which brought it to 7.5. Now a few days past and it is low again. The piranhas are less active and more timid when the PH is low. Below is the equipment I use. the tank is about 70 days old.
- Big canister filter with all that stuff, I added 1 carbon filter pad to it.
- 2 underwater fan things that moves the water around
- 3 heater rods (figured it safer to run 3 at 33% power than 1 at 100%)
- I small live plant
- Large amount of drift wood from petsmart
- 100 gallon bubbler
- LED light
- Lots of fake plants to create hiding places
- Gravel that looks like sand

 

[Chanyi]

Step 1) Stop dosing pH up with fish in the tank, you are causing a lot of stress on them.
Step 2) Get your KH tested, it's probably low and the driftwood is driving pH down.

If the KH is 1 degrees or higher, I wouldn't worry about anything. A pH of 6.2 isn't that low, most tropical aquarium fish and plants prefer soft, slightly acidic water (low KH and a pH in the 6's). Continue to perform regular water changes. If there is no KH, then you will likely have to add some sort of carbonate to the water to get it to at least 1 degree. KHCO3 is a good option.

 

[SouthAmericanCichlids]

Driftwood lowers Ph, if you are really worried about it you could put crushed coral or other non-inert rocks. And don't dose Ph Up, it will stress your fish and these chemicals are never very safe, there always is a pretty big chance it could seriously injure/kill your fish.

 

[mattgirl]

First, Welcome to Fishlore.

Second, I recommend you stop using the product you are using now and simply add some crushed coral. It will raise and stabilize your pH up to the level of your source water.

Put it in a media bag and put the bag in your filter. Be sure to rinse it off before you put it in there. If you don't rinse the coral dust off of it the pH will go too quickly. We want to do it slowly since there are fish in this tank. It is going to take a few days for the pH to get as high as it is gong to go. I would start out with at least a cup of it.

You will want to take the media bag out from time to time to rinse it off but it should never have to be replaced. Eventually you may need to add more. It works by slowly dissolving so needs to be replenished occasionally.

 

[FishBoy101]

I have a 120 gallon tank with 5 red belly piranha in it, all under 2 inches. For some reason I can not keep the PH at a acceptable level. I often test the water and add the instructed amount of PH up when I see it is low. Two days later it becomes low again. I took it to Petsmart to get tested and it was at 6.2. After I added a good amount of PH up which brought it to 7.5. Now a few days past and it is low again. The piranhas are less active and more timid when the PH is low. Below is the equipment I use. the tank is about 70 days old.
- Big canister filter with all that stuff, I added 1 carbon filter pad to it.
- 2 underwater fan things that moves the water around
- 3 heater rods (figured it safer to run 3 at 33% power than 1 at 100%)
- I small live plant
- Large amount of drift wood from petsmart
- 100 gallon bubbler
- LED light
- Lots of fake plants to create hiding places
- Gravel that looks like sand

I second both above me, add crushed coral. Also, investing in you own testing kit would be much better. Good Luck!