Help sudden high ph

[Scanlon]

Hope someone can help, I noticed last night that one of my new angel fish had a clear/whiteish poo about 2 inches long and within about 5 mins the others had the same thing but less than a 1/4 of an inch. I have got some medication that I am going to use. I also tested my parameters they were all normal at 0,0,<10 apart from the ph which has risen from 7.8 to 8.6, I last tested 5 days ago. I haven't changed my routine or done anything out of the ordinary. I realize this has stressed the fish and left them open to infection but can't think what caused it.

My other fish seem fine


Will a water change lower it?
How much water should I change to bring the ph level down far enough?
What can I do too stop it rising?

Thank in advance

 

[jetajockey]

I would first retest the tank water, just to make sure. My high lvl PH test sometimes flakes out and tests insanely high, so it may just be a fluke. If you retest it and it is still high, then test your tap water next and we'll go from there.

 

[swervo513]

if it continues, add some drift wood to the tank. it should help some what.

 

[Scanlon]

Hi Jetajockey, just tested it twice and the ph was 8.6 both times, the tap water was 7.8 the same as usual.

Swervo513, I already have 2 big pieces of driftwood in their, not any space for any more.

 

[jetajockey]

I would first try to determine what is causing the PH swing, you haven't added anything to your tank recently? what all decorations do you have? type of substrate?

 

[blkdeath75]

I don't understand what is jumping the PH from 7.8 out of the tap to 8.6 in the tank? I agree about driftwood to lower it. Also I have heard Peat moss?? but not too sure as I have not tried it yet personally.

 

[Scanlon]

Only thing added since the I set up the tank are fish, I use a liquid fertilizer for the plants and a co2 injector canister.

 

[jdhef]

That's odd then that your ph keeps rising. I was of the belief that CO2 would actually lower ph, but maybe I'm remembering that wrong.

 

[MindTravel3r]

If your aquarium info is correct, this is a relatively new tank, so pH fluctuations are not entirely unexpected, although I would say that a jump to 8.6 does seem quite a large change.

I think I would do 10% water changes daily for a week or so, and test daily. You definitely want to take it slow. I would be interested in knowing if there is something going on in the tank that is buffering at 8.6, or if it buffers down around 7.8 where you expect it to be after the water changes. If it goes back down to 7.8 stabilizes, then chalk-it-up to weird one-time experience. However, if at the end of a week of water changes it is still in the mid to high 8s, then you know for certain you've got something going on that needs further attention.

 

[catsma_97504]

CO2 injection will lower pH. How much CO2 are you adding? Do you also have an air stone? Any surface agitation will dissipate the CO2, which can cause the pH to rise. Do you measure dKH or dGH? That could give you an idea if the buffering is changing.

 

[Scanlon]

I use a pressurised canister that gets injected into a plastic tube then difuses into the water through a fine mesh. I put the co2 in when I turn the lights on and it is usally all gone by lights off.
I am due to due my weekly water change today would, should I change the usuall amount?

 

[Aquarist]

Good morning,

Here is a link that you may find helpful:
Properly Maintaining the pH in a Freshwater Aquarium - Rate My Fish Tank

Ken