How To Increase Ph?

I believe my 10 gallon tank has a PH of around 6.8 after testing a couple days ago. My guppies don't seem to mind it, and I don't know about my shrimp as I have had 4 die after adding them in less than I week, but it could be from stress or somethign ( I have 2 left) . I don't know if tthe PH is bad but I don't think it is good for my mystery snail. He has been very inactive for weeks and I don't even know how he is still alive. He either is in his shell or usually halfway out of his shell but never moves. I do have a couple pieces of driftwood in there that I added about 2 weeks ago so maybe that lowered the PH. I did a 50 % water change last night to get rid of some roots, and waste on the sand. I will try to test my water again this afternoon. As far as raising PH, I think I should raise it because of my snail as I think this is what is wrong with him. I am unable to buy anything like PH upper or anything because I promised my dad I wouldnt buy anything else for a month if I got the Freshwater Master Test Kit. So is there anyway of raising it naturally or something?

The first pic is of how he was sitting in the tank and the second one is when I moved him to get a better pic of what he was doing. As you can see, his sliding part of his body he uses to move, is just folded up and I haven't seen him move at all.

 

I never like to see pH played with. It often results in swings which are more harmful than a slightly low pH. Your level is decent for the snail and good for the shrimp. Both of these need stable water conditions so buffering may not be the best idea. I was wondering what your nitrate level was? (Remember to shake the heck out of those bottles, especially #2)

 

Tbh I agree with not changing the pH. Invertebrates are much more sensitive to changing parameters than ones slightly less than ideal. I have super soft water out of my tap with a pH of 6.6, but I have super active ghost shrimp and mystery and nerites. However, my mystery did the exact same thing when I first got him for about two weeks, I was so worried I bought a dead/dying snail, or that he wouldn't be able to breathe without going to the surface. If it's a new snail, just give it time, mine is more active than the nerites. What kind of shrimp do you have, and what tankmates/plants? What filtration? Do you test gh/kh/TDS or add any calcium? When they die, are they white or pink?

 

I agree with Kimberly. Shrimp like soft water while snails prefer harder water. Your GH/KH levels may be more important in this case than pH (I would love 6.8 ph!!). If your pH bounces at al, you may have low KH.

 

I agree with Rtessy I think you should be looking at GH/KH in your water. I recently found mine was non existent and my plants/fish/invertebrates were suffering because of it. There are ways to raise this but first you should test to see what your water sits at and we can decide where to go from there.

 

I will have to respectfully disagree. Sensitive shrimp species, such as tiger, crystal, and bee, but others such the more common hardier variety, such as ghost or cherry, prefer hard water similar to snails. It really depends on the species, which would be useful to know.

Whoops sorry I am respectfully disagreeing with Celestial.

 

Whoops sorry I am respectfully disagree f with Celestial.

You can respectfully disagree with me. I’m no expert - it’s just what I read before getting my neocaridinas!

 

I never like to see pH played with. It often results in swings which are more harmful than a slightly low pH. Your level is decent for the snail and good for the shrimp. Both of these need stable water conditions so buffering may not be the best idea. I was wondering what your nitrate level was? (Remember to shake the heck out of those bottles, especially #2)

I tested the other day and it was showing I think 5 ppm. It wasn't the lightest shade of yellow that you see as 0 ppm, but I don't think it was as dark as 5 ppm so... I can try to test again today.

Tbh I agree with not changing the pH. Invertebrates are much more sensitive to changing parameters than ones slightly less than ideal. I have super soft water out of my tap with a pH of 6.6, but I have super active ghost shrimp and mystery and nerites. However, my mystery did the exact same thing when I first got him for about two weeks, I was so worried I bought a dead/dying snail, or that he wouldn't be able to breathe without going to the surface. If it's a new snail, just give it time, mine is more active than the nerites. What kind of shrimp do you have, and what tankmates/plants? What filtration? Do you test gh/kh/TDS or add any calcium? When they die, are they white or pink?

I have 2 guppies, and now I have only 2 ghost shrimp. But he has been acting this way for some time. Never has moved. I have some dollarweed from my backyard in the tank but that has been in there for almost a month. I also have 5 val plants but I don't know what type. Oh and 3 apongeton plants. And a leopard ramshorn. But maybe it is the hardness, as I haven't tested that. I don't have a tester for hardness, but I can't buy one either.. uh oh

I agree with Kimberly. Shrimp like soft water while snails prefer harder water. Your GH/KH levels may be more important in this case than pH (I would love 6.8 ph!!). If your pH bounces at al, you may have low KH.

So what should I do? Its not like I want to get rid of one or the other lol. I can't buy any products or anything as well, as I told my dad I wouldnt buy anything for a month in order to get the test kit.

I agree with Rtessy I think you should be looking at GH/KH in your water. I recently found mine was non existent and my plants/fish/invertebrates were suffering because of it. There are ways to raise this but first you should test to see what your water sits at and we can decide where to go from there.

I have no way of testing this. And I already told my dad I wouldnt buy anything for a month in order to get the master test kit. So what now?

 

You may be able to find the TDS in your local water report and if it's lower than, well actually I'm not 100% sure for snails, but maybe lower than 80 you could just throw a single small sea shell which will dissolve and raise kh, and TDS over time it will also raise pH so there will eventually be a difference between the source water and tank water. Some crushed coral in the filter can work too.

 

You may be able to find the TDS in your local water report and if it's lower than, well actually I'm not 100% sure for snails, but maybe lower than 80 you could just throw a single small sea shell which will dissolve and raise kh, and TDS over time it will also raise pH so there will eventually be a difference between the source water and tank water. Some crushed coral in the filter can work too.

Well, I have a bunch of sea shells in a jar or whatever for decoration. There are the regular white shells and there are conch shells and other stuff. Can I use any of these? Also what is TDS? Lol sorry

Tbh I agree with not changing the pH. Invertebrates are much more sensitive to changing parameters than ones slightly less than ideal. I have super soft water out of my tap with a pH of 6.6, but I have super active ghost shrimp and mystery and nerites. However, my mystery did the exact same thing when I first got him for about two weeks, I was so worried I bought a dead/dying snail, or that he wouldn't be able to breathe without going to the surface. If it's a new snail, just give it time, mine is more active than the nerites. What kind of shrimp do you have, and what tankmates/plants? What filtration? Do you test gh/kh/TDS or add any calcium? When they die, are they white or pink?

Also, the snail is not new at all, have had him for more than a month. The shrimp were white when they died, that cloudy white

 

Mystery snails can just be weird sometimes, I wouldn't be too concerned. Unless you pick it up and it smells terrible, then it's dead, so you know, some concern. But one time I found mine floating at the top of the tank hanging out of it's shell, so I picked it up but it didn't retract, but it didn't smell either so I decided to put it back. It was totally fine the next day so, who knows? Since they're ghost shrimp, they're often sold as feeder shrimp so it's actually usual to lose half or more. Generally if they're pink they died of stress or overheating, so your parameters/tank mates are probably fine. If one turns cloudy while it's alive, well, it may be a bacterial infection, but not always... basically invertebrates are weird.

 

Mystery snails can just be weird sometimes, I wouldn't be too concerned. Unless you pick it up and it smells terrible, then it's dead, so you know, some concern. But one time I found mine floating at the top of the tank hanging out of it's shell, so I picked it up but it didn't retract, but it didn't smell either so I decided to put it back. It was totally fine the next day so, who knows? Since they're ghost shrimp, they're often sold as feeder shrimp so it's actually usual to lose half or more. Generally if they're pink they died of stress or overheating, so your parameters/tank mates are probably fine. If one turns cloudy while it's alive, well, it may be a bacterial infection, but not always... basically invertebrates are weird.

Well, he has been like this for weeks. He hasnt even eaten in a while I don't think. He is still alive as when he is halfway out of his shell like the pic above he retracts when I put the net near him. I'm sure its my hardness now that I think about it because I did add driftwood. So I can just put seashell in there?

 

If you're concerned about hardness, yes you can just put a seashell in. I grabbed a bag of "decorative" seashells for $2 at PetSmart and there were around 8-10 in there. Just start with one or two, rinse in dechlorinated water and plop them in. It will take about a week or so for it to work, but just one in my 2 gallon nano raised the pH to 7.8 in three weeks from 6.6, so don't let it go too far if you can.

 

If you're concerned about hardness, yes you can just put a seashell in. I grabbed a bag of "decorative" seashells for $2 at PetSmart and there were around 8-10 in there. Just start with one or two, rinse in dechlorinated water and plop them in. It will take about a week or so for it to work, but just one in my 2 gallon nano raised the pH to 7.8 in three weeks from 6.6, so don't let it go too far if you can.

Ok, and it shouldnt matter what type of shell correct? There is this big white one with a line of purple on the bottome I saw, the normal shape of a sea shell, and it had some powder on one side of it. Is this the calcium or whatever? I hear calcium is good for snails as well

 

Just make sure the shell isn't painted, like some of the hermit crab ones are, and the shell is basically pure calcium so it will dissolve over time. The calcium dissolves and raises the kh, which in turn will raise the gh and TDS. If it is a shell you find on the beach or something, it can be used but should be boiled first. And I don't believe the shell type matters much, I've even used eggshells (boiled, with the membrane removed) but didn't find them very effective.

 

Just make sure the shell isn't painted, like some of the hermit crab ones are, and the shell is basically pure calcium so it will dissolve over time. The calcium dissolves and raises the kh, which in turn will raise the gh and TDS. If it is a shell you find on the beach or something, it can be used but should be boiled first. And I don't believe the shell type matters much, I've even used eggshells (boiled, with the membrane removed) but didn't find them very effective.

Okay cool. I have many shells lying around the house, and all of different types.Conch shells, your average sea shells, and these grey slabs of shell with some dead barnacles or whatever. There is also this piece of coral looking thing, kind of looks like sticks of coral forming a branch. I would use conch shells but I don't think they would work in dissolving and everything so I guess I will just use the white sea shells that are round. Does it matter how big it is and how many I need? I may just add this rock thing I had, looks like holey rock but I'm not sure if it is, because my snail did good and I wonder if he started doing bad when I removed it. It started growing this light blue stuff on top of it and it was sort of a stain, don't know what it was.

 

At first, I would probably try adding something smaller, around 2-3 inches. Just make sure to boil it, and cool that you have some lying around. I would say just start with some seashells, I haven't used coral or anything else before so I don't know about that. Even a few smaller ones would work. The ones I have look sort of like tiny conchs about 1.5 inches long and at the longest 3/4 of an inch wide. Two in my sixty gallon raised that pH by about .8, but it took about a month since it was a bigger tank. Just be aware that there is supposed to be a ratio for kh to gh and this will alter it, but it raises the hardness and pH and my ghost shrimp and snails are doing just fine.

 

At first, I would probably try adding something smaller, around 2-3 inches. Just make sure to boil it, and cool that you have some lying around. I would say just start with some seashells, I haven't used coral or anything else before so I don't know about that. Even a few smaller ones would work. The ones I have look sort of like tiny conchs about 1.5 inches long and at the longest 3/4 of an inch wide. Two in my sixty gallon raised that pH by about .8, but it took about a month since it was a bigger tank. Just be aware that there is supposed to be a ratio for kh to gh and this will alter it, but it raises the hardness and pH and my ghost shrimp and snails are doing just fine.

I think I am going to put back that rock I had, because my snail was doing good when I had that in the tank, and I can't remember if he started doing bad since I took it out or not. If nothing changes in at least 2 weeks, then I will revert to the sea shells. Thanks for your help though, very appreciated! I just have to find a place to put it so my tank still looks decent lol.

 

If you have gravel you can just cover it, and best of luck I hope everything works out!