Low Ph Need Help Raising It

My PH is still way to low and I'm trying to finish a fish in cycle. Its barely above 6.0 and I know I need at least 7. I tried a few doses of PH up and it made no change. I've herd of baking soda and I'm wondering if I should try that? I don't have a QT tank and idk if that could hurt my fish?

 

My PH is still way to low and I'm trying to finish a fish in cycle. Its barely above 6.0 and I know I need at least 7. I tried a few doses of PH up and it made no change. I've herd of baking soda and I'm wondering if I should try that? I don't have a QT tank and idk if that could hurt my fish?

The baking soda method is very risky and you can really cause problems with chemistry that way. Crushed coral or shells are a more safe slow controlled approach.

 

The baking soda method is very risky and you can really cause problems with chemistry that way. Crushed coral or shells are a more safe slow controlled approach.

I wanted to do one of those but no one near by sells any

 

I wanted to do one of those but no one near by sells any

No petsmart or petco? You can Amazon it.

 

No petsmart or petco? You can Amazon it.

Neither one has it for some reason. Ill check the little mom and pop near me. If not I'll order it thurday I'm just worried about my fish until then. Mostly my snail because it's acidic

 

I think you should try a half dose first and if you dissolve the baking soda in a bucket with tank water and then add it I don't think it will hurt you're fish. Then in a day or two maybe try it again idk i've only ever had to make my ph lower.

 

If you can't find crushed coral, you can crush up cuttlebone (the white things for birds to gnaw on, make sure it is all-natural cuttlebone with no dye or flavoring added) or go to a landscaping supplier and get crushed limestone. They are the exact same material, calcium carbonate.

 

If you can't find crushed coral, you can crush up cuttlebone (the white things for birds to gnaw on, make sure it is all-natural cuttlebone with no dye or flavoring added) or go to a landscaping supplier and get crushed limestone. They are the exact same material, calcium carbonate.

Thank you

 

When or if you decide to add the stuff into your tank I usually advise 1 cup = 40 gallons. That will help it go up 1-1.2 points.

 

When or if you decide to add the stuff into your tank I usually advise 1 cup = 40 gallons. That will help it go up 1-1.2 points.

When I add which one?

 

The baking soda method is very risky and you can really cause problems with chemistry that way. or shells are a more safe slow controlled approach.

I don't think the baking soda method is risky if one is dosing appropriately (e.g. quarter teaspoons) and testing after each dose. In fact, from what I read, Seachem Alkaline Buffer is simply a mix of sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate.

Calcium carbonate (cuttlebone, crushed coral) has extraordinarily low solubility in water and takes quite a while to dissolve and act upon the tank's pH. Baking soda can be used as a stopgap measure to provide some immediate buffering capacity.

 

I don't think the baking soda method is risky if one is dosing appropriately (e.g. quarter teaspoons) and testing after each dose. In fact, from what I read, Seachem Alkaline Buffer is simply a mix of sodium bicarbonate and calcium carbonate.

Calcium carbonate (cuttlebone, crushed coral) has extraordinarily low solubility in water and takes quite a while to dissolve and act upon the tank's pH. Baking soda can be used as a stopgap measure to provide some immediate buffering capacity.

It isn't difficult at all. I say risky because I have seen people hose it up and go free caustic on their tanks. Risky is my warning of caution

 

I got some crushed coral, how do I add it?

 

With the above mentioned, since they are the same you can still use the same ratio. You can always start slow and see how it works.

I got some crushed coral, how do I add it?

you can put it in a pantyhose or if you have any mesh bags. Than you can place them into the canister or the HOB.

 

Should I put it in an empty filter cartridge?

Should I put it in an empty filter cartridge?

This is what I did


Now I just need to know how long before I should test my water again?

 

Hey! If you want to look into it, some cuttlebone should also work.
You can get it from Petco or PetSmart for a few dollars and you can just plop it in your filter so it gets dissolved gradually and doesn’t shock the fish. Just make sure you get the “plain, unflavored” version

 

I would test every couple of days.

I did the exact same thing when cycling my first tank since PH dropped to near 6.

Once it cycled, PH went up and I removed it.

Now I have 15 lbs of crushed coral i’ll probably never use.

 

I would test every couple of days.

I did the exact same thing when cycling my first tank since PH dropped to near 6.

Once it cycled, PH went up and I removed it.

Now I have 15 lbs of crushed coral i’ll probably never use.

I'm using my tons of coral I now have in a 10 gallon I just started cycling yesterday for its substrate

 

Might be high, but it should be stable which is more important. Stable for the fish, high for the cycle.