Ph Level's In Freshwater Tank

[Susan McGarry]

Help my ph level seems to be dropping. I did a 10% water change last night but it seems to have dropped a little for today. I have 3 filters on the tank and I have cleaned biggest one last night. I thought this would raise the ph level. All other levels are good.

 

[NavyChief20]

What is your tank size. What are your other chemistry levels. What filters.

 

[Susan McGarry]

36 gal tank with Ammonia and nitrites are 0 and a trace of nitrates I have a snail and a gold fish.
I have a aqua 70 and 30 and a sponge filter for a 75 gal tank

 

[NavyChief20]

whats your pH of your tap water and tank water? Have you done a scale (hardness) test?
Thats alot of filtration but not unheard of considering a goldfish.

 

[Susan McGarry]

no I don't have a hardness test. I have had the tank since Feb 8 before that a 10 gal tank. I never had a ph problem Wow I just took it again and where it was 6.4 now the tank water is 6.0 and tap water is 7.6

 

[Fashooga]

If you want to raise it you can buy a bag of crushed coral. 1 cup to 40 gallons usually is the standard rate. So on a 10g you use about a quarter cup.

You can put it into a bag or use it as substrate. I put mine in a bag in the filter.

 

[Susan McGarry]

just took out another paper cup of water and it looks between 6.4 and 6.6 again Why would it change like this ?

 

[NavyChief20]

you have a airstone on the sponge filter right? Any weird substrate or medications or that prime garbage? Do you test for CO2?

You can try a larger water change and see what happens. 6.0 is lightly acidic. 7.5-8.5 is most drinking water

 

[Susan McGarry]

I have a 36 gallon now I would have to get it tomorrow. Do I put it in the filter or just in with the stones? Do you think it will be ok for the night?

 

[NavyChief20]

put it in with the stones. also a waxed paper cup is not good for testing as the wax or paper can give a false reading due to leaching into your test medium

 

[Susan McGarry]

oh maybe it's the cup because I am getting different readings for different cups of water. I will try a different cup and yes I use prime in the water just because I worry about ammonia I had a very bad problem with ammonia in the 10 gallon tank. I only had the goldfish in that tank. I am going to try a plastic cup thank you

 

[NavyChief20]

you had problems with ammonia in the 10 gallon cause of the size and the goldfish. They are messy messy fish! 10 gallon tanks are always a struggle to maintain chemistry, the higher the volume the easier (relatively) it is to maintain your overall chemistry plan.

 

[Susan McGarry]

Well I have like 8 ph tests lol they are all a little different but a very light green (just different shades) Would putting too much prime cause the ph to be dropping? I won't put any in tonight . I have stability would putting some in help any?

 

[NavyChief20]

the prime isnt necessarily affecting pH. It can give false positives based on the liquid tester you are using and the bond it forms which will release an ammonia ion into solution. Thus false positive. Higher pH conditions will convert ammonium into ammonia very quickly. Higher temp is directly proportional to pH. I am not a fan of prime or bacterial starters. I just dont trust em. Test your water in the morning and see what you get.

 

[Susan McGarry]

ok thank you I did add maybe a little too much prime last night. I don't have the air stone hooked up because the sponge filter makes bubbles and both the filters. If that is necessary I will hook it up in this tank too. Yes I am going to bed thank you I will deal with it in the morning.

 

[NavyChief20]

ahhhh yes connect the airstone. That will oxygenate more and help off gas the CO2 build up you mightbe having. Incidentally high CO2 causes a lowering pH

 

[Susan McGarry]

ok will do first thing in the morning

 

[NavyChief20]

yeah i have to go pass out im up in 4 hours

 

[Susan McGarry]

I put the air stone in at midnight last night. Today it is still 6.4. The girl at petsmart suggested I either take off one of the filters or take out the carbine from one of them? They sold me neutral regulator but after reading reviews I don't think I should use it.

 

[NavyChief20]

I put the air stone in at midnight last night. Today it is still 6.4. The girl at petsmart suggested I either take off one of the filters or take out the carbine from one of them? They sold me neutral regulator but after reading reviews I don't think I should use it.

Adding the neutral regulator is just another addition to the chemistry issue. She is saying to remove the carbon for one of two reasons:
1. She doesn't know what the carbon actually does (filters out dissolved organic compounds and scrubs the tannins and phenols).
2. She knows there is a very minute chance that phosphates could be released into the water from the carbon which could lead to an acidic build up...lowering pH.

#2 is a very low probability.

Securing the filtration on two filters will have an effect on your chemistry but not necessarily a change in pH in the direction you want. When I leave base tonight I will do the math on your circulation ratio. If the tank did not have fish in it I would recommend a bicarbonate soda add to raise pH. Let the pumps and air stone run then do a 20% waterchange. Do a chemical test prior to and then 1 hour after. I'll get back to you with a chemistry plan.