10 Gallon Tank Ph rise while KH is within a good range?

I guess this is a good place to post as some of my favorite gurus are here. I have a pH problem. I know when it started but I cannot connect anything to as why. When I started cycling, I obviously had fluctuations. I started the cycle on 10/10/21. Around 11/01/21 my readings were pretty consistent. On 11/15/21, my pH spiked to 8.0 where it was stable at 7.4. Since that date is now between 8.0-8.2. I have added IAL, WC and it wont budge. I feel I am just missing something. I tested my tap water:
Fresh Tap Water Aged Tap Water
pH Maxed out Maxed out
HpH 7.4 7.4
NH3/NH4 0 0
N02 0 0
N03 5.0 5.0
GH 15 dGH 17 dGH
KH 13 dKH 12 dKH

Then I tested Bottle Spring Water from mountain spring, Wasatch mountains. Proceed by: Filtration and Ozonation. That is what the bottle says:
pH 6.6
NH3/NH4 0
N02 0
N03 0
GH 14 dGH
KH 11 dKH
This source of water is not very helpful except maybe help with the pH, but my GH needs to come down.

My latest tank reading:
HpH 8.0-8.2 (cant use regular pH test)
NH3/NH4 0
N02 0
N03 5.0
GH 14 dGH
KH 9 dKH (this is pretty consistent)

On 11/29/21, I tested the tank pH level, it was 8.2. I also did a 25% WC and deep vacuumed. The replacement water bucket I treated with Seachem Prime and let it sit for a few hours. Then matched the temp to the tank temp and tested it pH, which was 7.4. The next day I tested the tank water and the pH was between 8.0/8.2 the color was just in between. The pH & GH are too high for a Betta with live plants.

So I have been researching this and found that a lot of people mix there water source. RO, Purified or Distilled. Betta water is too expensive. If I take this road, I have do it gradually and always do it. I don't know the water parameter of the above options. Can anyone explain the differences?

Does anyone have any ideas as why my pH has risen with my KH is within a good range??

I do frequent WC's as my Betta has been sick and is recovering from Fin Rot. If you look at my tap water test, you will see that WC are not the problem.

 

There is a relationship between pH, KH and dissolved CO2.

https://barrreport.com/threads/co2-ph-kh-table.10717/

With a dGH in the 15-17, you have hard water. Typically, such water also is fairly alkaline, as evidenced by your 12-13 dKH. As such, the pH is likely to be above 7.7 unless you are adding pressurized CO2 to the tank. A pH of 8.0-8.2 would not be unusual.

Something is strange about your test results for the bottled spring water. The dKH of 11 and the pH of 6.6 are not reasonable unless the spring water is carbonated, which is entirely possible. Pour a glass of the spring water and then test the pH and alkalinity 24 hours later. I suspect the pH will rise significantly.

You need to do the same test with your tap water. If it contains dissolved CO2, then the pH may go up once the CO2 escapes.

Unless you monitor your pH carefully, it is best to just let it stabilize at whatever level your tap water dictates. If you are not happy with that level, then you can always purchase RO water and use a mixture of RO water and tap water for water changes. RO water is very low in both GH and KH, so mixing it with tap water will lower both the GH and KH in your tank.

It is possible to lower pH by adding acids, but that is not something I recommend unless you have a knowledge of chemistry. You are likely to have pH swings that are more harmful than a high pH level.

 

There is a relationship between pH, KH and dissolved CO2.

CO2/pH/KH table

With a dGH in the 15-17, you have hard water. Typically, such water also is fairly alkaline, as evidenced by your 12-13 dKH. As such, the pH is likely to be above 7.7 unless you are adding pressurized CO2 to the tank. A pH of 8.0-8.2 would not be unusual.

Something is strange about your test results for the bottled spring water. The dKH of 11 and the pH of 6.6 are not reasonable unless the spring water is carbonated, which is entirely possible. Pour a glass of the spring water and then test the pH and alkalinity 24 hours later. I suspect the pH will rise significantly.

You need to do the same test with your tap water. If it contains dissolved CO2, then the pH may go up once the CO2 escapes.

Unless you monitor your pH carefully, it is best to just let it stabilize at whatever level your tap water dictates. If you are not happy with that level, then you can always purchase RO water and use a mixture of RO water and tap water for water changes. RO water is very low in both GH and KH, so mixing it with tap water will lower both the GH and KH in your tank.

It is possible to lower pH by adding acids, but that is not something I recommend unless you have a knowledge of chemistry. You are likely to have pH swings that are more harmful than a high pH level.

Ok, I have seen the CO2 chart before but now I understand. My aged tap water test are right on. But when it goes into the tank my C02 is very low. I am not sure what pressurized CO2 is or means. I have a Bio sponge filter running by a pump that I can adjust the pressure. I have a HOB filter that is running carbon at the moment to remove medication. There is no connection. I know that when I collect tank water for testing. I fight air bubbles in my test tube. My Betta is not happy again and my plants are declining. So, what very little I do know about C02, the plants are showing me there is a problem.

I feel I must do something. I think I need to know a lot more about C02. The water going in is perfect but once in it become not perfect (low C02). What are my options? I cant find bottled RO water. I know that messing with all this requires utmost care. That is why I made this post.

I agree that the bottled spring waters pH looked odd to me too. I will retest. My tank profile lists everything I have going on in my tank set up. I am attaching a photo that I took yesterday. I just cleaned the tank on 11/29/21 and had to remove a bit of plant matter, like little pieces of leaves. Today I had to remove more, one of pieces I took out tonight have like rot and fuzzy white stringy on it.

 

It is not necessary to add pressurized CO2 to your tank. That is an advanced concept used by some fishkeepers to enhance plant growth. I use CO2 on one of my tanks, but the others are maintained without it. Declining plant growth could mean lack of CO2, but it could also mean poor lighting conditions or lack of other required nutrients. Do you add any type of fertilizer to your tank? If so what type?

If you want to alter your water GH and KH, purchase purified water from your grocery, hardware or pet store. When you add water to replace evaporation, use the purified water only. When you do water changes, try mixing 50% tap water with 50% purified water. Do not use purified water only for water changes as it does not contain the minerals required for your fish and plants.

 

It is not necessary to add pressurized CO2 to your tank. That is an advanced concept used by some fishkeepers to enhance plant growth. I use CO2 on one of my tanks, but the others are maintained without it. Declining plant growth could mean lack of CO2, but it could also mean poor lighting conditions or lack of other required nutrients. Do you add any type of fertilizer to your tank? If so what type?

If you want to alter your water GH and KH, purchase purified water from your grocery, hardware or pet store. When you add water to replace evaporation, use the purified water only. When you do water changes, try mixing 50% tap water with 50% purified water. Do not use purified water only for water changes as it does not contain the minerals required for your fish and plants.

Following this and have a question - when you say purified water, is that distilled?

 

Following this and have a question - when you say purified water, is that distilled?

Most of the purified water you purchase is purified by Reverse Osmosis. You might still be able to purchase water purified by steam distillation, but you will have to hunt for it. For aquarium use, RO water is just fine.

For those with small tanks, purchasing RO water is cost effective. I have several tanks, so I have my own RO water system in the basement. I use about 40 gallons RO water a week, so for me, the system is cost effective.

 

Most of the purified water you purchase is purified by Reverse Osmosis. You might still be able to purchase water purified by steam distillation, but you will have to hunt for it. For aquarium use, RO water is just fine.

For those with small tanks, purchasing RO water is cost effective. I have several tanks, so I have my own RO water system in the basement. I use about 40 gallons RO water a week, so for me, the system is cost effective.

Walmart has 3 types of water in 1 gallon jugs:

Great Value Purified Drinking Water, 1 Gallon​

Great Value Distilled Water, 1 Gallon​

Great Value Spring Water, 1 gal (this I have but need to retest the pH)​

I have a hood light. I have Fluval Stratum, then gravel over it. I have not used any fertilizer for the plants. Do you have an recommendation?

I have a Red fern, Water lily and a Water Onion. I planted 2 bulbs of Aponogeton but they never grew and I cant find them to remove them.

So what is your recommendation for the water above and should I do a significate water change?

As my tap water is more balanced in CO2 than what is my tank and small WC don't help. Actually, just looked at my logs and I did a 50% WC on 11/20, it did not help my pH at all and I did not run a KH test so a piece of puzzle does not tell us much.

I have to make a decision quick. My fish is not liking life again.

Walmart has 3 types of water in 1 gallon jugs:

Great Value Purified Drinking Water, 1 Gallon​

Great Value Distilled Water, 1 Gallon​

Great Value Spring Water, 1 gal (this I have but need to retest the pH)​

I have a hood light. I have Fluval Stratum, then gravel over it. I have not used any fertilizer for the plants. Do you have an recommendation?

I have a Red fern, Water lily and a Water Onion. I planted 2 bulbs of Aponogeton but they never grew and I cant find them to remove them.

So what is your recommendation for the water above and should I do a significate water change?

As my tap water is more balanced in CO2 than what is my tank and small WC don't help. Actually, just looked at my logs and I did a 50% WC on 11/20, it did not help my pH at all and I did not run a KH test so a piece of puzzle does not tell us much.

I have to make a decision quick. My fish is not liking life again.

I just retested the Spring Water. pH is 7.0, I did it twice. I also retested the KH and it is the same, 11 dKH. Ordered some of the purified drinking water (it will be here in a few hours) and have 3 gallons tap water with Seachem prime setting. How much of a water change should I do using the 50/50 ratio?

 

Water labeled as "spring water" might be from a spring bottled at the source, or it might be tap water purified by Reverse Osmosis to which minerals have been added to improve taste.

The purified drinking water is probably RO water, but it might have some minerals added. Read the label carefully.

Distilled water of purified drinking water should be fine. Purchase whichever is cheapest.

Since you have a 10 gallon tank, I would suggest starting out by removing 2 gallons from the tank and replacing it with 1 gallon tap water to which Prime has been added plug 1 gallon of purified water. Do this 20% water change a couple of times per week until the GH and KH (and hopefully pH) stabilize. After that you can go back to your normal water change schedule. Some people like changing 50% each week, but I am too lazy to do that. If you need to replace water lost due to evaporation, add the purified water only.

 

Water labeled as "spring water" might be from a spring bottled at the source, or it might be tap water purified by Reverse Osmosis to which minerals have been added to improve taste.

The purified drinking water is probably RO water, but it might have some minerals added. Read the label carefully.

Distilled water of purified drinking water should be fine. Purchase whichever is cheapest.

Since you have a 10 gallon tank, I would suggest starting out by removing 2 gallons from the tank and replacing it with 1 gallon tap water to which Prime has been added plug 1 gallon of purified water. Do this 20% water change a couple of times per week until the GH and KH (and hopefully pH) stabilize. After that you can go back to your normal water change schedule. Some people like changing 50% each week, but I am too lazy to do that. If you need to replace water lost due to evaporation, add the purified water only.

Ok, I order the purified drinking water hoping it to be equivalent to RO. It should be arriving any time now and I will test it first.

The spring water label says its from mountain spring from Wasatch Mountains. Then it says it was processed by Filtration and Ozonation. I am not sure what all the means but we know it has minerals per GH and KH testing on it. And the minerals is what I need to back down from. It has 15 dGH and 11 dKH.

My Betta has been sick prior to this and this is not helping him heal. I treated for fin rot.

Because of his illness I have been doing 25% WC a few time a week. Everybody preaches WC, WC and WC. But I have a chemical imbalance. If this purified water that is coming is not going to help, then I can make my own distilled water but that is going to take some time. And I don't think time is on my side. I wish I would have found you two weeks ago. I just got notified that my order is in route to me right now. I think for **** a giggles I am going to start boiling some tap water. It wont help me today but might tomorrow depending on test results for the purified drinking water.

What type of plant fertilizer do you recommend. I looked at Seachem products but they have calcium and magnesium which one of them or both of them is why my GH is too high.

I am really grateful that you replied to this thread because C02 was something I was not looking at and now I have another piece of chemistry down. The next time I am in Chicago, I am buying you dinner

 

I think your hood light may not be good enough for those plants. Also you cant make distilled water just by boiling it.

 

I think your hood light may not be good enough for those plants. Also you cant make distilled water just by boiling it.

You can if you boil it with a lid and let it cool with lid still on... the steam captured by the lid is what really matter, its a process. But the good new is the purified drinking water I bought says its RO and test results are pH faint yellow, lowest on chart is 6.0 so it could even be less. My KH and GH resulted in 1 dKH and dGH. I am going to go try this with 50/50 at 20% WC. Pray StarGirl cuz I do know the consequences if I mess this up.

 

Distilling water is not a complicated process, but you do need a type of glassware used in chemistry labs called a retort. It is the laboratory equivalent of the stills used by those who distill alcohol. Just boiling water won't help. You have to have a way of capturing the vapors and condensing them. Buying distilled or RO water would be a lot easier and probably less expensive than doing it yourself.

You should have enough calcium and magnesium in your water for your plants. If you can take pictures of your plants, someone might be able to diagnose any nutrient shortages. There are specific symptoms for shortages of various nutrients. It is quite common for tanks to have a shortage of potassium. Since your nitrate levels are pretty low, you might even need to add some nitrogen. You might want to look at Seachem Excel Comprehensive. It does not contain any nitrogen or potassium, but it does contain a lot of micronutrients that plants need.

 

Distilling water is not a complicated process, but you do need a type of glassware used in chemistry labs called a retort. It is the laboratory equivalent of the stills used by those who distill alcohol. Just boiling water won't help. You have to have a way of capturing the vapors and condensing them. Buying distilled or RO water would be a lot easier and probably less expensive than doing it yourself.

You should have enough calcium and magnesium in your water for your plants. If you can take pictures of your plants, someone might be able to diagnose any nutrient shortages. There are specific symptoms for shortages of various nutrients. It is quite common for tanks to have a shortage of potassium. Since your nitrate levels are pretty low, you might even need to add some nitrogen. You might want to look at Seachem Excel Comprehensive. It does not contain any nitrogen or potassium, but it does contain a lot of micronutrients that plants need.

I did some digging today on plant fertilizer. Seachem Flourish is gonna just make my GH worse. I have not heard of Seachem Excel Comp, I will take a look. I did find a plant fertilizer that uses potassium and I think Iron. I will check out your recommendations.

I did the the WC per your instructions. I took a water sample from my clean bucket, the 50/50 going in. I tested the pH to find out I needed to use my HpH solution cuz I am at still at 7.4 going in. I will test the sample for GH and KH but I am not hopeful. Tomorrow I will test the tank water and see if anything made a difference.

I think your hood light may not be good enough for those plants. Also you cant make distilled water just by boiling it.

To be honest I don't know what my hood lamp puts out but I think is good. I reduced the lighting in the tank when Stewart was doing his antibiotic treatment. That is when I saw my plants suffering but none of that is related to my pH and KH. I bought my 10 gallon tank at PetSmart, it was a 10 gallon total set up. Bettas don't like light but plants need it for photosynthesis. I have only one plant that is showing problem and that is the Water Lily.

 

To be honest these are my water parameters
GH 15
KH 9
Ph 8.2
Most fish we buy now a days are raised in similar parameters and are not wild caught like the numbers you are looking up online. I have multiple different types of plants and fish and they do fine in my water. Chasing parameters is going to do more harm than good.

I use a all in one fertilizer called Thrive C and it will bump your nitrate a very small amount but that's ok too. My Nitrates run 10-20 all the time.

 

I did some digging today on plant fertilizer. Seachem Flourish is gonna just make my GH worse. I have not heard of Seachem Excel Comp, I will take a look. I did find a plant fertilizer that uses potassium and I think Iron. I will check out your recommendations.

I did the the WC per your instructions. I took a water sample from my clean bucket, the 50/50 going in. I tested the pH to find out I needed to use my HpH solution cuz I am at still at 7.4 going in. I will test the sample for GH and KH but I am not hopeful. Tomorrow I will test the tank water and see if anything made a difference.

To be honest I don't know what my hood lamp puts out but I think is good. I reduced the lighting in the tank when Stewart was doing his antibiotic treatment. That is when I saw my plants suffering but none of that is related to my pH and KH. I bought my 10 gallon tank at PetSmart, it was a 10 gallon total set up. Bettas don't like light but plants need it for photosynthesis. I have only one plant that is showing problem and that is the Water Lily.

Sorry about the confusion. The product I was talking about is Seachem Flourish Comprehensive. The Excel product is sold as a carbon precursor (CO2 replacement), but many people use it as an algaecide.

GH is comprised primarily of Calcium, Magnesum, Iron and other bivalent ions. Since most water supplies contain plenty of calcium and magnesium, most fertilizers do not add them. Although adding any fertilizer will increase your TDS (total dissolved solids), most will have little affect on GH. Calcium and Magnesium are macronutrients because they are needed in fairly high concentrations. Seachem Flourish Comprehensive contains only micronutrients in low concentrations, so it won't have a measurable affect on GH..

Assuming your purified water does not have minerals added, the 50/50 mix of tap water and purified water should have a GH and KH about 1/2 of your previous tap water levels. A pH of 7.4 should be fine. Because you are only changing a portion of the tank water, do not expect the GHand KH to drop significantly overnight. It will take a few water changes before the tank level starts to look like the water in the bucket. Keep doing the 20% water changes a couple of times a week until things are stable.

What type of filter do you have in your 10 gallon tank? Although some people keep bettas in tanks without a filter and maintain water quality though water changes, having a filter can help in keeping things stable. Bettas, however, cannot tolerate high water flow rates, so the filter needs to be suitable.

Also, do you have a heater in the tank? While petshops keep bettas in unheated jars, they will do better in a tank with a constant temperature between 75-80 degrees F.

 

To be honest these are my water parameters
GH 15
KH 9
Ph 8.2
Most fish we buy now a days are raised in similar parameters and are not wild caught like the numbers you are looking up online. I have multiple different types of plants and fish and they do fine in my water. Chasing parameters is going to do more harm than good.

I use a all in one fertilizer called Thrive C and it will bump your nitrate a very small amount but that's ok too. My Nitrates run 10-20 all the time.

StarGirl. I have one Betta in a 10 gallon tank. The things I have read say that Betta do better with water parameter, not in the wild, but domestic do better will a lower pH of 8.2. The pH and KH matters, well a buffer and C02 levels, the C02 is important. My Nitrates are consistently 5.0 ppm. I can afford for them to bumped up a bit. So are you saying the Thrive C will increase my Nitrates a bit?

 

So are you saying the Thrive C will increase my Nitrates a bit?

Yes. I think mine only goes up about 5ppm

 

Definitely use RO water to cut the water and not the Walmart spring water. Perhaps things have changed, but the Walmart Spring water you mentioned I used to use alone in 10 gallon betta tank and discovered it had a nitrates level of 40ppm out of the bottle.

I have since switched to RO that I remineralize myself.

 

Sorry about the confusion. The product I was talking about is Seachem Flourish Comprehensive. The Excel product is sold as a carbon precursor (CO2 replacement), but many people use it as an algaecide.

GH is comprised primarily of Calcium, Magnesum, Iron and other bivalent ions. Since most water supplies contain plenty of calcium and magnesium, most fertilizers do not add them. Although adding any fertilizer will increase your TDS (total dissolved solids), most will have little affect on GH. Calcium and Magnesium are macronutrients because they are needed in fairly high concentrations. Seachem Flourish Comprehensive contains only micronutrients in low concentrations, so it won't have a measurable affect on GH..

Assuming your purified water does not have minerals added, the 50/50 mix of tap water and purified water should have a GH and KH about 1/2 of your previous tap water levels. A pH of 7.4 should be fine. Because you are only changing a portion of the tank water, do not expect the GHand KH to drop significantly overnight. It will take a few water changes before the tank level starts to look like the water in the bucket. Keep doing the 20% water changes a couple of times a week until things are stable.

What type of filter do you have in your 10 gallon tank? Although some people keep bettas in tanks without a filter and maintain water quality though water changes, having a filter can help in keeping things stable. Bettas, however, cannot tolerate high water flow rates, so the filter needs to be suitable.

Also, do you have a heater in the tank? While petshops keep bettas in unheated jars, they will do better in a tank with a constant temperature between 75-80 degrees F.

I ordered the Seachem Flourish.
I have a Top Fin Silent Stream PF-10 Power Filter. I have is turned all the way down to lowest setting and made a baffle out of a clear drinking water bottle for the out take. It says it is a 3 phase of filtration, mechanical, biological and chemical. The replacement filter has carbon in it. I am running it just as that because my Betta had to be treated for Fin Rot and I used API Fin and Body Cure which is Doxycycline Hyclate 250 mg per packet. 1 packet treats 10 gallons and is a 4 days of treatment with WC. I am running the normal media for this filter as I am removing the medication with carbon. The end of his treatment was on 11/27 which required a 25% WC and adding carbon filter. There were no changes to my water parameters during this treatment. It is suppose to be safe for plants. Before this, I was dabbling into my own media in the filter as others told me that I should not run carbon all the time. I also at the other end of the tank am running a biochemical sponge Betta Filter with my air pump. I added an air control value to my tubing set up so that I could adjust the flow. I base current flow on whether it move his plants.

Yes I have a heater with the ability to set and maintain the water temp. It is set at 80 F. I have two suction cup thermometer's and they vary by 2 degrees. They are placed at one on each end of tank.

So, I did the 50/50 WC yesterday. Todays tank water tested at:
HpH: 8.0-8.2
NH3/4: 0
N02: 0
N03: 5.0
GH: 10 dkh this is down from 14
KH: 7 dkh this is down from 9
Even though GH & KH went down, my pH did not. Still leaving me with a C02 problem because the pH is too high.

Yes. I think mine only goes up about 5ppm

I went to Petsmarts and Petco and could not find this product

 

I ordered the Seachem Flourish.
I have a Top Fin Silent Stream PF-10 Power Filter. I have is turned all the way down to lowest setting and made a baffle out of a clear drinking water bottle for the out take. It says it is a 3 phase of filtration, mechanical, biological and chemical. The replacement filter has carbon in it. I am running it just as that because my Betta had to be treated for Fin Rot and I used API Fin and Body Cure which is Doxycycline Hyclate 250 mg per packet. 1 packet treats 10 gallons and is a 4 days of treatment with WC. I am running the normal media for this filter as I am removing the medication with carbon. The end of his treatment was on 11/27 which required a 25% WC and adding carbon filter. There were no changes to my water parameters during this treatment. It is suppose to be safe for plants. Before this, I was dabbling into my own media in the filter as others told me that I should not run carbon all the time. I also at the other end of the tank am running a biochemical sponge Betta Filter with my air pump. I added an air control value to my tubing set up so that I could adjust the flow. I base current flow on whether it move his plants.

Yes I have a heater with the ability to set and maintain the water temp. It is set at 80 F. I have two suction cup thermometer's and they vary by 2 degrees. They are placed at one on each end of tank.

So, I did the 50/50 WC yesterday. Todays tank water tested at:
HpH: 8.0-8.2
NH3/4: 0
N02: 0
N03: 5.0
GH: 10 dkh this is down from 14
KH: 7 dkh this is down from 9
Even though GH & KH went down, my pH did not. Still leaving me with a C02 problem because the pH is too high.

I went to Petsmarts and Petco and could not find this product

This is doing exactly what it should be doing. Your GH and KH are dropping slowly.

pH is a logarithmic function. Thus, it is a lot harder to drop pH than it is to drop GH and KH. Also, unless you have a good electronic pH meter, it is difficult even telling the difference between 8.2 and 8.0 using the high-range pH test. Just keep doing what you are doing with the water changes. At some point, you will start to see the pH decrease. Remember there is a relationship between pH and KH, so as the KH declines, the pH will as well. The pH change, however, might not happen overnight..

 

This is doing exactly what it should be doing. Your GH and KH are dropping slowly.

pH is a logarithmic function. Thus, it is a lot harder to drop pH than it is to drop GH and KH. Also, unless you have a good electronic pH meter, it is difficult even telling the difference between 8.2 and 8.0 using the high-range pH test. Just keep doing what you are doing with the water changes. At some point, you will start to see the pH decrease. Remember there is a relationship between pH and KH, so as the KH declines, the pH will as well. The pH change, however, might not happen overnight..

Your right it is difficult to tell the difference between 8.0 and 8.2. When I read my test tube results, I put it over the white of the chart and then pull it away about 1/2 in to get what I have read is the way to get the correct reading. I don't usually have problems with determining the colors except for this little flip as were my pH is at now. I have in my kitchen basically a chemistry lab, LOL. It has the best lighting all the way around even lights under cabinets.

 

Your right it is difficult to tell the difference between 8.0 and 8.2. When I read my test tube results, I put it over the white of the chart and then pull it away about 1/2 in to get what I have read is the way to get the correct reading. I don't usually have problems with determining the colors except for this little flip as were my pH is at now. I have in my kitchen basically a chemistry lab, LOL. It has the best lighting all the way around even lights under cabinets.

Since you are setting up a "chemistry lab" you might want to consider purchasing an digital electronic pH meter. I have had a Milwaukee pH meter for many years. It has been a great meter; but they are pretty expensive and probably overkill for someone with one tank.

You can get some inexpensive pH pens on Amazon; I have one. I certainly do not put it in the same category as the Milwaukee, but it does work if you keep it calibrated. With any electronic pH meter, you have to clean and calibrate the electrode regularly if you want accurate results. Unlike the colormetric tests where differentiating between 8.0 and 8.2 is sometimes different, a digital pH meter can easily distinguish between 8.00 and 8.05. If you ever decide to start using pressurized CO2, I highly recommend getting a digital pH meter as CO2 will cause the pH to change throughout the day.

 

Did anyone on this thread mention about going through a mini cycle?? My ammonia is always 0 but today its .25

 

Did anyone on this thread mention about going through a mini cycle?? My ammonia is always 0 but today its .25

There is always ammonia in a tank as fish excrete waste and uneaten food decays. Although the ammonia is normally converted rapidly to nitrite and then nitrate, it would not be unusual to see a level of 0.25, perhaps even higher, if we did testing frequently enough. That is not going to hurt anything, so do no freak out over it. Now if the level gets up over 1 ppm, then you need to figure out what is going on. Did chlorinated tap water get in the tank? Did you vacuum the substrate? Did you clean your filters? Did a fish or snail die in a hidden corner of the tank? Things like that can cause a mini-cycle, but the tank should quickly recover.

 

There is always ammonia in a tank as fish excrete waste and uneaten food decays. Although the ammonia is normally converted rapidly to nitrite and then nitrate, it would not be unusual to see a level of 0.25, perhaps even higher, if we did testing frequently enough. That is not going to hurt anything, so do no freak out over it. Now if the level gets up over 1 ppm, then you need to figure out what is going on. Did chlorinated tap water get in the tank? Did you vacuum the substrate? Did you clean your filters? Did a fish or snail die in a hidden corner of the tank? Things like that can cause a mini-cycle, but the tank should quickly recover.

I did a WC and cleaning on 12/5/21. 50/50 treated tap and RO. Yes, I vacuumed and I rinsed the carbon media in the HOB filter but not the Bio sponge filter on the other side of that tank. So my tests today are:
Hph: 8.0
NH3/4: .25
No2: 0
No3: 5.0
GH: is up from 9 to 11
KH: is same at 6

So essentially I am running to filter systems in the tank. I put the the HOB cartridge in on 11/27 so like 10 days ago to start removing the medication from the tank water. I am still learning how to clean my filters without losing my beneficial bacteria.. I did buy some mechanical and biological mediums to use in HOB filter. I was reading last night how to do this with my HOB filter system but got too tired and went to bed. I bought Top Fin Universal Filter Fiber Pad that you can cut to size. I bought some ceramic rings and mesh reusable bags that fit in my filter. But I think maybe the ceramic rings are wrong. If I am in a mini cycle then No2 should absorb the ammonia, then the No2 into No3.

 

I did a WC and cleaning on 12/5/21. 50/50 treated tap and RO. Yes, I vacuumed and I rinsed the carbon media in the HOB filter but not the Bio sponge filter on the other side of that tank. So my tests today are:
Hph: 8.0
NH3/4: .25
No2: 0
No3: 5.0
GH: is up from 9 to 11
KH: is same at 6

So essentially I am running to filter systems in the tank. I put the the HOB cartridge in on 11/27 so like 10 days ago to start removing the medication from the tank water. I am still learning how to clean my filters without losing my beneficial bacteria.. I did buy some mechanical and biological mediums to use in HOB filter. I was reading last night how to do this with my HOB filter system but got too tired and went to bed. I bought Top Fin Universal Filter Fiber Pad that you can cut to size. I bought some ceramic rings and mesh reusable bags that fit in my filter. But I think maybe the ceramic rings are wrong. If I am in a mini cycle then No2 should absorb the ammonia, then the No2 into No3.

If you added new ceramic rings to your filter, it will take some time (about six weeks) for them to become fully populated with beneficial bacteria. Since you just cleaned your tank and carbon, you probably removed a portion of your beneficial bacteria. That could explain the 0.25 ppm ammonia level. That should quickly come back down to zero in a few days; do not worry about it. That level is not harmful to your fish. Unless something drastic happens to your tank, it will self-regulate.

Just keep doing regular water changes with your 50/50 mixture.

 

If you added new ceramic rings to your filter, it will take some time (about six weeks) for them to become fully populated with beneficial bacteria. Since you just cleaned your tank and carbon, you probably removed a portion of your beneficial bacteria. That could explain the 0.25 ppm ammonia level. That should quickly come back down to zero in a few days; do not worry about it. That level is not harmful to your fish. Unless something drastic happens to your tank, it will self-regulate.

Just keep doing regular water changes with your 50/50 mixture.

Your very correct. The ammonia today is 0. I know there is a post out there somewhere but want to see what your thoughts are. I use the API Fresh Water Master kit. When you are using the color chart and holding the test tube, under good lighting. If you compare the colors with the test on the white part next to the color chart, you get a darker reading. If you still keep the white behind and pull the test tube away, you get a lighter result. What is the rule of thumb with this? API does not say.

 

I try to compare colors with the test tube close to the color chart. You do need good lighting. Natural daylight is best. Incandescent bulbs are also good as they have a CRI (Color Rendering Index) of 100. Fluorescent and LED light are not as good as the CRI may be around 80 which means the colors will not be as accurate, but still may be close enough.

 

I try to compare colors with the test tube close to the color chart. You do need good lighting. Natural daylight is best. Incandescent bulbs are also good as they have a CRI (Color Rendering Index) of 100. Fluorescent and LED light are not as good as the CRI may be around 80 which means the colors will not be as accurate, but still may be close enough.

RayClem, So I started the 50/50 ratio on 12/2/21. And doing the WC you told me to do. When is this pH going to budge. Todays test result were HpH at 8.0, KH 6 dkh and GH is down to 9 dgh. Am I being inpatient? Doing so many WC is hard and then my maintenance schedule is flopped, so I am winging it.

 

As I mentioned earlier, pH is measured on a logarithmic scale. KH and GH are measured on a linear scale, so they will drop much faster. A dGH of 9 and a dKH of 6 is still higher than needed. You might try changing your water change mix to 60% RO and 40% tap water.

I am beginning to wonder if you are getting good pH readings. According to the pH, KH, CO2 chart, at a dKH of 6 your pH should be lower than 8.0. You might want to pick up another pH test kit. Most pet shops will also test water for you if you take a sample to them in a clean jar.























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As I mentioned earlier, pH is measured on a logarithmic scale. KH and GH are measured on a linear scale, so they will drop much faster. A dGH of 9 and a dKH of 6 is still higher than needed. You might try changing your water change mix to 60% RO and 40% tap water.

I am beginning to wonder if you are getting good pH readings. According to the pH, KH, CO2 chart, at a dKH of 6 your pH should be lower than 8.0. You might want to pick up another pH test kit. Most pet shops will also test water for you if you take a sample to them in a clean jar.























h

I am actually going to buy a pH digital meter as you suggested. I am pretty sure the test are right but I think that a digital meter is worth the investment. So, the 60/40. How often should I do the WC's. My normal WC's I do weekly but since we have been doing the tap/RO, I have been doing every other day or two days.

I read the Fishlore e-book and it suggest more test kits; like a phosphate test.

When I asked about the details of reading the test tubes. I actually contacted API for the officially proper answer. I wrote an article on the topic and copied and pasted API's response. That was my first article but there are many who ask the same question and many not reading the results correctly. I have been reading mine correctly but verification from API, I think will help many.

 

You can probably go back to your weekly water changes.

 

Ray, my Betta passed away sometime last night.

I want to get a new fish and some plants. He had fin rot, which I treated him for and his tank. I bought a whole bunch of stuff last night before he died.

I just don't know what to do at the moment. Fin Rot is a bacterial disease. I used API Fin and Body Cure. It covers a lot of things. And it had to be done in his tank as his tank was most likely infected.

 

I am sorry you lost your betta. They tend to interact with their owners, so it is easy to get attached to them.

Fin Rot can be caused by either a bacterial or fungal infection. Fungal infections are opportunistic, so many bacterial infections develop fungal infections a well. It is often easier to prevent such infection than it is to cure them. API Fin and Body Cure contain mostly sodium chloride (aquarium salt) and doxyclycline hyclate which is an antibiotic in the tetracycline family. It is effective against many bacterial strains, but has no effect on fungal infections.

Since this is a 10 gallon tank, the easiest way to start over may be to sterilize the tank and everything in it, including any equipment used with the tank such as filters, bucket, nets, etc. That can be done using a strong brine solution made from either aquarium salt or Kosher salt. It can also be done using white vinegar (no need to waste the good stuff). Some people like using a dilute solution of bleach. While highly effective, but sure to rinse the tank thoroughly until you can no longer smell bleach. Then treat the tank with extra dechlorinator to make sure all traces of bleach are gone.

Since male bettas spend the few month of their live isolated in small cups or jars, they are generally free of pathogens. However, when you introduce plants, snails, and other fish into the tank, you can introduce pathogens as well. Live or frozen foods can also introduce pathogens. Dried flakes, pellets, and freeze dried foods are less likely to be contaminated. Bacteria and fungi are all around us, so it is impossible to keep them out of the tank. If it weren't for beneficial bacteria that break down uneaten food, convert ammonia to nitrite, and convert nitrite to nitrate, there would be no aquariums.

After you have disinfected your tank, you will have to go through the process of cycling the tank again. Do not attempt to use the media from the current tank as it could be infected. If you can borrow some filter media from the local fish store or a friend whose tank is healthy, that is the best way to get your cycle started. Even a cup of gravel is helpful as it contains the strains of beneficial bacteria you need.

Once you new tank is set up, start a new thread to let us know your progress.