Why Is My Ph So Low

I did a water test. My ammonia- .25, nitrite- 0, nitrate-0 but my pH- 6.0. Anyone know why my pH is so low? Note: I’m currently going through a bacterial bloom and doing a fish in cycle. My tank is a week and a half old

 

Does your tap water have low pH?

 

No. Very high I tested it as well just to see and it was a 7.6

 

I wouldn't call that "very high". But, it's still a bit odd. Some pH flux is normal during the cycle but that's a big drop.

Have you tested your water's kH?

 

remind me what kH is again, sorry

 

Do you have driftwood or add any leaves which could leach tannins? my tap pH is 8 but my tank pH dropped to 6.5 after I added a huge piece of driftwood. Also, do you dose CO2? carbonic acid will drop pH.

 

Test your KH and GH. I think low KH means that you don't have a PH buffer, and that the PH can drop easily.

 

kH is carbonate hardness, and describes your water's ability to maintain stable pH.

 

Do you have driftwood or add any leaves which could leach tannins? my tap pH is 8 but my tank pH dropped to 6.5 after I added a huge piece of driftwood. Also, do you dose CO2? carbonic acid will drop pH.

I had the same issue with my 55 Gal when I initially set it up. Finally figured out it was my decor, I had a large piece of driftwood in the tank, I removed it and did a 75% water change. It brought the PH back up and I haven't had issues with low PH again.

 

I would take a cup of tap water and leave it out for 24 hours, then test the pH. This will give you your true pH. Leaving the water out will allow the gasses to dissipate, and give you accurate numbers.

If your immediate tap pH, true tap pH and tank pH have huge differences, then it is most likely a kH issue.

Your kH is a measurement of minerals in your tap water. These minerals are called buffers, and they help keep your pH stable. The nitrogen cycle is a naturally acidic process and wants to keep your water pH low. The buffers help counter act that, and keep your pH neutral or alkaline. If you have a low kH, those buffers get used up. Once the buffers are gone, then your pH is no longer stable, and will drop very low, pretty quickly.

The remedy to this is to add buffers back to your tank.

What you want to add is calcium carbonate. This comes in either powdered or solid form. Powdered form is either baking soda, or an alkaline buffer powder (Seachem makes some). The solid form is aragonite, crushed coral, seashells, limestone, or cuttlebone. Powdered you will add to your tank as needed, and with water changes. The solid form you will put in your filter, and it will slowly release buffers as needed. Only needing to be replaced every month or so.

I suggest verifying a low kH with a gH/kH testing kit. But doing the 24 hour pH will at least give you a hint if that is the right direction to head as far as diagnosing the problem.

Doing water changes can raise your pH, because it will replace some of the buffers in the tank. It is hard to keep up with the amount of water changes that are required to maintain a really low kH. If your kH is borderline, water changes could be an option.

 

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Do you have driftwood or add any leaves which could leach tannins? my tap pH is 8 but my tank pH dropped to 6.5 after I added a huge piece of driftwood. Also, do you dose CO2? carbonic acid will drop pH.

I don’t have driftwood and I don’t dose CO2

 

BTW, nice tarpon. That guy is a monster. I've only seen them once while on a fishing/dive trip in Belize. Super cool looking, and I always thought they'd be super fun to catch.

 

BTW, nice tarpon. That guy is a monster. I've only seen them once while on a fishing/dive trip in Belize. Super cool looking, and I always thought they'd be super fun to catch.

Thanks. I fish in the keys and live in Miami. That’s actually a small tarpon only like 30-40 pounds

what is the difference from normal pH and high range pH?

 

A tank with high range pH, meaning it's very alkaline, is dangerous for fish and their habitat.

 

But what is the difference cause on my apI test kit it has a bottle for high range pH and just pH

If my high range pH is low that means it’s good, correct?

 

A tank with high range pH, meaning it's very alkaline, is dangerous for fish and their habitat.

No.... many fish are specially adapted to live in high pH. Tanganyikan cichlids for instance. Central American livebearers.

I think the OP means on the API test kit, though.

The regular pH kit tests pH up to about 7.6. High range tests pH higher than that up to about 8.5 if I recall correctly. Which test you use just depends on what your water is like. For instance if the normal kit colors up darker than the highest color chart, then you would test with the high range kit and see what your actual pH is.

 

Ahhhhh yes ok ok. That’s what I was thinking but I wasn’t sure. It’s just common sense. Thanks

 

I’ve been testing my water for the last week on my own with my own test kit. My pH has been at 6.0 all week and all of a sudden today it’s at 7.6. Anyone know why it’s shot up? My ammonia is at 1.0. And nitrite is 0 and nitrate is 0

 

Most likely it's very alkaline, pH is not static, it changes over time in fact, it even changes over the course of a single day, 7.6 is not really that bad, Freshwater fish should be somewhere between 5.5 and 7.5, depending on the specific species..

 

I'd be concerned with that much of a pH swing as it could be very detrimental to fish. The most important thing is to have a stable pH and not one that fluctuates wildly. Do you know your KH? This measures the ability to regulate pH. The higher the KH, the more stable your pH.

 

I don’t know my KH I’m gonna test my pH again to see if it was accurate

 

What is your source water? If you are using water from a softener or RO/DI system or distilled water or very soft city water you will need to remineralize it so the Ph will be stable. Do not use chemicals to alter the Ph.

I use this for my RO/DI water

 

I’m using tap water. I’ve been cycling my tank for 2 weeks

What is your source water? If you are using water from a softener or RO/DI system or distilled water or very soft city water you will need to remineralize it so the Ph will be stable. Do not use chemicals to alter the Ph.

I use this for my RO/DI water

My tap pH is 7.6 so that’s why I’m confused

 

My tap pH is 7.6 so that’s why I’m confused

It is the minerals in the water that stabilize the Ph. Wild Ph swings often can be traced to soft water.

 

I’m gonan test it again to see if it’s the same

 

Freshwater fish should be somewhere between 5.5 and 7.5, depending on the specific species..

Most freshwater fish are fine with up to 8.5 in the home aquarium if acclimated properly and if the pH is kept stable. BB dies off at lower pHs (6.5>), but then the ammonia turns to ammonium.

 

My pH is now at 7.0. Hopefully it stays there

 

Seems to be bouncing all over the place (first 6.0, 7.6 and now 7.0?) so I would personally get a KH/GH test kit and measure out of both your tap and tank. You could get the API KH/GH test kit which is about $5 on Amazon I believe. If you find that you have a low to non-existent KH, you'll need to add a buffer like crushed coral or use something like Seachem Alkaline Buffer each week with a water change to increase the KH and keep the pH stable.