View Full Version : I need Help
marlymarl
08-08-2007, 3:11 PM
:help: Saturday I did a water change because my nitrates were really high. I have a 29 gallon bio cube and I changed about 8 gallons of water. Everything was fine until around 9am this morning when my tank just got cloudy. My water para were ph7.2 nitrites0 amon0 and nitrates 20. My plants are starting to turn brown too. Grapes and seaweed. Can u help.
KenyanSandBoa
08-08-2007, 3:42 PM
What was your pH before the water change?
That seems really low. You could have shocked the tank with a drastic drop like that. The chemistry of the new water should be as close to the tank's water as possible. The pH should be within 0.2 and the temperature should be within 1-2 degrees.
marlymarl
08-08-2007, 3:49 PM
My ph before the change was8.0. What can I do to get the tank clear again
KenyanSandBoa
08-08-2007, 4:10 PM
My ph before the change was8.0. What can I do to get the tank clear again
The general trend for pH movement in home aquariums is downward, so you're better off buffering on the higher end of the recommended scale. The primary sources for pH movement comes from excess carbon dioxide (insufficient gas exchange), nitric acid from biological filtration (nitrification), and organic acids in from metabolic waste.
Buffers act as "pH preserver". They assist the system in retaining the pH level and resists fluctuations. This is measured as alkalinity. When pH drops, that a sign that the buffers are worn out. You can use bicarbonate as a quick fix, but I would recommend using a high quality buffer.
In the long run, the best way to preserve the tanks chemistry is to perform regular partial water changes in your tank. This not only refreshes the natural buffers, but also restores the trace minerals in your tank water when you add the solutions.
You can add a dosing system by using a kalkwasser drip (much cheaper and less complicated than a calcium reactor for this tank size), but just preparing your change water in advance should work fine.
KenyanSandBoa
08-08-2007, 4:12 PM
One more thing...as far as getting the tank clear, just give it some time. Tanks usually cloud up when the beneficial bacteria had taken a hit and is attempting to culture itself again.
Did you test the pH in the morning or the evening? It is normal for it drop overnight.