PH keeps going down!

[satanpie]

Since I added plants in my 45 gallon the ph keeps going down. I did a 50% water change today, came back 3 hours later and Ph is yellow, about 6.0. The water comes out of tap about 7.5 around here. My 5 gallon is also always acidic even after large water changes. I added some Ph buffer ever though I really didnt want to, but i'm gonna check again in a little while to see if the levels have gone up at all.

[Mgamer20o0]

how do you test the tap water? do you let it sit out? could be some kind of rock or something effecting the ph too.

[satanpie]

i have a 40 gallon bin that i have filled with spare water, when i test it in there its high, around 7.5-7.8, then i did a 50% water change, tank ph was about 6.0. came back a few hours later and ph is 6.0. Could it be because of my plants dying and rotting? All of my fish seem healthy though, so i dont know.

[Mgamer20o0]

sounds like your tap is just 6.0 ph......... once it has time to gas out you get your true ph. right out of the tap it can be higher or lower.

[satanpie]

sop what do you suggest i do the keep it from goign too low?

[nickmcmechan]

crushed coral in the filter to buffer the ph

[Ajordan]

I'd test your KH first, so you know what you are up against.

[satanpie]

how do i est my kh? is that the hardness of the water? thanks for all the help guys!

[nickmcmechan]

kH is carbonate hardness, it is one measure of how hard your water is...a higher kH means that the water can be more stable wrt pH swings...

i have a kH and gH test kit...one of my tanks has a kH less than 20ppm...i keep a close eye on the pH of that one.

[Mgamer20o0]

why is 6ph too low?