PH unstable and dropping low

[mdk2424]

Hi i am almost done cycling but since Thursday my Ph has been dropping to 6.0.

Tank conditions on day 52, I made a lot of mistakes in the beginning but thanks to this site getting me on the right track until now.
ammonia .025
nitrite 0
nitrate 10
PH 6.0
Temp 79
since Thursday i have added api PH up and it did go back up to 6.4 / 6.8 but then by next morning its down to 6.0

[Blueiz]

Stop adding the ph up to your tank. Its not going to do anything but cause your ph to bounce up and down because your water is buffering it.

Your ph is fine as it is.. If you insist on raising it, add a bit of crushed coral to a media bag and put it in your filter or in your tank. This should raise it to about 7.

[mdk2424]

coral in a fresh water tank with tropical fish?

[Sploke]

Crushed coral is used as a substrate in some tanks. It helps to add a buffer as it slowly dissolves into the water column, slightly raising the KH and pH of the water, making it more stable.

[Blueiz]

Agree with sploke. The only thing I will add to that is adding a bit, say a handful or less, of crushed coral to your tank in a media bag will raise your ph as well as using it as a substrate.

Dolamite works to naturally raise the ph as well.

[jpappy789]

:iagree:

But I see no reason to raise the pH...

GH (general hardness) is far more important as its closer to how much total dissolved solids (TDS) are actually in the water.

[OldMan47]

If you have had much higher pH in the past and it has just gone down during a fishless cycle, do a large water change to recharge the natural buffers in your tap water. Often a large water change will restore the chemical balance that is a part of your normal water from the tap. A pH of 6.0 can easily stall your cycle and prevent it from finishing. The low pH is the result of the cycle itself. When you convert ammonia to nitrite it is a nitrous acid which is then converted to a nitric acid by the nitrite processing bacteria. The acids you are making are causing the pH to go down in your unbuffered tank. If your KH is low, which it seems to be, the crushed coral will go a long ways to stabilizing things for your fish.

[stezatois]

I actually went onto my local waterboards website to find out what my waters base ph level was when i was looking into setting up for apple snails. My base ph is 6.0- 6.4 so i added crushed coral to my snail tank to buffer the water instead of using chemicals that i didnt really need to use in my tank.

[Pepe]

Hey, I wish I had that problem. I have very high pH due to my tap water I believe.
Pepe

[Blueiz]

Hey, I wish I had that problem. I have very high pH due to my tap water I believe.
Pepe

Peat will lower ph..:)

[SchizotypalVamp]

Peat will lower PH, though it will lower it very slowly. This a fishy or a fishless cycle? If you haven't been changing the water, it sounds as if your water comes out with a low buffer, meaning you are experiencing something like OTS. When the tank is up and running, regular water changes will buffer the water, though a little bit of crushed coral will certainly help.

[AquaPonixRox]

crushed coral worked great when i had a tank that would not stay above 6 for some stupid reason, the guide line i was told 1 lb per 15 gallons per point of ph ya need to go above, really i went home tossed a couple handfulls in there and it ballanced out no more ph up swings

[6.5x55]

A small teaspoon of bicarb of soda will harmlessly raise 10 gallons by 1 kH point. Worked a treat in mine and is now stable at pH 6.8-7 :).