Barr's GH Booster and Ph Crash? Need help fast!

[myswtsins]

Usual parameters of my 33g.
Ph-6.8-6.9
Gh - 0
Kh - 9-11
CO2 - 30-35ppm

After adding 2 tsps of Barr's GH Booster yesterday (reading as of this morning)
Ph - somewhere below 6.0!
Gh - 1
Kh - 11
Co2 - unknown (according the charts it would be like 330ppm)

All the fish are acting normal and the Ph test kit is accurate (checked it on other tanks). I have the CO2 turned off and a bubbler going just in case it IS a co2 issue but something seems fishy here.

Anyone else experience this? Is the PH really that low or does the booster give a false reading?

How long would I have to run a bubbler to see a rise in Ph under normal conditions? (for comparison)

Quick response would REALLY be appreciated since I am acclimating amanos & ember tetras as I type!!!

[jpappy789]

Running pressurized CO2? If so, for how long?
Do you have a drop checker or just relying on the charts?

The ingredients of the GH booster are Potassium Sulfate, Calcium Sulfate, and Magnesium Sulfate. Nothing there should be causing a pH crash.

[myswtsins]

Pressurized CO2 ran 24/7, drop checker is in the mail, I know not very helpful. :) Been using charts. I just also installed a DIY inline reactor about a week ago too before that I was using a red sea 500 reactor.

[dundadundun]

i have been using barr's and baking soda to go from 0 to my target range all summer and have yet to experience this.

i suspect your test kit, unknown contaminants or co2 would be more likely your culprits.

i would think the amano's should have no problem with this issue. they are pretty hardy actually. they've survived mistakes i've made that killed off several guppies at a time for me. :lipssealedsmilie:

i couldn't tell you about the tetras.

[myswtsins]

Well I know it is not the test kit (tested it on 2 other tanks), I suspected the CO2 but have been bubbling the tank for nearly 2 hours and no increase in Ph, how long does it normally take?

[coach_z]

i dont know what could have caused this....but to gass off the co2 in your tank create lots and lots of surface agitation....

you can also do a a series of small water changes to get things back in order.

[The Zigman]

Tom Barr is a member here...
I think his userid is plantbrain

you could try to PM him...

[chonhzilla]

Tom Barr is a member here...
I think his userid is plantbrain

you could try to PM him...

Yup

[jpappy789]

Greg Watson actually makes the product based off of Tom's comments. Its not something he sells himself.

For example, http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/fertilizers-water-parameters/27850-tom-barrs-gh-booster.html

[myswtsins]

Nearly 3 hrs of serious surface agitation (bubbler & eheim output) and the Ph is 6.4 now so it was certainly the Co2. It was just a coincidence that it happened when the Booster was added.

If the Co2 was THAT high I would have expected my fish (ember tetras & otos) to have some sort of reaction. I will let it gas off a bit more to get the ph back to around normal and then start tinkering with my CO2. I guess I will throw it on the timer with my lights? I know everyone has different opinions of this.

Everyone is in the tank and coloring up nicely! The 6 new ember tetras immediately found my original 5 and make a lovely school. :) Amanos are doing what they do best, yay!

Just to clarify, it was NOT the GH Booster! I don't want it getting a bad rep because of my state of panic & amazingly odd timing! :D Thank you everyone for your quick response!!

[jpappy789]

Might be a good idea to not run 24/7. :huh:

[coach_z]

i have this habit of always saying the same thing right after pappy says it:
you probably shouldnt be running co2 24/7

i only run it when my lights are on.
co2 is released by the plants at night and effectively you are probably doubling your co2 levels.

[myswtsins]

i have this habit of always saying the same thing right after pappy says it:


lol :) Yeah I know several people who run it 24/7 without issues and I did it too for months BUT I think now with the more effective inline reactor (although nosiy!!) too much builds up. For now I will run it with my lights, when I get a chance I will have it come on a little before lights go on & off.

[jpappy789]

You can always run it on a timer.

[myswtsins]

It is on a timer with the lights & I plan to add another timer just for it once I get another timer and super little extension cord thing so I can plug it into my power strip. :)

[Canuck]

You have to have some funky buffers going on in your tank. I don't believe there is any way you could have 100X ambient CO2 and have your fish survive. If you have a 2 point drop from equilibrium pH from CO2 and ambient CO2 levels are 2 to 3 ppm then you would have to have 200 to 300 ppm of CO2. While the chart can be inaccurate when calculating CO2 content due to different buffers, the relationship between the pH drop and the CO2 content is constant.

This situation also strongly suggests that you do not have 30 to 35 ppm at 6.8 or 6.9.

[myswtsins]

I am thinking the same thing Canuck! Especially with BBA & HSA now showing up, both being low CO2 loving. Question is what to do & how could this happen! :( I have to blame the water softener again, not sure how though.

Testing the well water professionally just can't happen right now, I do not have the money (I am about to start selling my fish tanks because I need money!). I have been using the well water, after running it through some carbon, in my invert tank and they are doing great. So, I am going to start doing WCs in this tank with the carbon filtered well water and see what happens. It is a pita because I can only treat like 10g of water at a time but it is the way it is going to have to be for now!

This last year of fish keeping has been a real headache but I truly think the water softener is the source of all my problems. As completely frustrated as I am right now and I am SO glad to be making some headway and to have you guys to help me out! THANK YOU AC!

[Canuck]

You've got the drop checker coming, that will clear up the CO2 issue.

[dundadundun]

get yourself a large storage tote. you could treat a lot more water at a time that way and it's cheap and easy!

you could always collect rain too but alot of people are reluctant to do that. i was too til i had no other choice. i was borrowing money to do w/c's and i had to treat at the same time... not good!

[myswtsins]

I wanted to get one of those 55g food barrels but just can't figure out where to put it in my bedroom among the 7 tanks! :) I do plan on doing exactly like you said, getting a rubbermaid type container so I can do like 20-30g at a time. I know I can fit one of those in somewhere!

My birthday is coming up in about a week so I am considering asking for a household sized carbon filter in the basement and rerouting my plumbing. Just what every 27 yr old girl dreams about! :)

[coach_z]

what is wrong with your well water? where are you in NJ

[myswtsins]

Farmingdale, right outside Freehold NJ. My area actually has the best ground water in central NJ (maybe even further) BUT my well is super shallow and old. THIS (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=206280&page=4) is what my water looks like (sometimes) straight out of the well before running through the water softener & resin. Picture looks greener than IRL, reflection from the trees I guess. Sometimes it comes out crystal clear! :huh:

Honestly the water I put into my invert tank is probably better then the water I drink! :screwy: I sure as heck know I put a lot more effort into their water!

[barbarossa4122]

Hi,

I use crash coral with great success. I would like to find out if I should also use the gh booster. What is the gh booster? Btw, I have one pound bag of Ultimate GH booster.