Ph..............sky High

[Chopper01uk]

hi folks, hope someone can help me here, i've been running a tank for bout three weeks, the nitrate, nitrite and ammonia levels have all come down nicely for me but the PH is at 8.6 and has never come down below that, i tested my untreated tap water and the PH reading was 7.6, please can someone give me some clue as to how i get the PH reading down to nearer 7.0.
I know someone out there can help me.
Cheers for now.
Laters

[Roan Art]

hi folks, hope someone can help me here, i've been running a tank for bout three weeks, the nitrate, nitrite and ammonia levels have all come down nicely for me but the PH is at 8.6 and has never come down below that, i tested my untreated tap water and the PH reading was 7.6, please can someone give me some clue as to how i get the PH reading down to nearer 7.0.
I know someone out there can help me.
Cheers for now.
LatersYou most likely don't need the pH at 7.0. Fish (except for very few exceptions, such as discus and some? cichlids) are quite capable of adapting to almost any pH condition. The pH recommendations found on most sites are generally for breeding conditions.

What we need to do is find out why your pH is going from 7.6 to 8.8 in your tank. That's quite a difference.

To start, would you please post your other water parameters: ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and test via liquid instead of strips. Strips are okay for pH (my opinion) but they are not very accurate for measuring many of the others.

We also need to know how big your tank is.

Now, having asked for that, did you by any chance put any coral or seashells in your tank? Could you please tell us what you did put in your tank? Chemicals, decorations, etc.,.

Soon as we get this information from you, the sooner we can solve this mystery :)

Thanks
Roan

[liv2padl]

there's probably carbon dioxide in your tap water. CO2 exists in an equillibrium with carbonic acid in your tap water which causes the pH to be lower. since water can hold less CO2 as the temperature increases, in the tank with warmer temperature the CO2 decreases resulting in a higher pH of your tank water.

you can test this by taking the ph of your tap water in a glass, then let it stand for 24 hours and take the ph again. i'll bet it's higher.

[Roan Art]

there's probably carbon dioxide in your tap water. CO2 exists in an equillibrium with carbonic acid in your tap water which causes the pH to be lower. since water can hold less CO2 as the temperature increases, in the tank with warmer temperature the CO2 decreases resulting in a higher pH of your tank water.

you can test this by taking the ph of your tap water in a glass, then let it stand for 24 hours and take the ph again. i'll bet it's higher.
True, but 10 points higher? Isn't that an awful lot? Mine went from 7.8 to 8.0.

Roan

[liv2padl]

Isn't that an awful lot? it depends on the kH of his tap water and the temperature of the incoming. while ten points is alot, it's not unusual in the winter.

[Roan Art]

it depends on the kH of his tap water and the temperature of the incoming. while ten points is alot, it's not unusual in the winter.Wow. I did not know that. Thanks!

Roan

[Chopper01uk]

Right folks, sorry for the lack of information lol, this is the newbies section afterall lmao, anyways here goes

Tap water - ammonia NH3 / NH4 = 0.25ppm
nitrate N03 = 40ppm
nitrite N02 = 0.0ppm
wide range PH = 7.8

I treated the tap water with Tetra Aquasafe
5ml of this to every 2 gallons of water as per instructions on bottle

The nitrates nitries and ammonia went through the roof in the first week and being the novice i am i didn't write the scores down but going by my charts the Nitrites where @ = 4.0ppm
the Nitrates where @ = 140ppm
the ammonia was @ around 1.0ppm
and i use a dry tablet test kit for all these tests

After multiple water changes all the results started to settle down and over the last week i have tested every day
this being the results
week 3 day 1 NH3&4 = 0.0
N03 =20
N02 =0.50
PH =8.6
25% water change
day 2 NH3&4 = 0.0
N03 =0.0
N02 =0.25
PH =8.6
25% water change
day 3 NH3&4 = 0.0
N03 = 0.0
N02 = 0.0
PH = 8.6
25% water change
day 4 NH3&4 = 0.0
N03 = 0.0
N02 = 0.0
PH = 8.6

I have a 60 gallon tank with two internal filters running ( a fluvel 3 and a fluval 4)
My substrate is 20% sand and 80% well its not actually gravel, its more like broken bits of coral if you know what i mean.
I have one piece of bogwood in the tank, which did start to grow some kinda fungus on it, so after some advice i boiled it for a couple of hours and scrubbed it with clean water and a clean scourer, the fungus ain't returned
I also have some plastic plants in the tank, being the lazy person i so am lol, as little work as possible is my method, also a piece of plastic piping and some pieces of slate.

The only chemicals i have ever put in the tank is the tetra aquasafe as i have already mentioned.

I hope this is al the information you need to help.
I am a complete novice at this fishkeeping lark lol, usually i'd rather catch fish but hey i'm up for another challenge.
I really do enjoy my Fahaka Puffer and want to do the best by him.
Hope you can help
Cheers

[graysilm]

The sand and crushed coral are definitely contributing to your aquariums alkaline state, however the bogwood is probably helping keep the ph down. Do not remove it.

[liv2padl]

My substrate is 20% sand and 80% broken bits of coral bingo!! coral is calcium carbonate which, as it slowly dissolves in your water, increases both the pH and kH.

[Chopper01uk]

bingo!! coral is calcium carbonate which, as it slowly dissolves in your water, increases both the pH and kH.

So please tell me that you are not suggesting that i clear the tank of this coral, because if thats the case doesn't that mean re cycling the tank........WHAT A NIGHTMARE

[pbrack]

If your tank is cycled, most of the bacteria will be in yuor filter media. So if you have no fish in there, removnig the gravel won't ruin anything :thm:

[tbone-ike]

I don't think changing the substrate would mean totally re-cycling your tank as you have cycled filter media. If you are keeping fish in the tank after substrate removal/change, I would do some frequent water changes until the amount of bacteria levels have time to play some 'catch up'.

[Chopper01uk]

Ok then, is there an alternative to changing the coral and what problems will it cause for a fish with a ph that high and yes there is already fish in the tank.

[liv2padl]

you should change out the coral ONLY if the pH difference between the tap water and tank water has a negative impact on your fish. if this pH differential hasn't impacted your fish by now, i'd not worry about it.

[pbrack]

I would suggest slowly changing the crushed coral for gravel. If you remove a bit of crushed coral (1 cup) daily and replace it with gravel I think you'd be fine. The problem isn't really removing the crushed coral, it's its effect on the water parameters. Just keep testing the parameters and make sure your KH and pH never change too drastically in a day.

[Chopper01uk]

Well folks over the last couple of weeks i have gradually changed the sand and coral for gravel and guess what??????????????????




Yep................ it done the trick!!!!!!!! :dance: :dance: :dance: :dance:

My ph has dropped back to a steady 7.6 and i've got the happiest Fahaka Puffer in the land.

Thanks for all your help and advice
Hope you all have a great christmas folks
Thanks again