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

myswtsins

myswtsins

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Jun 15, 2008
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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!!!
 
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.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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?
 
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!!
 
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