Cycling Question

o2bndsea

o2bndsea

AC Members
Aug 9, 2006
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Sharpsburg, GA
I am in my 4th week on cycling. My ammonia is dropping on a daily basis, I am just waiting for the nitrites to drop... But my Ph has dropped from 7.2 to 6.4 in a couple of days. I have not checked it on a regular basis. It has held steady at 7.2 for at least 4 weeks. The only thing I have done since I checked it last was top off the water in the tank. Why would the Ph drop? Should I do a water change? Will the Ph drop hurt my cycle? I'm so close now...

Thanks

Lisa
 
dont do a water change youll set the cycling process back. i usually add some stress zyme to help speed it up and it works really well. also what decor do u have in the tank. real driftwood will lower the ph...
 
Fishless cycling (sorry forgot to mention that), plastic plants, clay pot, artificial driftwood. Nothing new has been introduced since the start of the cycle. I also tried Bio Spira early on and it didn't work...
 
dont do a water change youll set the cycling process back. i usually add some stress zyme to help speed it up and it works really well. also what decor do u have in the tank. real driftwood will lower the ph...
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This is one of the biggest and worst cycling myths in the hobby.
Water changes won't harm your cycle, the bacteria is not in the water, it's on the surfaces in the system, and is fairly solidly attached as well.

a water change may or may not help you, but with a pH drop that low you'll definately risk stalling or killing your cycle. The natural biological processes you are estabilishing will consume carbonate, which drops pH. if Your tap is high Kh a water change will replenish it, but then if your tap was high KH it wouldn't have dropped most likely.
Since you are fishless, add 1 teaspoon baking soda for each 10-15 gallons of water. you'll see a very quick pH recovery and the cycle should continue if it hasn't been Kh deprived for too long.

Read this article for more detail and information.
 
Thanks Bigscout - will try the baking soda. I left my journal with all my readings at the office, but it can't have been more than a few days since I read it the last time. Hopefully everything will be ok. I guess I'll know in a day or two...

Since the Ph has been so stable for the first 4 weeks I shouldn't have a Ph issue once I start with fish and my weekly water changes right? What would cause a crash like that?
 
The nitrifying bacteria converts ammonia into nitrous acid which dissolves in the water to become nitrite. The conversion process will make your water more acidic, which will drop your pH.

Doing a water change will not set your cycle back, the majority of the bacteria had already settled onto the surfaces of your tank and filter and a water change will not remove them. A .8 drop in pH isn't too drastic but you'll probably want to do a water change if it drops below 6.
 
doing frequent water changes is the best way to keep pH/KH stable. That way, you maintain tank conditions closer to source water conditions. If you let waste buildup too much, tha'ts when you get pH crashes.
 
Baking soda is rapid enough to be a little risky when fish are involved. It can be used, and will work, but should be mixed into a quantity of water outside fo the tank, tested and then added slowly to the tank. Crushed coral is generally a slower/safer alternative that accomplishes the same end result



Since the Ph has been so stable for the first 4 weeks I shouldn't have a Ph issue once I start with fish and my weekly water changes right? What would cause a crash like that?
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This will all depend on your bio-load and your maintenance routine.

A tap pH of 7.2 indicates roughly 1-2 degrees of KH. There are some variables, but most likely you have low KH tap water. in a well maintained reasonably stocked tank, that should be plenty. I personally am far more comfortable with 3-4 degrees Kh minimum, but you should be fine.

The high levels of bio-activity that occur during a fishless cycle will likely not be repeated once you have your fish so you shouldn't see problems really once you get past the fishless cycle period.
 
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