tested water this morning as i am on the last day of the treatment for the fin and tail rot....amonia is 0ppm....nitrite is 0ppm....high ph is 8.8 up from 7.4 (4days ago) nitrate is at 10ppm......is this high ph going to mess up the fin rot even more....it was 7.4 when the fin rot started so i know the ph didnot cause the fin rot......I was only going to do a 25% water change today thats what they recommend after using the medication i used jungle labs binox......what do you think?
high ph is 8.8?
- Thread starter gouramimommy125
- Start date
I always do at least a 50 percent water change after medicating a tank, then replace the carbon if you use it. I don't think the high ph will have an effect on fin rot. I am wondering why it has gone up tho, I would let some water sit out and see if it goes up after a few days, if it does not, it's something in your tank which is raising it. i.e. rock, coral sand, something like that in your tank which is buffering the water.
yeah i have had coral sand in there and some rocks and shells I took out alot of the shells i think only snail shells are left in there....im going to have to see maybe remove all shells completely .....thanks
If you're using the API test kit...
Considering that 7.4 is the lowest registrable high pH in the kit, I would think it more likely that the pH has actually lowered slightly, so the high pH test isn't registering correctly. Have you tried seeing if it registers at a more logical level using the normal pH test?
If that's not the case, then I'm with Cradlefan in thinking that it must be something buffering your water. Coral sand & shells are definitely known for doing so, but if you didn't have a problem with your pH getting crazy high like this before, I don't know of any reason why the meds would have changed it, unless you missed several water changes while letting the medication run it's course.
If your pH really has increased that much, you'd be better off doing a smaller water change (25% or so) each day until it's back where you want it, so that the pH doesn't lower too drastically all at once, becoming dangerous to your fish.
Considering that 7.4 is the lowest registrable high pH in the kit, I would think it more likely that the pH has actually lowered slightly, so the high pH test isn't registering correctly. Have you tried seeing if it registers at a more logical level using the normal pH test?
If that's not the case, then I'm with Cradlefan in thinking that it must be something buffering your water. Coral sand & shells are definitely known for doing so, but if you didn't have a problem with your pH getting crazy high like this before, I don't know of any reason why the meds would have changed it, unless you missed several water changes while letting the medication run it's course.
If your pH really has increased that much, you'd be better off doing a smaller water change (25% or so) each day until it's back where you want it, so that the pH doesn't lower too drastically all at once, becoming dangerous to your fish.
in my api i have to tests a ph test that goes to 7.4 and a high range ph that goes up to 8.8 (dark purple) on the ph it was at 7.4 wich is the max for that but the high range ph goes up to 8.8...am i not understanding the whole ph thing?
Does the meds affect the pH indicators? I bet the high concentration of med (which are chemicals) is giving a false reading. Do your water changes and charcoal changes to get rid of the meds, then worry about the pH. Also, how buffered is your normal water? Does your pH usually shift alot? I would think that unless you are running pure RO or distilled water, you really can't shift your pH that much without really changing something major.
yeah they dont usually shift like that...i am going to do another reading in about an hour ....i did the water change this morning and put the carbon filter back in