PH crashing during fishless cycle.

[Cityfish]

Nope.

I suggest studying the Nitrogen cycle, natures sewage plant.



Ya.. you did kinda highjack my post ………. That’s OK no foul…felt no harm…

I was just lookin for any advice I could get about moderating PH during a fishless cycle in a tank with low KH….

You know like a Curly Willow branch ,,, Eye of newt ,,,,and the Toe of an old man…LOL

My current tanks were purchased used, running & seasoned. So this is my first attempt at cycling.

The small tank that I thought crashed did complete a full cycle… I did add baking soda to raise PH. And the big tank still is not processing all its nitrite….patients….I had hoped that seeding the tank would have sped up the 2nd phase of the nitrogen cycle too.

I also added the leftover shells and scrapes from some of Sunday nights dinner, King crab, in filter bags. I think this may help by providing some shells (raise KH) and a consistent low amount of ammonia ….. I will have to keep tanks viable for a wile while I consider new stocking Ideas….

Any other advice or experience helpful

 

[CbusRog]

What type of enviroment (biotope) are you shooting for? Rather than match your water to the fish, match your fish to the water. Why don't you just place a few hardy fish in the tank, and let nature take over?

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbinate) will raise the GH and pH temporarily, but Calcium Carbinate is what you need for a longer term solution. A pH of 5 is pretty low from a tap. What is your local water source?

 

[Cityfish]

Actually the water in my tap is 7. It’s that it has been crashing toward the end of the cycling process that has been a problem. I believe that the nitrification process produces enough acid to causes the PH to crash to 5/min scale and kill off the bacteria I am trying to nurture.
I want to keep parameters as close to Tap standards as possible… As I said in the original post…That was the point of this post… To find ways of temporarily buffering alkalinity during the cycling process….Guess I asked the question poorly. :look:

I am trying to do a fishless cycle.

If I had just added fish I would probably have the same problem and some dead fish too… :duh:

I have reduced the amount of ammonia I dose to no more than 2ppm and added coral to the filter. Hopefully this will remedy this problem.

 

[Star_Rider]

your on the right track. you will need to monitor the kH as the crushed coral is not permanent either. but you can simple add more crushed coral.

good luck.

 

[Omega]

Baking Soda (Sodium Bicarbinate) will raise the GH and pH temporarily, but Calcium Carbinate is what you need for a longer term solution. A pH of 5 is pretty low from a tap. What is your local water source?

I think you mean KH and pH.