PH Problem! Please Help!

penguinfish

penguinfish

Penguins will one day rule...
Dec 18, 2005
31
0
0
New Zealand
Hi there people,

I want to discuss and ask you something that I have found.

I have 3 tanks. One 90L, and two 36Ls.
The 90L one has a p.h of around 7.8 to 8.1. I know this is very high and I am realy annoyed.
One of my other 36L has a ph around 7.8. This is high too.
However, the other one has a ph of 6.8 to 7. This is what I want.
Do you know why this is happening? It is strange. Here are some things that are in my tank:

90L: Normal gravel, 1 small PVC plastic pipe, rocks, drift wood, plants. I also have some Bio noodles (which have not been changed for ages), wool, sponge and thats basically it.

36L(one with high ph):Rocks, No wood, Gravel, carbon, wool, sponge, noodles.

36L(one with good ph): Small pieces of wood, Rocks, Gravel, Sponge, wool, noodles.

The ph of my tap water is around 7.5-7.7 and this is what I use to change water. I used to use p.h down but it is basically useless because the ph bounces up again NO MATTER how much and how long I do it for. (I do not use it now) The last time I had a water check at my LFS my general hardness and KH were pretty much okay. Some more strange new. Even when I put the tap water with no p.h down into my 36L tank which has a ph of 6.8-7, it is fine and does not change. It stays at 6.8. What may be causing this? Why do my other tanks have high ph and this one doesn't even though I use the same water?

By the way, my tank with the fine ph has been running for only 1 month or so which may mean something. And when I first started my 90L it did not have such a high ph.

Could it be because of old filter media? (noodles) Or what could be in my tank that is making my ph soar? Rocks maybe? the pipe? (the ph was high even before I put the pipe in though)

I know this is a lot..but PLEASE help me out here. I am really stresssing out and am even thinking of stripping down my 2 tanks..THANKS!!!
 
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could be new tank, what rocks are they sandstone can raise the ph. did you buy the rocks or did you find them. only other thing i can think of is the substrate do you know what type it is.
 
They are like...umm...well not sand stones. They are like flattened rocks, kind of like small boulders. Thanks.
 
that was quick. 8.1 is high but not that high, most fish you buy havent even been near there original habbitat aslong as you dont make major changes in the ph fish should be fine, what fish do you have?
 
Not high? I thought that the normal ph for most fish is around 7.0.
This makes them more likely to breed and does not get them stressed. My signature should tell you what fish I have. The 36L one is the one with a ph of 6.8. Cheers.
 
Could you give us pH, nitrite, nitrate, GH and KH on each tank? Along with GH/KH on your tap?

Water change routine/per centages?

I would also reevaluate your 90L stocking once you have this straightened out, IMO.
 
with 7.8+ pH i would worry about the neons, cardinals A. agassizi, and probably the hatchet fish.

I don't know the badi.

the balance of the fish should be fine.

the three species i mentioned tend to fade in the higher pH levels. IME. Some neons and cards do ok. they tend to be more the exception than the rule.

I would try a mix of RO and tap--maybe 70%-30% RO to tap.
 
penguinfish said:
Hi there people,

I want to discuss and ask you something that I have found.

I have 3 tanks. One 90L, and two 36Ls.
The 90L one has a p.h of around 7.8 to 8.1. I know this is very high and I am realy annoyed.
One of my other 36L has a ph around 7.8. This is high too.
However, the other one has a ph of 6.8 to 7. This is what I want.
Do you know why this is happening? It is strange. Here are some things that are in my tank:

90L: Normal gravel, 1 small PVC plastic pipe, rocks, drift wood, plants. I also have some Bio noodles (which have not been changed for ages), wool, sponge and thats basically it.

36L(one with high ph):Rocks, No wood, Gravel, carbon, wool, sponge, noodles.

36L(one with good ph): Small pieces of wood, Rocks, Gravel, Sponge, wool, noodles.

The ph of my tap water is around 7.5-7.7 and this is what I use to change water. I used to use p.h down but it is basically useless because the ph bounces up again NO MATTER how much and how long I do it for. (I do not use it now) The last time I had a water check at my LFS my general hardness and KH were pretty much okay. Some more strange new. Even when I put the tap water with no p.h down into my 36L tank which has a ph of 6.8-7, it is fine and does not change. It stays at 6.8. What may be causing this? Why do my other tanks have high ph and this one doesn't even though I use the same water?

By the way, my tank with the fine ph has been running for only 1 month or so which may mean something. And when I first started my 90L it did not have such a high ph.

Could it be because of old filter media? (noodles) Or what could be in my tank that is making my ph soar? Rocks maybe? the pipe? (the ph was high even before I put the pipe in though)

I know this is a lot..but PLEASE help me out here. I am really stresssing out and am even thinking of stripping down my 2 tanks..THANKS!!!
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i have about the same ph as you do. mine out of the tap is 7.4.but testing water right out of the tap isn't accurate.it has very little oxygen in it.what i do is gas it of with air Stone and pump in a 5gal bucket then you get waters true ph.which mine after 30min reads 7.6-8.0. the only thing i can think of for yours is.do you do the same maintenance on all your tanks at the same time?your tank water will drop ph slightly as it ages.and stocking of your tanks will play a role in water ph.i have a large peace of drift wood in my tank and it don't effect my ph much.i keep my water movement on top of water Farly strong helps keep ph steady.maybe you have different movement on your tanks.less movement less oxygen less ph-more movement more oxygen higher but steady ph.i keep Amazon fish in my tanks that they say prefer low ph.but i think all fish prefer steady ph.mine reads 7.6 at all times and they love it.
 
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