Seashell & PH

[D Bass]

Awhile back I put a really small seashell in my tank and I noticed after a few weeks that my PH level was up around 8 (my tap water is around 7) so I decided to take it out because I figured that was the culprit.

That was at around 3 or 4 weeks ago and my PH is still at 8 and I'm just wondering if there is any safe way to get it back to normal.

I know all about the risks of messing with ph so I dont need a lecture about that but if I could get it back to normal I would just feel better, ya know!?

The fact that my tap water is at 7 and my tank is at 8 just kinda drives me nuts.

Any suggestions?

P.S. To my knowledge my tank doesnt have anything in it that would raise the ph (normal store bought gravel, fake plants, a pc of driftwood and 4 lava rocks)

 

[plah831]

well, tank water will be at a slightly higher pH than tap, due to out-gassing of CO2. But mine only goes from 7.8 to 8.0, not an entire 1.0 pH difference. Having a pH at 8.0 is not bad at all, as that is what mine is at. All my fish are thriving, including soft acidic water species like dojo loaches and glass catfish.

I'd say, leave it alone. Trying to change the pH will be more harmful to your fish than having a slightly alkaline pH.

Not sure, but could lava rocks be responsible for the pH shift? The driftwood should also make pH lower (more acidic) ever so slightly?

also, have you tested your tap water for pH lately? Sometimes in different seasons they will change what they add to it, resulting in pH shifts or so I've heard.

 

[Grundy]

How many water changes have you done? Two or three 40% changes should get it back near 7 if the seashell was the culprit.

 

[D Bass]

How many water changes have you done? Two or three 40% changes should get it back near 7 if the seashell was the culprit.

I change the water once a week so bout 3 or 4 times now ...and it had popped into my mind to do more but

1) I'm not %100 sure that the seashell was the culprit and 2) if the water changes would sort it out which I guess it would according to you right?

As for the tap water, I did test it about a week and a half ago because I had read that tap water could have PH variances but it was the same as a few mths ago.

 

[plah831]

yeah, water changing will sort it out if there is any problem. I'm not convinced that there is a problem just yet.

pH will become lower if you neglect water changing, as the buildup of wastes will cause water to become more acidic. So at least you don't have that problem

The seashell could indeed have raised pH if it started to dissolve. Crushed coral does the same thing, and is preferred in marine setups for this reason.

 

[D Bass]

yeah, water changing will sort it out if there is any problem. I'm not convinced that there is a problem just yet.

pH will become lower if you neglect water changing, as the buildup of wastes will cause water to become more acidic. So at least you don't have that problem

The seashell could indeed have raised pH if it started to dissolve. Crushed coral does the same thing, and is preferred in marine setups for this reason.

Ok so it sounds like that may indeed be what caused it. If thats the case I'll just let it go down on its own with my scheduled water changes so that the decrease is slow and not all of a sudden.

After all, like you all said...its not really that bad anyhow...its just something bugging me thats all

 

[plah831]

its just something bugging me thats all

I know, we all get that way sometimes. Or at least we SHOULD, if we really care about our tanks. At least you've gotten reassurance that nothing's too bad yet

 

[tmtpowers]

Yep, I use sea shells in my tanks to get my ph up though mine doesn't go up as easily due to the high kh. Anyways, as plah said, just go about regular PWCs and tank care and eventually it will go back down If you kh is high, it may take a while to go back down but your fish should be fine with a ph of 8.0 as long as its stable.