Tank pH Rather Low

DGalt

DGalt

AC Members
Jun 1, 2008
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Connecticut
I recently replaced my substrate with Aquasoil. My pH before, with injected CO2, was about 7.0. My kH is 5 degrees (86ppm). I've been using a drop checker and keep it a very pale green if not yellow.

I checked my pH today and it's 6. I replaced my drop checker solution about 4 hours ago but the color is still a blue color. This has happened in the past though (i.e. taking a long time to equilibrate with tank condition). The pH is concerning me, though, because I keep both amanos and shrimp and 6 is rather low for them (6 is rather low in general, even for a planted tank).

I don't have a whole lot of experience with aquasoil. I know it lowers the pH a bit, but this much? Should I be worried?
 
I was told by a guy I trust that with Aquasoil the pH won't go back up. I though it would after a couple months but he says I'm wrong. I'm still going to add some crushed coral to my filter to see if I can get mine up a little bit. I'd be happy just to get the KH up so the pH doesn't swing so much when I do a water change.

You are lucky, my pH is stuck at 5.
 
i'm just assuming mine is at 6 since that's as low as my test kit goes. could be lower for all i know :eek3:
 
luckily there are no fish in there right now. i'm going to grab some ph strips from my lab tomorrow to see if it is lower than 6.

but what can I do? is crushed coral the best option?
 
well I'm sure it is a combination of the two. I just changed my CO2 distribution method from one underwater filter to another and the new one is definitely more efficient.
 
What's the new way you distribute CO2?

I have mine running into an internal filter and it works really well, better than using a difuser. The problem is that it's too noisy so I'm going back to a difuser.

My pH was 5 before I started adding CO2. No fish in the tank until I get the levels worked out.
 
I do the same thing, run into an underwater filter. I got a new one, though, that does a better job at chopping up the bubbles = more CO2 dissolving into water

The CO2 is off now so I'll check the pH in the morning to see if there is any difference
 
Ok, here's my experience with ADA aquasoil. We currently have neutral water (South Korea), and we experienced the same thing in Georgia (neutral water 7.0 - 7.3) The aquasoil lowered the PH to 6.3 all on its own, with CO2 at 30ppm it went down even further to 5.6 (Georgia). Currently our PH is 6.34 without CO2, and after adding ADA brighty K (rises PH) and CO2 it will go down to 5.93.

All PH readings were measured with the pinpoint PH controller by American Marine inc.
 
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