Extreamly Low Ph

[metfan581]

hi i have a problem
my ph is less than 6
i do water changes and ph buffers
still it drops down to bellow six
what can be the problem

 

[yvez9]

maybe your test kit is off
i doubt your municipality would allow a pH below 6 to run in there pipes...

 

[The-Wolf]

hi i have a problem
ph buffers

IMHO that is your problem.
pH buffers cause too many problems to be of any real use.
stop using them and over the next wekk perform
20% water changes daily this should bring your pH back into the 7 range

 

[freddyk]

hi i have a problem
my ph is less than 6
i do water changes and ph buffers
still it drops down to bellow six
what can be the problem

I agree, forget the buffers for now. In fact, except for water conditioner additives really shouldn't be used unless there is a good reason for it. It's better to find out what's causing the problem then to cover it up with more chemicals, though obviously the retailers would prefer it otherwise.

Measure the KH of the water, this can have a big impact on the stability of ph
Now for the questions that can help lead to reasons why your ph is dropping:
What fish stock to you have in the tank? How often do you do water changes and how much? If you put tap water in a bucket and run an air stone in it over night, what is the PH the next morning? Are you using any very soft drifwood, or something else that might be contributing?

 

[metfan581]

could it be something in the tank(ex rocks ect)

 

[dixaisy930]

I know there are some types of rocks that can affect tank water. At the moment I can't remember what they exactly do to the pH, but I'm sure it's possible it could lower it. Whenever I've added rocks from directly outside, I always soak them in a buckey of water with an airstone for a week, then test my water.

I can atest to that buffer crap messing up water pH. When I first started fish keeping, I took my water in to get tested by a chain store, and the pH was about 8 or 9 (which was what it was out of the tap), and they said I had to get it down to 7 with the buffer. My pH was constantly up and down...what a headache. As soon as I stopped using the pH buffer, my water settled down.

 

[prankster705]

The stones that could really reduce it are lava rocks, and lava sand.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi metfan581

I live in mid-Suffolk County and my water is 7.0, or a little bit higher, and I don't recall anyone on Long Island who talked about having low pH. Depending on where you live, the water is generally good but might tend to have a slightly elevated nitrate level from the tap. This would not effect the pH or give you any problems other than possibly having to do extra water changes. Just to be on the safe side, do a test with some water right out of your tap for comparison purposes.

I would suggest that you stop trying to use artifical means to adjust it and do water changes to gradually bring it back to normal. Take anything out that you suspect might be causing it to change; you can always put them back a little at a time. Whatever you do, try to make the change gradually because a quick change of pH can harm the fish.

Why did you try to change the pH in the first place? What kind of fish do you have and how long has your tank been set up?

 

[metfan581]

My ph from the tap is 7
My ph in my tank is less than 6
I cant keep it stable
It drops too fast

 

[rdd1952]

I can't tell a lot about your tank from the avatar but I do see plants (fake or real??). Are you using CO2 for your plants? Do you have driftwood in the tank? Are you running peat in your filters? All of those can cause the pH to drop. As someone already mentioned, have the KH tested. I suspect you have no buffering capacity which would make the side effects of the CO2, etc even worse.

 

[modernhamlet]

Is your tank cycling?

 

[Xtech]

Hi Metfan and Inchworm. I too live in Mid Suffolf county and hava a ph of around 7. I have a KH of 2dKH. It's naturally low but it's enough buffering capacity to hold up for the week. if you do a weekly W/C your ph swhouldn't drop that much. I add baking soda to raise the KH but I inject CO2.

I suggest you do what everyone is telling you and do W/C to bring it back up. Also, remove any suspect objects that can cause to lower your ph.

 

[j0rzeh]

My ph from the tap is 7
My ph in my tank is less than 6
I cant keep it stable
It drops too fast

Your carbon hardness (Kh) and Genreal hardness (Gh) maybe to low goto your lfs and ask for a PH stablizer hagen make a good one that will make your PH stable your problem is when ur feeding your fish ur PH is dropping and not going back up you see.. also make sure you dont have a Co2 kit on as this will make it go down ostyer shell with also fix the problem as will Tuffa rock or aragnite gravel.

hope this helps.

 

[Xtech]

Your carbon hardness (Kh) and Genreal hardness (Gh) maybe to low goto your lfs and ask for a PH stablizer hagen make a good one that will make your PH stable your problem is when ur feeding your fish ur PH is dropping and not going back up you see.. also make sure you dont have a Co2 kit on as this will make it go down ostyer shell with also fix the problem as will Tuffa rock or aragnite gravel.

hope this helps.

General Hardness (GH) has nothing to do with buffering your PH, Doctor.