My pH is changing wildly!

[metropolis93fan]

I have 1 betta in a 5 gallon. Last week, pH was a 6.8. Tuesday, it was 8.0 Tonight it's a 6 (or lower). I put in 5 (pre-boiled) catappa leaves as suggested by... someone... don't remember if it was here or a Discord site. Sorry. He has a strange eye issue... definitely diamond eye on the left and some weird... not sure if it's popeye or not (I have a NEW thread on that with better images in Emergencies)

Last week... exactly a week ago... I changed out his carbon cartridge for batting and biostones. I still have cartridges... should I A) take out at least some of the leaves (I heard they can lower pH) B) take out the batting and stones and put a cartridge in for 12 hour? 24? Try and get some of the tannins out? It's pretty yellow... I plan on doing a water change on Saturday. I received minerals to add to my distilled water (I get lime scale like crazy if I use the tap water here). I've been using something else to add minerals but I don't think it's all that great. Bought something that helps with GH and KH. I have THAT but don't have my testing kit, yet. That comes in on Saturday. Thus why I'd like to wait until then to do the change. But I guess C) should I do one tomorrow with just distilled anyway?

I appreciate your help! I'm trying to get things evened out by Monday if possible. I leave that afternoon for my parents' place until Saturday or Sunday. (I'm having abdominal surgery the 7th, Thursday, kept overnight at the hospital, then want to spend 24-48 hours in a town with really good hospitals just in case something goes wrong. (I needed an ambulance after my last procedure which was far more minor than this and my apartment is in small town USA. We have a hospital but not a GOOD TRAUMA hospital). So I need a good trauma betta tank surgeon now!

 

[Colin_T]

Have you checked the pH, GH and KH of your water supply?
Let some tap water and distilled water stand for 24 hours. Test at the start of that time and again at the end (24 hours later).

Distilled water should have a pH of 7.0 and 0 GH and 0 KH.

Are there any shells, limestone, sandstone or dead coral in the tank?
These can raise the pH.

 

[metropolis93fan]

Have you checked the pH, GH and KH of your water supply?
Let some tap water and distilled water stand for 24 hours. Test at the start of that time and again at the end (24 hours later).

Distilled water should have a pH of 7.0 and 0 GH and 0 KH.

Are there any shells, limestone, sandstone or dead coral in the tank?
These can raise the pH.

I can't check GH and KH until Saturday. I'll do a quick pH test tonight befoe I go to bed. (soon hopefully). I just did a 50% water change. I caved and used local water instead of distilled. I need to sit a minute first. Asthma acting up. The substate is crushed shell, or at least LOOKS like it. Not sure if it's the real deal or not. But it's been in there since January and I didn't use to have touble... it's definitely nothing new. No WHOLE shells... I wanted to but was warned against it. Didn't dawn on me until just now that the substrate was possibly shell. (I didn't know that was a no no until after the tank was cycled).

 

[Colin_T]

Shells are fine if you have fish that like a high pH (above 7.0), but not the best for fish that like a low pH (below 7.0).