Ph Crash Help.....

[fishman3]

ok some background info....

i am currently around two weeks into my fishless cycle (with adopted filter media) and was cycling ammonia 3/4ppm in around 12-14 hours. nitrItes are off the charts and have been for about a 4 days now with nitrAtes present to around 10-15ppm.

so crisis today............

I had a PH crash to around 6.1 which i know is not good. I tested my tap water PH and it was around 7.5 ish so i did a 75% ish water change tonight.

I re-loaded with ammonia to around 5/6ppm, put stress coat in to dechlorinate the new water, added stress zyme (please dont sigh it made me feel better in my moment of crisis!) and switched everything back on.

The tank has now been running for about 2 1/2 hours water temp is around 19oC and climbing but my PH is now at about 8.6! there is ammonia present, nitrItes around 5ppm and nitrAtes around 7-10ppm.

so i have a couple of questions...........

1) will my colony have been severely damaged by the crash and my subsequent remedial actions?
2) is 8.6 PH acceptable, and will this reduce / stabilise?

help please!!!

 

[kcharley]

Hi Fishman3,

What are you using to test PH? Paper strips are notoriously inaccurate. That is the only explanation for fluctuating PH readings unless buffers are somehow being added to the water.

I've experienced PH dropping from 8.4 to 6.6 over several weeks but my tap Kh was low at 3 and was down to 1 by the time PH dropped to 6.1. I've stabilized my tank PH at 7.4 and my Kh at 3 by putting a palmful of crushed coral in a nylon sock and putting that in the filter.

HTH.

Greg

 

[fishman3]

Hi Fishman3,

What are you using to test PH? Paper strips are notoriously inaccurate. That is the only explanation for fluctuating PH readings unless buffers are somehow being added to the water.

I've experienced PH dropping from 8.4 to 6.6 over several weeks but my tap Kh was low at 3 and was down to 1 by the time PH dropped to 6.1. I've stabilized my tank PH at 7.4 and my Kh at 3 by putting a palmful of crushed coral in a nylon sock and putting that in the filter.

HTH.

Greg

Greg,

I'm using API's freshwater test kit (liquid)??? not sure why it is showing at 8.6 now will this hurt my bacterial colony in the filter?

Phil

 

[kcharley]

Greg,

I'm using API's freshwater test kit (liquid)??? not sure why it is showing at 8.6 now will this hurt my bacterial colony in the filter?

Phil

Phil,

The API is a good kit. It sounds like you are getting good readings. I'm at a loss as to what tank condition would cause the PH to drop and then rise.

I'm not an expert. From what I have read, a low PH just stalls the cycle and a PH in the 8 range is good for cycling. Since it was cycling 3/4 ppm ammonia in 12 hours, you will probably have your answer with tomorrow morning's readings. Please post them. I'm optimistic they'll be fine.

Greg

 

[OldMan47]

Double post. See your other thread for my answer.

 

[fishman3]

Double post. See your other thread for my answer.

Thanks guys!!!

I re-established the PH Finally at around 7.2 after lots of PH improver (API) and baking soda in the end!!!!!

I was seeing nitrItes on saturday after I did my big water change but on sunday I wasn't seeing any??? I thought that maybe the nitrIte bacteria had grown but after loading with ammonia last night and there being no real change in the ammonia I am guessing that my entire colony has died off!

I did add stress coat to dechlorinate the water after my large water change but on sunday morning i did another water change ~10-15% and I didn't add any more stress coat as i thought that I had added enough during the big change. Will this have killed off all my ammonia bacteria now?

I am still seeing nitrAtes ~ 7ppm but i am guessing that this is the reminance of a once partially cycled tank!!!!!!!!!!

I am really down after this........2 weeks in and now it looks like i have to start all over again!!!!!

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it's usuall for apH crash to set you back a few days but don't panic, it'll sort itself out within a couple of days, it's not back to square 1.

 

[fishman3]

it's usuall for apH crash to set you back a few days but don't panic, it'll sort itself out within a couple of days, it's not back to square 1.

Miss Wiggle bless you for responding so quickly, thanks you have cheered me up a little this morning!!!! (how is Ian's new job? - you mentioned it about a week or so ago i've not been stalking you i promise!!!! haha )

sorry to be all doom and gloom on a monday morning! panicing is about the only thing i am good at........!

i haven't added anymore ammonia today and am hoping to see a reduction by this evening? do you think this is overly optimistic?

Phil

 

[Miss Wiggle]

ha ha

Ian's new job is dire, he's a parking warden which is not a suitable job for a petrol head..... however it is at least a job and another wage coming in.

Good news though, I was offered a job on Friday which I've accepted this morning, it's a v interesting post working in the charity sector which is very appealing to me 'I just like to help people out' nature. Very much looking forward to it, start next monday. Bad point for you guys though, I probably won't be on the forum half as much

 

[fishman3]

ha ha

Ian's new job is dire, he's a parking warden which is not a suitable job for a petrol head..... however it is at least a job and another wage coming in.

Good news though, I was offered a job on Friday which I've accepted this morning, it's a v interesting post working in the charity sector which is very appealing to me 'I just like to help people out' nature. Very much looking forward to it, start next monday. Bad point for you guys though, I probably won't be on the forum half as much

Bad news im afraid!!!!!!!!!

i came home this evening to a cloudy tank, dying plants, no nitrites and no reduction in the level of ammonia i charged on sunday.

Im no expert but am i safe in the assumption that my tank has reset itself and i have suffered a 'die off' in my bacterial colony?

gutted............

 

[Miss Wiggle]

oh i hope not!

just give it a few days more and see what happens. it does quite often take a few days to kick back into life after a pH crash.

what's your pH like now?

 

[fishman3]

oh i hope not!

just give it a few days more and see what happens. it does quite often take a few days to kick back into life after a pH crash.

what's your pH like now?

pH is 7.2 - 7.3 and seems to be holding steady!

i do think i have suffered an unfortunate die off even if the process had slowed i would still see some nitrIte readings wouldn't i?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

so you added 5ppm of ammonia on sunday right? what are your readings now?

 

[fishman3]

so you added 5ppm of ammonia on sunday right? what are your readings now?

I was reading 5ppm ammonia on monday and the rest of my plants had begun to die off, i've cleaned the tank and started all over again!!!!! added 5ppm ammonia on tuesday and the relevant chemicals to dechlorinate etc i'm now on day 3 and my water is begining to look clear.

PH holding steady (for now) at about 7.5
ammonia no sign of reduction yet
0 nitrites
KH is around 7
GH is difficult to determine to be honest as the 1st drop of the solution gives a green tinge to the water so not sure!!! it's seems to be rubbish which may explain my water's ability to crash suddenly and quickly?

Will keep you updated with readings every week so you can check my progress.......

Got to take a positive from the experience though and think that this time i will be better prepared and will pay more attention to the PH levels (daily testing now!!!) so as to be able to react earlier and save my hard work quicker. Could sit around and mope about it but got to try and think positive! hopefully my tank will cycle in 3-4 weeks and i'll finally be able to put fish into it 6 weeks after buying it hahahahaha ;oP

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yeah sadly it does look like you've had a serious die off poor bacteria!

but yes, lesson learnt, watch your pH this time round!