Ph Dropping.

[without_reason]

I'm currently cycling a tank for about a month, and the ammonia and nitrite are both starting to drop every 24hrs or so, but I find the pH drops from around 7.2 to 6 every 4 or 5 days.

Is there anything I can do about this apart from water changes?

Thanks

 

[drobbyb]

I'm currently cycling a tank for about a month, and the ammonia and nitrite are both starting to drop every 24hrs or so, but I find the pH drops from around 7.2 to 6 every 4 or 5 days.

Is there anything I can do about this apart from water changes?

Thanks

Recently waterdrop and I have posted an article that you may find deals with your situation. The link is in my signature.

 

[OldMan47]

The pH will drop when you start getting a build of nitrates. A form that nitrates take is called nitric acid which will of course drop the pH. If it is taking several days to happen, the usual approach is to do water changes to replenish the buffering ability, KH, of the water. The water change removes some of the nitrates and brings in new buffering with the tap water.

 

[without_reason]

I'm currently cycling a tank for about a month, and the ammonia and nitrite are both starting to drop every 24hrs or so, but I find the pH drops from around 7.2 to 6 every 4 or 5 days.

Is there anything I can do about this apart from water changes?

Thanks

Recently waterdrop and I have posted an article that you may find deals with your situation. The link is in my signature.

Thanks, just read the article, and it was useful.

Can I ask how much baking soda to add? The tank is 60 litres, and fishless cycling.

 

[drobbyb]

Here's a link for dosing, but it requires a KH test kit. I'm not 100% on how to calculate the dose for the volume of water though.

 

[without_reason]

Here's a link for dosing, but it requires a KH test kit. I'm not 100% on how to calculate the dose for the volume of water though.

Thanks I dont have a Kh test kit, but was planning to add soda tomorrow (as the pH has gone to 6 again! After 2 days!) shall I order a kH test kit tomorrow? and then wait for it to come then add the soda.. Or is it okay to add a small amount for the time being whilst waiting test kit to arrive?

 

[without_reason]

Hi - Just about to order one, there are just Kh test kits, and then there are Kh and GH tests. Do I just need the KH ones?

Sorry for all the quesstions- I know the cycling is getting towards the end, and 100% water changes every two days is getting really annoying..

Thanks again

 

[drobbyb]

It's good to have both in your test kit, but for dosing baking soda, the KH test is needed.

Since it's a fishless cycle, we do not need to worry about changing the KH too rapidly. You could start with adding half a teaspoon of baking soda (dissolve it in a glass filled wih tank water, then pour into the tank slowly mixing well,) and test for a rise in pH. For fishless cycling, a high pH is optimal. Just keep adding the half a teaspoon until you get the desired pH.

 

[ZebraDanioFan]

Before you add baking soda in small doses into your tank, I recommend that you test the effects the baking soda has on your tap water so you can better predict what it will do inside your tank waters. You might run into trouble directly trying to alter your tank water while you still have fish in there. Also, I am no expert but if you were to buffer the water and your tap water was measuring in above the 7.0 pH range, I think the buffer may in fact keep your pH higher than this 7.0 range(what your tap water tests in at). Your cycle is also not complete yet so you dont truly know what the pattern of your pH fluctuations will be until you complete this? Maybe you should try to get an air stone and have oxygen running into your tank. I guess I am questioning the effects of the baking soda and how to go about adding it into your tank more than giving you advice.

 

[drobbyb]

Before you add baking soda in small doses into your tank, I recommend that you test the effects the baking soda has on your tap water so you can better predict what it will do inside your tank waters. You might run into trouble directly trying to alter your tank water while you still have fish in there. Also, I am no expert but if you were to buffer the water and your tap water was measuring in above the 7.0 pH range, I think the buffer may in fact keep your pH higher than this 7.0 range(what your tap water tests in at). Your cycle is also not complete yet so you dont truly know what the pattern of your pH fluctuations will be until you complete this? Maybe you should try to get an air stone and have oxygen running into your tank. I guess I am questioning the effects of the baking soda and how to go about adding it into your tank more than giving you advice.

That's why we only recommend dosing baking soda during a FISHLESS cycle. There are no fish in the tank.

It's true however that you really can't judge how your pH is going to act when you aren't cycling.

It will in fact keep his pH above the OP's normal pH, but you perform a 90% waterchange before you add the fish. This gets rid of most of the excess compounds that have accumulated during your fishless cycle and returns the water to close enough to the norm.