Ph Extremely Low In Fish Tank

[Zac5556]

Wow so I tested my tap waters ph level and it is about 8.0

When I test my aquarium fish tank it is around 6.0

What could be causing the fish tank ph to be so low?

 

[thereverendturtle]

Do you have wood in the tank?

 

[Zac5556]

I don't, should I add some? What kind of wood?

 

[Finny Business]

Wood drops the pH of water so I wouldn't add any to your tank if you're aiming for a higher pH.

If you have a hardness test (KH and GH) you will be able to test the hardness/softness of your water. Particularly soft water has a low buffering capacity and is prone to causing swings in pH (which is what we have here).

Using crushed coral in your filter is probably the best and easiest method of stabilising your pH. I use it in all my cycled tanks and have never had any issues.

 

[thereverendturtle]

No need to add it unless you want. It naturally lowers pH, that's why I asked. Most people have the opposite problem, low from the tap, high in the tank. This is interesting. What size tank and what fish and how many are in there? Do you have live plants? Are you adding CO2?
Sorry for all the questions, these are just things that can affect water chemistry.

 

[Zac5556]

No need to add it unless you want. It naturally lowers pH, that's why I asked. Most people have the opposite problem, low from the tap, high in the tank. This is interesting. What size tank and what fish and how many are in there? Do you have live plants? Are you adding CO2?
Sorry for all the questions, these are just things that can affect water chemistry.

It's a 29 gallon tank

i'm actually just cycling the tank, fishless. I started on 12-30-12

i have a live plant that had added before i started the tank but it is getting the clear color like it is dying. Would the almost dead plant be dropping the ph?

i just added wood lol, i will take it out. ammonia is at 4 ppm, nitrites are spiking and nitrates are at about 10

 

[Zac5556]

i'm just concerned the low ph is stalling my cycle

 

[thereverendturtle]

Yeah the lower the pH the longer it will take to cycle. I would leave the wood, pull off any dead parts of the plant and add some crushed coral to the filter. Doesn't need to be much, 1/2 cup should be enough. That will buffer the water and help keep your pH up.

 

[Zac5556]

thank you so much!

 

[thereverendturtle]

You're welcome. Good luck.

 

[the_lock_man]

No need to add it unless you want. It naturally lowers pH, that's why I asked. Most people have the opposite problem, low from the tap, high in the tank. This is interesting. What size tank and what fish and how many are in there? Do you have live plants? Are you adding CO2?
Sorry for all the questions, these are just things that can affect water chemistry.

It's a 29 gallon tank

i'm actually just cycling the tank, fishless. I started on 12-30-12

i have a live plant that had added before i started the tank but it is getting the clear color like it is dying. Would the almost dead plant be dropping the ph?

i just added wood lol, i will take it out. ammonia is at 4 ppm, nitrites are spiking and nitrates are at about 10

If your water is not very hard, it could be a build-up of nitric acid that's causing the pH to crash, and that will almost certainly stall the cycle.

Either change the water, or add sodium bicarbonate bit by bit until the pH is up to 8.0. (Nothing wrong with the crushed coral idea, but sodium bicarbonate is easier to get hold of).

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Either change the water, or add sodium bicarbonate bit by bit until the pH is up to 8.0. (Nothing wrong with the crushed coral idea, but sodium bicarbonate is easier to get hold of).

Ideally you would use both techniques. The bicarb gets you to the pH you want and the coral keeps it at that pH. Thus avoiding the hassle of continued bicarb dosing.

 

[Aqua Tom]

Either change the water, or add sodium bicarbonate bit by bit until the pH is up to 8.0. (Nothing wrong with the crushed coral idea, but sodium bicarbonate is easier to get hold of).

Ideally you would use both techniques. The bicarb gets you to the pH you want and the coral keeps it at that pH. Thus avoiding the hassle of continued bicarb dosing.

Bicarb of Soda has a Ph value of 8 to 8.5 depending on the manufaturer & addatives. So you can add quite a bit but it wont raise your Ph above 8.5. I always use one teaspoon per 90 litres.


Tom