Ph High

[DaveyG]

Hi all

I have a 200L Fluval which I have just started to cycle (fishless). I tested the PH out of my tap and it was around 7.5 but I did a PH test on my tank yesterday and it was about 8.5 or 9 (test kit doesn't go higher), and I did another one just now and its the same. I must admit I'm not sure about the test kit although it is a nutrafin mini master kit. I had done PH tests before (as I have another smaller tank with fish in it) using another test kit and these always returned the PH in the tank as about 7.5 as well.

So if my PH is actually that high then what are the implications? Should I attempt to lower it? Will it change once the tank is cycled?

I'm just not sure what to do!

Help and advice greatly appreciated!

 

[waterdrop]

We've had a couple of other cases like this in recent months it seems and I'm not always sure what to advise. Doing some sort of procedure to lower your pH is usually not something you want to get in to, its a huge mess usually, so I'd avoid that thought for now.

First of all I'd go ahead and start the fishless cycle, as its likely your "problem" will actually be a bit of an advantage for your "bacterial growing soup!" If those readings are really showing something that's pH=8.5 then the bacteria will love it, and its a real possibility that's really what the pH is. Go ahead and take your temp up to 84F/29C.

If you want to persue the measurements further, one thing might be to see if your LFS has an *API* pH liquid test that they themselves would be willing to use to give you a one-time numerical result, to compare to your Nutrafin result. You also might consider getting a GH/KH kit just to give you more information about your water, couldn't hurt.

If you're lucky, your fishless cycle parameters will be very good and you can keep discussing what you'll do later with fish during this period of the cycling.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[ellena]

Have you actually started adding ammonia for the fishless cycle? It is alkali and will up your pH. I'm in the middle of a FC and mine has been that high several times and the bacteria thrive on it!

 

[DaveyG]

Have you actually started adding ammonia for the fishless cycle? It is alkali and will up your pH. I'm in the middle of a FC and mine has been that high several times and the bacteria thrive on it!

Yeah I took the ammonia to about 4-5ppm and then did the PH test...once the bacteria munch down on it all and it goes to about 0 do you think the PH will go back down slightly?

I've been trying to read up on it a bit - if the PH is around 8 - 8.5 does it have many implications? I know some fish won't like it. Also I read that some bogwood could lower it slightly?

 

[ellena]

From what I've been told on here and what's happening in my tank, the pH does go down as the ammonia is used up. The products of the bacteria are acidic which also brings the pH down. It's actually slowed my cycle down.
Once the fish are in, it's a whole different thing. You won't be adding ammonia, so the pH should be close to your tap water, OK for most fish.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, this is a good frame of mind. The tank during fishless cycling and the tank afterwards when you have fish are two completely different things. During fishless, you can just focus on creating a great environment for the bacteria. After you get fish, your environment will not be too far off from your tap water parameters usually.

Its not a bad thing to be investigating what kinds of fish prefer which environments, but beginners do seem to have a tendency to worry about pH perhaps more than they need to. Stable pH is more important than absolute pH as we often say.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[chong]

Check the stuffing material of the filter. Corallite? Something like that would raises the PH.
Attempt to lower the PH would be a hard work, and cause the undulation of the PH. That would be bad for your fishes.

Sorry about my poor English.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, good suggestion chong! It *is* a good idea to review the materials being used as filter media. Can't remember if we did that in any of your theads Dave --- let us know.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[chong]

Ahaa~!!
In fact, the PH of a new tank becoming higher is very normal. Lower than 8.5 would be no problem.
Everything would be right after you tank run consummately.