Ph Issue

[Smart_Blue]

Hi Everyone,

I have had my tank up and running now with fish for 2 weeks (after a lonnnnng 6 weeks cycle) everything seems to be going fine, fish are happy, I took a water sample yesterday and my PH reading was 8.4

It started off as 7.6, what can the rise be due too? and can it be harmful to my fish?

would a big water change help?


Cheers

 

[CezzaXV]

Ammonia will cause pH to rise, as well as a number of other things. Have you tested for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate also? A water change would make a different, but do several small ones over a period of time. A massive, sudden pH will stress and maybe kill your fish.

 

[the_lock_man]

Ammonia will cause pH to rise, as well as a number of other things. Have you tested for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate also? A water change would make a different, but do several small ones over a period of time. A massive, sudden pH will stress and maybe kill your fish.

Funny, I thought ammonia caused pH to fall, hence the need to watch out for low pHs during a fishless cycle (I thought it converted itself into nitric acid).

Do you have something like crushed coral as a substrate? Do you have any calciferous rocks in there?

 

[Overload]

Ammonia will cause pH to rise, as well as a number of other things. Have you tested for ammonia/nitrite/nitrate also? A water change would make a different, but do several small ones over a period of time. A massive, sudden pH will stress and maybe kill your fish.

Funny, I thought ammonia caused pH to fall, hence the need to watch out for low pHs during a fishless cycle (I thought it converted itself into nitric acid).

Do you have something like crushed coral as a substrate? Do you have any calciferous rocks in there?

I thought it was the Nitrate that tended to form Nitric Acid to lower ph?

 

[CezzaXV]

I can't remember where I read it to now, but I'm fishless cycling my tank at the moment, and I always get a massive pH rise whenever I redose with ammonia.

 

[KittyKat]

It is the nitrification process which causes the pH to drop because H+ ions are released.

I have had my tank up and running now with fish for 2 weeks (after a lonnnnng 6 weeks cycle) everything seems to be going fine, fish are happy, I took a water sample yesterday and my PH reading was 8.4

It started off as 7.6, what can the rise be due too? and can it be harmful to my fish?

Usually due to décor, list yours. All of it. It is probably *not* harmful to the fish, but if you keep softwater fish, they *may* be more likely to develop bacterial and fungal infections.

would a big water change help?

No: changes in KH and GH (water hardness, those two are responsible for your pH) will harm the fish and can kill fish. If you want to correct the pH, do smaller water changes on a more regular basis. Given the difference between original and current pH, I would not recommend that you change any more than 10% of the water at a time as a maximum.

What is your tap water pH after it has stood in a glass for 24 hours? 7.2? Or is 7.2 straight out of the tap?

I can't remember where I read it to now, but I'm fishless cycling my tank at the moment, and I always get a massive pH rise whenever I redose with ammonia.

This may be the result of evaporation. Are you testing pH right before and right after the dosing or at 24 hour periods? What is happening to your water hardness in the process?

 

[CezzaXV]

Yup, testing before and after dosing. I got my first 0 for ammonia two mornings ago, and again last night, resided both times (I didn't know at the time to only redose 24 hours, but it's all sorted now). first testing is usually 7.6-7.8 pH. After dosing, I leave the water 5 mins and test again, and th pH seems to go off the scale of even the high pH range test, a pinky purple kind of colour. my tapestry after standing for 24 hours has a pH of 6.4.

I've been redosing to ~4pmm ammonia, but I've been advised to reduce it to 1-2ppm per dose until I get my nitrite spike so I'll be halving the dosage next time.

I meant redosed, not resided. Bloody autocorrect lol.

Also, I'm using the api kit so I don't have a hardness test, but I'm told Devon water is very soft.

I also meant tap water not tapestry. My iPhone won't allow me to edit posts, just add to them

 

[KittyKat]

Yup, testing before and after dosing. I got my first 0 for ammonia two mornings ago, and again last night, redosed both times (I didn't know at the time to only redose 24 hours, but it's all sorted now). first testing is usually 7.6-7.8 pH. After dosing, I leave the water 5 mins and test again, and th pH seems to go off the scale of even the high pH range test, a pinky purple kind of colour. my tap water after standing for 24 hours has a pH of 6.4

I'd put it down to something in your decor then… list it? How do you clean your test tubes?

 

[CezzaXV]

Not got any decor right mow, just sand and gravel at the bottom.

I clean my test tubes my washing them out a few times with tap water, then giving them a shake to get the last few drops out. Do you think I should be drying them out properly before testing?

 

[KittyKat]

Not got any decor right mow, just sand and gravel at the bottom.

What exactly is the sand and gravel?

I clean my test tubes my washing them out a few times with tap water, then giving them a shake to get the last few drops out. Do you think I should be drying them out properly before testing?

That should be fine, especially if the water is soft. I like to soak mine for a few hours every few tests, to make sure that nothing dries onto the sides.

 

[Smart_Blue]

wow thats a lot to get through....

I will do a 10% water change each day untill my PH comes back to near its original level - my PH is 7.2-7.4 straight from the tap.

when I have done a water change I have mixed water with hot water from the hot tap. its from a combi boiler so its not stored in a copper tank or anything, but maybe this is effecting the PH? i will test my Hot water tonight from the tap.

 

[CezzaXV]

Both were bought from my LFS. I don't have the bags they came in any more, but they had several different types saying if they were suitable for tropical or marine tanks. The label said it wouldn't alter pH (not that you believe everything a LFS tells you).

I've not done a water change since I started cycling. Would that be an issue?

 

[the_lock_man]

It is the nitrification process which causes the pH to drop because H+ ions are released.

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[KittyKat]

I will do a 10% water change each day untill my PH comes back to near its original level - my PH is 7.2-7.4 straight from the tap.

Straight from the tap reading is often lower than the pH really is. The only way to get an accurate tap water pH reading is to stand the water for 24 hours before doing the test to let the water degas. It could very well be that your current pH actually matches the tap water pH.

Both were bought from my LFS. I don't have the bags they came in any more, but they had several different types saying if they were suitable for tropical or marine tanks. The label said it wouldn't alter pH (not that you believe everything a LFS tells you).

I suspect that your sand or gravel is coral sand or crushed coral, which definitely would increase your pH. Can you get a photo of the substrate?

I've not done a water change since I started cycling. Would that be an issue?

No, it isn't an issue for you: normally no water changes would increase chances of a pH crash because nitrification produces H[sup]+[/sup] ions which leads to dropping KH (carbonate hardness, aka buffer which keeps pH stable) and once KH is very low, the pH crashes.

 

[CezzaXV]

Here are some pics of my substrate with the light off and light on. I intend to buy another bag of the sand soon, as I plan on keeping cories and I want to up my sand/gravel ratio.

I've just redosed ammonia - there's definitely a big rise in pH after I redose.