Ph Rise?!

[shaund]

Hi! I've been running my tank for over a month now, I did a ph test wen I first cycled it and it was all fine, 7.0, I do frequent water changes and tests and recently its risen up to 7.5 - 8.0, I've been adding ph down and re-testing and its been bringin it bk down, but the next day I test again and its risen bk to 7.5? In the tank I have a piece of bogwood and 4 live plants, with pea gravel no shells or anything like tht, I was told the bogwood and plants would bring the ph down? Any ideas? Thanks shaun

 

[erk628]

Test the ph in you tap water the water company could be adding something they weren't a month ago. I wouldn't be adding chemicals to bring it down like that. A stable ph is much better then one that bounces around like that even if it is a little high most fish will adapt to that and be fine. Adding chemicals and having the ph be one thing one day and something the next like you have been can easily kill a fish.

 

[shaund]

Ahhh ryt thanks for the reply , I tested my tap water when I first filled the tank for cycling and it was ok thn, I've never tested it lately tho! Thanks shaun

 

[Truck]

stop using the PH down, It's doing more harm than good. The reason your PH was low whilst cycling is because nitric acid is formed during the process, once it has finished it rises back up. 7.5-8 is fine for most fish.

 

[shaund]

Ok I'll stop using it, thanks for the advise

 

[shaund]

Also another thing, I didn't want to make another topic juist for one question, how long should I keep the light on a day? I put mine on as soon as I get up for work early morning thn turn it off wen I go to bed, over 12 hours a day! I think this is wrong??

 

[Truck]

8 hours maximum, use a timer if you want.

 

[erk628]

Also another thing, I didn't want to make another topic juist for one question, how long should I keep the light on a day? I put mine on as soon as I get up for work early morning thn turn it off wen I go to bed, over 12 hours a day! I think this is wrong??

It really depends on your set up! Like do you have live plants do you have algae problems etc. I turn mine on around 9am and turn then off around midnight so mine are on for 15 hours a day on average and I don't have any problems.

 

[rebrn]

Agree it really depends on your set up. My husband and I work nights, so ours usually go on around noon and then turn off before we go to bed usually around 3 am (unless I am working and my husband forgets to turn them off I work untill 7am) so usually around 15 hours. Now in 2 of my tanks I have an algae problem so I have put them on a timer to run for 6 hours untill the snails, and me, get the algae under control. And yes I know what you all are thinking ... I am messing with my fishes natutal time cycle, but they have all adapted well to this, and I am sorry, I work nights (3-12 hour shifts a week) and my husband works 5 8 hour shifts a week (usually home at around 11pm), so it just seems silly to adjust our schedule for 2 days that we are not working, and I have the fish to enjoy, if I were to leave the lights on to keep "normal" day light hours, I would be asleep the entire time the lights were on and awake to watch the fish in the dark. So let the rants fly ... but I am keeping it as it is.

 

[shaund]

Yeah I've got live plants in the tank and no I haven't got a algea problem yet! Lol although there is a bit of green starting to show up on my bogwood, no cause for concern at the minute tho, I've bought a timer so I'll use that to control my light, thanks for the advise everyone !

 

[erk628]

Agree it really depends on your set up. My husband and I work nights, so ours usually go on around noon and then turn off before we go to bed usually around 3 am (unless I am working and my husband forgets to turn them off I work untill 7am) so usually around 15 hours. Now in 2 of my tanks I have an algae problem so I have put them on a timer to run for 6 hours untill the snails, and me, get the algae under control. And yes I know what you all are thinking ... I am messing with my fishes natutal time cycle, but they have all adapted well to this, and I am sorry, I work nights (3-12 hour shifts a week) and my husband works 5 8 hour shifts a week (usually home at around 11pm), so it just seems silly to adjust our schedule for 2 days that we are not working, and I have the fish to enjoy, if I were to leave the lights on to keep "normal" day light hours, I would be asleep the entire time the lights were on and awake to watch the fish in the dark. So let the rants fly ... but I am keeping it as it is.

Not to sound mean or nothing but I thought you were a guy i would have guessed around 15 or 16. Well looks like I was wrong . So seeing how I guessed u wrong and my name probally gives my gender away might not sure what gender and age would you say I am and no cheating and looking at my profile . Now back on the topic I think what your doing with your lighting is fine in my opinion the fish will adapt to your scheuale as long as your not constently changing it. I also agree with what your gonna do about your smaller tanks. Come to think of it seeing how you had all your tanks on the same lighting scheduale I'm think the volume of water may be the cause of it. We both had problems with our smaller tanks mine being 30 longs but not with the bigger tanks mine being a 55 and 75. Now I have a 55, 75, 150, and a 30 long and have no algea issue. However my 150 and 30 long have not been set up very long so well see what happens to those.