Ph

[FlyingFish]

Hi all,


Just done a water readings check.

The NO3 reading was unusually high - about 100mg/l - used to be around 50mg/l
The NO2 is fine - 0
GH is >10*d - what ever that means but that usual
KD is >10*d - not sure on that too
and the worrying one - PH is about 6.6!

In the past, PH has been around 7/7.2. The fish are all ok, no change in behavior - I did do a 15% change yesterday as the readings were about the same but this hasn't made any difference.

Should I worry??

The only thing that has changed is I have started feading them a block of frozen blood worm - could this be why?

I have 6 black widows, and 4 dwarf gouramis - Please spare me the old 'that tanks not big enough' replies.

Many thanks

FF

 

[voo]

Have you checked your tap water ? (After adding the dechlorinator)?
Also, have you added any wood to your tank recently?

 

[FlyingFish]

Edit: Just done it.

PH 7.8
KH 3*d
GH >6*d
NO2 0
NO3 0(1??!!)


No wood recently, or at all.

Is it majorly worrying? - should I panic or just continue as I am?


FF

 

[xJake]

In what order are you testing? The chemicals used in liquid test kits for ammonia will raise the pH of the water and any residue left over in the test tube will affect your pH reading. Also, nitrite testing uses an acid which will lower the pH of your test if any residue is left.

 

[FlyingFish]

I use tetratest strips

FF

 

[BigIan]

did you do a water change or anything inbetween tests....???

i can under stand the nitrates being high and the ph low as the nitrates are an acid and will lower the ph, but for them to change so quickly is strange...

its could just have been a duff test it happens some times.

 

[WILDER]

A high nitrate reading can alter ph.
Plus them strip test kits are not very accurate, i would invest in some liquid test kits.

 

[FlyingFish]

This was the order:

Water change..

1 week

Water test..

1 Hour

Water change..

2 days

Water test..

Should I just keep doing daily/by-daily water changes?

FF

 

[WILDER]

Never do large water changes always best to do smaller ones as large water changes can alter stats to quick causing stress and shock to the fish as you are altering there enviroment to fast.

 

[campbellmay]

It might just be the strips...they can be way off. I learned my lesson when I finally bought a liquid test kit...the strips had been indicating a pH of 6.8 for weeks, but when I used a liquid kit it tested at 7.5! That's a huge error margin, and not really worth the money you save on strips. I would test with liquid, and if the number is still off, then start to worry.