Very Low Ph

[Amunet]

We jut got ahold of a pH tester this weekend and I just tested our main tank and the pH is pretty darn low.
We just added a Nutrafin CO2 bubbler thing to it and I was just wondering if I should just leave the tank as is, or should I start adding in something to try to get the pH up?

The fish don't look like they're stressed any.. actually they look very happy, but just wondering since we have the CO2 thing in there, would we need to add something to try to up the pH?
I tested my 10 gallon that's also planted but doesn't have a CO2 thing.. and the pH is low in that as well.. higher than 6.0 but lower than 6.4.
And I tested out tap and the pH is 7.5.

Sooo... what should I do? Just leave it alone? Add something to bring pH up?

 

[cuprajake]

is your co2 up to 30ppm yet or over? if over it mya drop the ph by 0.1-0.2

my ph is always around 6.4 and the fish and plants are fine. infact they grow like mad.

have you tested the kh? as you can use chucks calculator to decide you parts per million of co2 if you dont have a test kit for the kh then you can take some tank water out and put it into a cup, then at the same time the next day test the tank ph and then the cup, if it goes up by 1.0 ph then your at 30ppm. this is the 24 hr drop test

this is chucks calc page

http/www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm

jake

 

[Amunet]

No kH test yet... asked bf to stop by the store to get one (hopefully they'll have some tests in).
If not then I'll try the cup method

 

[Amunet]

Alrighty.. I just did a KH test and according to it... since I had to add 3 drops before the water turned yellow... that means KH ppm = about 53.7... that seems pretty high

 

[rdd1952]

If your pH is dropping that much from the tap pH, then your KH is low (and I see that you say it is 3 degrees which is very soft). Here is a site thatexplains the range. Don't try to adjust the pH. You will cause more problems than you solve. My 29 gallon tank with tetras and shrimp is about 6.2 and has been for most of the last 2 years. Most fish will do fine in slightly acidic water and can adjust to most any constant, stable pH.

With the Nutrafin system, your tank pH may vary depending on when you test it. In the morning after the lights have been off all night andplant growth has slowed, the pH may be lower as there would be more CO2 in the water. Later in the day, when the lights have been on, it could be slightly higher as there would be less CO2. Also, it will depend on how long it's been since you last chagned the mixture in the system. The longer it's been, the less bubbles you'll be gettiing so the less CO2 in the water. Having said all that, the difference will probably be small as those systems don't put out a lot of bubbles anyway.

Just a side note, I see your 28 gallon has guppies, danios and a betta. Those aren't the most compatible. The danios may nip at the tail of the guppies and the betta (I know it's female).

 

[aquaticadmirer]

I would recommend steering clear of pH buffers if you can help it. I'm still having some problems with algae and diatoms in my tank due to extra phosphates from a phosphate buffer I used about 3 months ago. Test your tap water and see if it has suitable parameters for fish. If it does, I would just do more frequent water changes to gradually get the pH up. Just remember that when it comes to pH, the actual value isn't as important as its stability. Fish usually can tolerate a pH between 6 and 8, as long as it's steady.

 

[Amunet]

Thanks for the info... I'll do a water change tomorrow and do some tests again to see how everything is and will definitely not add any sort of ph booster.
The nutrafin system has only been set up since saturday... but from what I've read here, the packets they give you aren't very good. So later on we'll probably try the yeast method that's in that pinned topic in the plant section.

As for the fish in the tank. The danios don't nip. The only aggression they've ever shown was just chasing (the other danios mainly). We've never had a problem with nipping from them. The only nipper we ever had was a little tiger barb that I placed into the tank overnight b/c it was being bullied to much in the Q/H tank. But it nipped some guppy tails so I took it out.
Trust me, I wouldn't keep nippers in with fish that couldn't get away from them heh.

 

[rdd1952]

I just use yeast and baking soda in the Nutrafin kit I have. I put double the yeast (1/4 tsp) and get a lot of bubbles but it only lasts a few days.