WILL HIGH PH/AMMONIA CONTENT KILL?

[happyadd]

Hey, I'm just cycling my tank, my ammonia content is around 4.0 and my ph is high 8.5...my tap water is slightly hard but around 7.5

All my plants except the amazon sword have died and have been removed. Is the pH the reason for this and any ideas why the pH has risen so dramatically...is the ammonia contributing to it?

 

[Fishingdood]

what is your tank load?? and have you tested other chemicals in the water???

 

[Silly me]

lights? what lights do you have over your tank..

Also there is something in the tank that is causing the PH to raise.. it not that bad for the plant but could cause some problems in the future when you add fish

I have cycled many tank with plant in in and most did just fine.

 

[Lateral Line]

If your tapwater is 7.5 and it is rising to 8.5 in the tank, then you should investigate that and find out what is doing it. 8.5 is really a bit to alkaline for many trops, (although many will adapt to it, they tend to live much shorter lives). Many plants are also soft water inhabitants.

As to the plants, you can most certainly cycle with plants in the tank, I advocate doing so, it helps the process, and gives the plants a chance to get established before the fish descend on them.

What kind of plants were they, and what lighting do you have? Most newbie plant problems are caused by too low lighting, or inappropriate plant species.

 

[The Mohave Kid]

Ammonia NH3 added to water should cause the pH to rise ... thats expected ... ammonia reacts with water and creates hydroxide OH- . Ammonium NH4 is used by plants as a nutrient but can be toxic to plants at a high level ( at least in land plants and I would think water species as well but the levels may be different )... although I do not have the numbers handy.

NH3 + H2O <==> NH4 + OH-

Why don't you add some ammonia to your tap water and check the pH ???

The plant problems could be unrelated to the pH or Ammonia.

Good Day ...