does pH change with high ammonia or nitrites?

C

crissy7399

Large Fish
#1
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#1
For some reason my pH is down to 7.4-7.8 from 8 where it was. I've been testing exactly the same way (test tubes), and I haven't done anything different. My tank is practically done cycling so that's the only change. My tap water shows 7.8 pH, the same it did a month ago (water co says it's 7.76).

Will it go down when the nitrites get to zero? Which is the only coinciding event that has happened. I really don't think that's true, but can't think of any other reason.

oh. I did change how the air pumps were running, from all the time, to just on at night. maybe that change the releasing of CO2 and helped our pH to go down.

I DON"T KNOW!!! weird!

Thanks everyone. I'm really not upset, I'm actually really happy, cause the fish I want are 7.0 pH fish. But I also want it to stay down and not go back up!

Thanks everyone!
 

E

Etheostoma

Large Fish
#3
Aug 28, 2005
300
0
0
Missouri, USA
#3
Perfectly normal response of chemistry to biology.

As for 7.0 fish, you're in for a whirlwind of wrestling with maintaining pH that low if it's naturally that high. I'd consider maybe optaining RO water for replacement volume and proper treatment during water changes that involve the juice from the tap.
 

C

crissy7399

Large Fish
#6
Mar 9, 2006
158
0
0
OOOOOOOOOklahoma- not from here though.
#6
yahoofishkeeper,

I'm just concerned for my elephant nose...debated over him for ever, but I decided I would go ahead and get him and see how he does, so I'm hoping he'll be okay with it. The other ones we want is maybe a blue ram or pair, and a school of xray tetras. Then we have 3 platties (ya, I know they are kinda the odd guys out of the bunch) and 3 otos.

I'm thinking that I worrying much over nothing. I'll just continue to check my parameters to make sure things are stable.

How often do you guys check your water (and what do you check) after the tank has been cycled? I've been checking every day up until it finished cycling this week. Maybe starting next month do it once a week? or once a month?

Thanks!
 

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