Lowering PH safely?
- Thread starter Grymatta
- Start date
What kind of fish do you have? 6.2 is low but okay for most fish like tetras. If it drops any lower than that, I would start to see what we can do. As of now, don't do anything to the water. Especially do not add those chemical pH UP drops. If we need to, there are other methods for raising your pH/kH/gH.
Test your Tapwater straight out of the tap and let us know the results. Also, let a cup of tap water sit out overnight and test the pH in the morning.
Do you have anything in the tank (like gravel, rocks) that could be affecting your water? Do you know your kH or gH levels?
Let's work on getting those answers and finding out what's happening before you try doing anything.
Test your Tapwater straight out of the tap and let us know the results. Also, let a cup of tap water sit out overnight and test the pH in the morning.
Do you have anything in the tank (like gravel, rocks) that could be affecting your water? Do you know your kH or gH levels?
Let's work on getting those answers and finding out what's happening before you try doing anything.
Leopardess,
Thanks for the info.
I listed the current pH is either 6.2 or lower cause the test results were off the chart..and 6.2 was the most acidic on the reference chart...
so..it could be lower than 6.2, I'm not sure.
I tested my tapwater after I let it sit overnight and after I used a dechorlinator and it read : 6.8 pH
I currently have 2 Dwarf Gouramis and 2 Amano Shrimps in the tank.
I have black gravel which is supposed to be aquarium safe..I took this gravel from a previous fish tank but washed it throughly before reusing it. I have a shipwreck ornament in the water too.
I do not know my kH or gH levels..what are they? Maybe I can get those kits afterwork tomorrow..
Thanks!
Thanks for the info.
I listed the current pH is either 6.2 or lower cause the test results were off the chart..and 6.2 was the most acidic on the reference chart...
so..it could be lower than 6.2, I'm not sure.
I tested my tapwater after I let it sit overnight and after I used a dechorlinator and it read : 6.8 pH
I currently have 2 Dwarf Gouramis and 2 Amano Shrimps in the tank.
I have black gravel which is supposed to be aquarium safe..I took this gravel from a previous fish tank but washed it throughly before reusing it. I have a shipwreck ornament in the water too.
I do not know my kH or gH levels..what are they? Maybe I can get those kits afterwork tomorrow..
Thanks!
So, your tap water after sitting for a night is 6.8....but lower than 6.2 in the tank. It seems as though your test kit is in working order because of the "more normal" reading of your tap water. Have you ever had pH problems before?
What is the pH straight out of the tap without letting it sit?
I trust the ornament in the tank is aquarium safe. Is your gravel something you bought at a fish store?
It seems as though something in your tank may be lowering the pH or you may have really soft water which is causing the pH to drop over time.
gH/kH measures the "hardness" of your water. I would be interested to know the values. If you want to save a few bucks, you can swing by the fish store with a sample of your water and ask them to test the kH and gH.
I may do a smallish water change (20%) to bring the pH back up since "new" water seems to be higher in pH. Then test it and see if the pH is on the chart. Maybe tomorrow or tomorrow night do another water change to bring the pH up again. Just make sure any changes are gradual (not too many water changes).
Out of curiousity, what size tank is this?
Here are some resources about kH/gH. I can't say it any better myself (and chemistry honestly isn't my strong suit):
http://www.aquariumpharm.com/articles/gh-kh.asp
http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html
http://aquaticconcepts.thekrib.com/Articles/Water_Chemistry.htm
What is the pH straight out of the tap without letting it sit?
I trust the ornament in the tank is aquarium safe. Is your gravel something you bought at a fish store?
It seems as though something in your tank may be lowering the pH or you may have really soft water which is causing the pH to drop over time.
gH/kH measures the "hardness" of your water. I would be interested to know the values. If you want to save a few bucks, you can swing by the fish store with a sample of your water and ask them to test the kH and gH.
I may do a smallish water change (20%) to bring the pH back up since "new" water seems to be higher in pH. Then test it and see if the pH is on the chart. Maybe tomorrow or tomorrow night do another water change to bring the pH up again. Just make sure any changes are gradual (not too many water changes).
Out of curiousity, what size tank is this?
Here are some resources about kH/gH. I can't say it any better myself (and chemistry honestly isn't my strong suit):
http://www.aquariumpharm.com/articles/gh-kh.asp
http://www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html
http://aquaticconcepts.thekrib.com/Articles/Water_Chemistry.htm
Leopardess,
This is the first time I've tested for pH..maybe I'm reading the chart wrong? It seems pretty easy..
I did a water change (25%) last night and the reading today was still lower than 6.2. I'm kinda baffled that it would drop so quickly after I added 6.8 pH tap water to it...
Yeah I made sure the ornament read non-toxic..and the gravel should be fine..both are from fish stores.
Maybe I'm overfeeding? There are amounts of amonia in my tank...or maybe its still cycling?
This is a small 3 gallon Eclipse tank...the one with the bio filter wheel..
This is the first time I've tested for pH..maybe I'm reading the chart wrong? It seems pretty easy..
I did a water change (25%) last night and the reading today was still lower than 6.2. I'm kinda baffled that it would drop so quickly after I added 6.8 pH tap water to it...
Yeah I made sure the ornament read non-toxic..and the gravel should be fine..both are from fish stores.
Maybe I'm overfeeding? There are amounts of amonia in my tank...or maybe its still cycling?
This is a small 3 gallon Eclipse tank...the one with the bio filter wheel..
In a three gallon I would not do anything at all to adjust the PH. That is a very small amount of water and its easy to really throw the PH out of whack tring to 'fix' it.
Decaying food can lower the pH after a mater of time. Also decaying organtics.
Ammonia is bad. How long has this tank been setup? Cycling will not affect the readings of pH, gh and kh.
Decaying food can lower the pH after a mater of time. Also decaying organtics.
Ammonia is bad. How long has this tank been setup? Cycling will not affect the readings of pH, gh and kh.
thanks Orion,
The tank has been setup for about 3 weeks..I had the fish in there for about 1.5 weeks. I used Biospira before I put the fish in but messed it up cause I waited 48 hours after I dropped the Biospira in before releasing the fish. So I think the biospira bacteria might have died off..
thinking of getting another biospira pouch today to jumpstart the biofilter..
The tank has been setup for about 3 weeks..I had the fish in there for about 1.5 weeks. I used Biospira before I put the fish in but messed it up cause I waited 48 hours after I dropped the Biospira in before releasing the fish. So I think the biospira bacteria might have died off..
thinking of getting another biospira pouch today to jumpstart the biofilter..
ugh help!!
Ok help! Its been a week and my water is extremely acidic..below 6.0 pH.
I dont know whats going on..I've done 2 water changes and even changed the carbon filter cartridge.
I'm thinking about buying one of those pH Up solutions to raise my pH to a safe level. the guy at the petstore also suggested baking soda to raise it. Has anyone had success with this?
I've attached a photo of the test results...in case anyone is wondering if I interpretated it wrong..
Ok help! Its been a week and my water is extremely acidic..below 6.0 pH.
I dont know whats going on..I've done 2 water changes and even changed the carbon filter cartridge.
I'm thinking about buying one of those pH Up solutions to raise my pH to a safe level. the guy at the petstore also suggested baking soda to raise it. Has anyone had success with this?
I've attached a photo of the test results...in case anyone is wondering if I interpretated it wrong..
Attachments
Changing the carbon in your filter is not going to do anything to the pH of your tank. You can raise it by adding baking soda like the LFS said.
The ph UP you can buy at the store will only raise the pH of the water for mabey 24-48 hours. Mabey longer depending on how much buffer the water already has. But after adding the phUP, when the pH lowers again, its most likley going to lower hard and quick. Not really something that you want to happen.
The ph UP you can buy at the store will only raise the pH of the water for mabey 24-48 hours. Mabey longer depending on how much buffer the water already has. But after adding the phUP, when the pH lowers again, its most likley going to lower hard and quick. Not really something that you want to happen.
Well, Im not to swift on chemestry. I don't know exactly what the pH UP product does, or how it effects the water. I used this before, Im not going to lie, hopeing it would do what your wanting it to do. And what I said earlier was my results. It went back down in just a few days at most.
I have used baking soda before with great results. I can't remember what it changes, It's late, I'm tired, and I went to the store a few minutes ago and when I got home found that I had a large bolt in my tire. Yes a bolt. Go figure. So needless to say my mind isn't exactly top notch right now.
BUT, all is not lost. Here is a good breif article about using baking soda and will give you a good idea of where to start.
Try it in a different container first to see about how much you are going to need to add to the tank. And remember, once you figure out how much to use, bring the pH up over a matter of a few days. Your fish have survived so far, no need in getting in a hurry and killing them.
Good luck.
I have used baking soda before with great results. I can't remember what it changes, It's late, I'm tired, and I went to the store a few minutes ago and when I got home found that I had a large bolt in my tire. Yes a bolt. Go figure. So needless to say my mind isn't exactly top notch right now.
BUT, all is not lost. Here is a good breif article about using baking soda and will give you a good idea of where to start.
Try it in a different container first to see about how much you are going to need to add to the tank. And remember, once you figure out how much to use, bring the pH up over a matter of a few days. Your fish have survived so far, no need in getting in a hurry and killing them.
Good luck.
I highly recommend that you stay away from pH up & down chemicals. They do nothing, and are a waste of time and money.
KH (carbonate, 'karbonate' if you're German, hardness) is a measure of the buffering capacity of your water. Calcium carbonate, aka baking soda, will affect this property, but will not rasie your pH.
GH (general hardness) will have more of an effect on raising pH. However, I don't think you need to worry too much about raising your pH if your fish are doing fine. The main thing is to keep them from large pH swings, which means you need adequate buffering capacity (3 dKH minimum).
Also, hobbyist test kits are notoriously inaccurate, so I wouldn't swear by them. Check your local water department's tests (usually online, or requested via mail if you're in USA).
KH (carbonate, 'karbonate' if you're German, hardness) is a measure of the buffering capacity of your water. Calcium carbonate, aka baking soda, will affect this property, but will not rasie your pH.
GH (general hardness) will have more of an effect on raising pH. However, I don't think you need to worry too much about raising your pH if your fish are doing fine. The main thing is to keep them from large pH swings, which means you need adequate buffering capacity (3 dKH minimum).
Also, hobbyist test kits are notoriously inaccurate, so I wouldn't swear by them. Check your local water department's tests (usually online, or requested via mail if you're in USA).
Orion- sorry to hear about your tire and bad day. Hope you have a better one tomorrow a d a good Memorail Day Weekend. Thank you for the link..will check it out and see if it works.
Avalon- yeah I would rather stay away from those chemicals..esp since they all have toxic warnings on them to not let them touch your skin!
I was looking for Gh and Kh kits today but didnt see any..will check again tomorrow.
It seems like a good plan of action for me would be to:
1.) Determine my Gh and Kh.
2.) remedy with baking soda if need be
I'm worried that my pH is below 6.0 which is supposed to be a dangerous range for my fish and shrimps. I'm also mystifyed as to why, after adding 6.8 pH tapwater to my tank, the next day the pH still reads below 6.0.
My gouramis seem ok..they do seem more active lately..
Avalon- yeah I would rather stay away from those chemicals..esp since they all have toxic warnings on them to not let them touch your skin!
I was looking for Gh and Kh kits today but didnt see any..will check again tomorrow.
It seems like a good plan of action for me would be to:
1.) Determine my Gh and Kh.
2.) remedy with baking soda if need be
I'm worried that my pH is below 6.0 which is supposed to be a dangerous range for my fish and shrimps. I'm also mystifyed as to why, after adding 6.8 pH tapwater to my tank, the next day the pH still reads below 6.0.
My gouramis seem ok..they do seem more active lately..
ok ..i just looked up my water quality online and according to the report, my hardness and alkalinity is:
Hardness - 1.5 gpg
Alkalinity - 15 mg/L
so..I guess I have Soft Water. Is 15 mg/L a low alkalinity? does that mean I have no buffering capability in the water?
if I buy some jugs of spring or purified water, would that have the necessary buffers/hardness I need? That would seem easier than trying to mix in baking soda and salts...
Hardness - 1.5 gpg
Alkalinity - 15 mg/L
so..I guess I have Soft Water. Is 15 mg/L a low alkalinity? does that mean I have no buffering capability in the water?
if I buy some jugs of spring or purified water, would that have the necessary buffers/hardness I need? That would seem easier than trying to mix in baking soda and salts...
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If the spring water is devoid of any minerals, it will not buffer water. Alot of spring water is put through a reverse osmosis filters or deionization filters and that removes just about everything.
Did you mention your fish that are in the tank? If I missed it sorry, but fish can adapt to a great range of ph values in most cases. The problem is because it's off the chart it's hard to tell exactly what it is.
You don't have any buffers in your water. This is what I would suggest - If anyone know's otherwise PLEASE post, but I have read that this is the most natural way to raise Ph in several different books. BTW using baking soda is unpredictable, been there done that. Get a bag of crushed coral - do not just put it in the tank. If you have accessable a container to condition water for water changes with this method then the change in ph will be gradual and will do less harm to your fish as long as you change it by only doing a 10% water change every other day until desired ph is reached. Most fish stores sell little mesh bags, or you could use a nylon, put some in the bag (small) amounts and place in the filter of water conditioning tank/tub. This will increase the carbonate hardness of your water. Check the ph often, you don't want a huge rise in ph over a short time as that would be more dangerous than having a constant low. Once the ph is where you want it, remove the bag and add the recommend dose for your tank of ph stabalizer. This is what I have read is the safest way to raise the ph for high ph fish such as African Chiclids because they need higher than neutral. However, alot of peoples tap water is acidic and achieving a semi-neutral ph can be troublesome.
Did you mention your fish that are in the tank? If I missed it sorry, but fish can adapt to a great range of ph values in most cases. The problem is because it's off the chart it's hard to tell exactly what it is.
You don't have any buffers in your water. This is what I would suggest - If anyone know's otherwise PLEASE post, but I have read that this is the most natural way to raise Ph in several different books. BTW using baking soda is unpredictable, been there done that. Get a bag of crushed coral - do not just put it in the tank. If you have accessable a container to condition water for water changes with this method then the change in ph will be gradual and will do less harm to your fish as long as you change it by only doing a 10% water change every other day until desired ph is reached. Most fish stores sell little mesh bags, or you could use a nylon, put some in the bag (small) amounts and place in the filter of water conditioning tank/tub. This will increase the carbonate hardness of your water. Check the ph often, you don't want a huge rise in ph over a short time as that would be more dangerous than having a constant low. Once the ph is where you want it, remove the bag and add the recommend dose for your tank of ph stabalizer. This is what I have read is the safest way to raise the ph for high ph fish such as African Chiclids because they need higher than neutral. However, alot of peoples tap water is acidic and achieving a semi-neutral ph can be troublesome.
thanks discusgrl!
I'm gonna try the crushed coral chips idea..so...I need to:
1.) condition my water in a bucket with the crushed coral, then add to tank in small increments
2.) also put coral chips in mesh bag and place on my filter?
What is a ph stablizer? Is that the same thing as a liquid buffering solution?
thanks!
I'm gonna try the crushed coral chips idea..so...I need to:
1.) condition my water in a bucket with the crushed coral, then add to tank in small increments
2.) also put coral chips in mesh bag and place on my filter?
What is a ph stablizer? Is that the same thing as a liquid buffering solution?
thanks!
No ph stabalizer helps prevent ph swings once you get a targeted ph and is sold at most petstores under that name. I would not do both with the crushed coral. either condition some water and do water changes with the higher ph water to gradually increase your ph over several water changes. I would suggest this method first and foremost because your tank is so small.