Need ideas on why my PH will not go down.

[TJParker]

I Have a 38 gallon tank with gravel, res. rocks and driftwood, and real amazon plants. On the filters on have a whisper 30 gallon with carbon , 20 gallon power filter with peat fiber running through it, and I also Have a sponge filter running in the tank.
PH is over 8.4 my tap water is softend with potassium and its a ph of 7.
If I'm doing something wrong please help.

TP

 

[GeraldTheMouse]

If you have Limestone or other calciferous rocks, it would raise your PH.

 

[SkwidsLair]

I don't know how well the stuff works, but there is stuff out there called pH Down. It's supposed to guarantee certain levels of pH. You may want to research it a bit first, though. As I said, I only know it exists, not on how well it works.

 

[preggoguppo]

not if he/or she has a planted tank, i just bought that stuff (PH down) last nite and i noticed it said use with no plants, after i bought the stuff! (i have a planted tank) but im having the same problem!! does anyone know anything to use to bring down PH with a planted tank?

 

[SkwidsLair]

not if he/or she has a planted tank, i just bought that stuff (PH down) last nite and i noticed it said use with no plants, after i bought the stuff! (i have a planted tank) but im having the same problem!! does anyone know anything to use to bring down PH with a planted tank?

ooo, didn't know that. Thanks for the info.

I wonder...does CO2 affect pH?

 

[Pure]

Ok class SETTLE down. Hi I'm Mr. Pure and I will be your teacher today.. Lets all take a seat, settle down and be quiet. LOL

When keeping tropicals (we will call them trops) keeping the PH stable is by far more important than having the "ideal" PH. Most trops nowadays are farm bred in many varying PH conditions thus making them much more hardy when it comes to what PH they live in.

Chemicals like PH down that is used to lower your PH does so by adding a form of ACID to your tank. 1 the effects do not last, so constant testing and redoseing is needed. 2 It is very difficult to match the tank PH that has water that has been treated with such chemicals to water coming out of your tap.

TJ your homework assignment for tonight is going to be for you to take a glass of your tap water and test the PH. Then let that same glass sit for 24 hrs, then retest the PH. Report back to us tomorrow what your findings were and I will grade you accordingly.

 

[dogdoc]

Yes, CO2 will lower the pH.

 

[SkwidsLair]

*Throws Professor Pure an apple*

Yes, CO2 will lower the pH.

ah, so injecting some CO2 will do it, then...good to know.

 

[preggoguppo]

well i have that florish excel stull thats ogantic carbon, my PH is at a stable 8.5 but nitrites are 0 and so is amonia..

 

[Pure]

Yeah excel won't do squat for your PH. And just an FYI even tho CO2 will lower your PH the fish are still swimming in liquid rock. It has no effect on the hardness of the water, witch IMO if PH is your concern...needs to be right next to it.

One reason why I pretty much only test TDS now.

 

[SkwidsLair]

One reason why I pretty much only test TDS now.

You've mentioned TDS a few times in other threads...maybe I just don't know it by acronym, but what are you referring to?

 

[GeraldTheMouse]

The Damn Sink?

 

[Pure]

LOL Mr Mouse. TDS Total Dissolved Solids. Once you get the hang of what it means it makes more sense when trying to breed fish. You use a meter probe that costs about 30-45 bucks from any place that sells RO units to test. It's instant and no messing with chemicals or having to calibrate it...

 

[SkwidsLair]

LOL Mr Mouse. TDS Total Dissolved Solids. Once you get the hang of what it means it makes more sense when trying to breed fish. You use a meter probe that costs about 30-45 bucks from any place that sells RO units to test. It's instant and no messing with chemicals or having to calibrate it...

So, does it effectively replace a test kit?

 

[GeraldTheMouse]

Ooooh. I get it now. (Not really)

 

[Pure]

pretty much

 

[Igor The Cat]

ahh Pure you beat me to givin these young chilins' a good talkin too...but NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER use extra chemicals...or the god of almightyness will come and smite your fish...(and you) lol

-Java

 

[SkwidsLair]

ahh Pure you beat me to givin these young chilins' a good talkin too...but NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER EVER use extra chemicals...or the god of almightyness will come and smite your fish...(and you) lol

-Java

I use water conditioner and bio-support (or cycle, as some know it by). Both are Big Al's name brand.

I add freshwater salt for my mollies. Other than that, it's just medication if needed, and so far all I've ever needed is Ick Guard...and I am setting up (another) quarantine tank so I don't have to medicate my MT.

 

[Igor The Cat]

well that stuff is just fine (though bio-support doesnt help anything at all, your tank has plenty of its own living bacteria to prosper) but when you get into stuff like fizzing algae tabs, and ph modifiers and the like is when your doing something terrably wrong.

-Java

 

[Nightswimmer]

If I'm mistakin' please correct...No one asked TJ what type of fish, tank size, substrate, etc.,,,

Most fish received from your lfs are "home raised". Swimmers will adapt to your PH levels with the exceptions of sensative fish such as "Discus", "Rams", they are sensative to PH swings not the PH levels themselves. Of course if you have purchased swimmers long distanced and/or have been wild caught this is a whole different tank.