pH issues

[Jacquie]

Gday all.

The other day I did a 25% water change in my community tank. Since then pH has been fluctuating between 6.4 and 7.4. I can't get it to stabilise and I dont want to keep adding chemicals to it because I fear I might loose my fish.

I have since lost a hillstream loach, a golden Ram and now my betta is looking like he's about to go and one of my three kuhlies has gone pale.

I have put in a second filter to try to aerate the tank and to help filter out the water. The new filter came with a spraybar which I have positioned slightly above the water facing the original filters outtake, and is producing hundreds of tiny bubbles.

The tank has 2 hairgrass pots and a sword (?) plant. I realise all this oxygen wont really be helping the plants, but right now I'm more concerned about the fish.

Should I remove the second filter and try to get the pH to neutral?

[Fishguy2727]

I would just use a buffer. Proper pH is very good at getting the pH to an exact spot and keeping it there. I don't know what chemicals you have used, but this should work, it works for all the tanks I use it on.

[Jacquie]

What exactly is a buffer?

[Fishguy2727]

A buffer is a powder used to bring pH to a specific point and keep it there. They help keep the pH right and stable. They are easy to use and effective. Proper pH comes with a scoop with directions of about one scoop per 10 gallons (double check if you use it, just to be safe).

[Jacquie]

Thats what I've been trying to use to stabalise it. It gets to neutral about an hour after ive added a tiny bit of buffer, then about 2 hours later its gone haywire again

[Fishguy2727]

What brand are you using? What's the exact name of the product? Proper pH works very well.

[Drumachine09]

Thats what I've been trying to use to stabalise it. It gets to neutral about an hour after ive added a tiny bit of buffer, then about 2 hours later its gone haywire again


Thats odd...

[Jacquie]

Wardley pH test kit. Comes with the indicator, and pH upper and downer. I've used it before and it's always worked fine.

[Fishguy2727]

I don't like the up and downs, and neither do the fish. It is easy ot overshoot the pH you are trying to get to and end up stressing the fish out with all the fluctuations. See if you can find the Proper pH (comes in 6.5, 7.0, 7.5, and 8.0 buffers) and give that a try. What types of fish do you have?

[NorthernBoy]

Ok I think you need to just stop trying to control the pH and allow it to settle on its own. You are chasing your tail using all those chemicals and I suggest just allowing the tank to settle. What is the pH out of your tap. If it is high you should buy fish that live in a higher pH, if it is closer to neutral you will be ok. The fish you have will be fine at a pH as high as 7.6 or so. BUT, they will also tolerate a higher or lowe pH if necessary. The fish will be heathier in the long run if you just let the pH settle and stabilize. Adding buffers is an ok idea if you understand how to use them. I would not recomend them for a novice and go ahead and throw away the pH-up and pH-down. You will always be fussing with the pH if you ise them. Stop increasing the oxygen as well as that will effect the pH as well. What you have is fine, but like I said, I think you need to allow the tank to adjust and stabilize. If you are going to add anything to the tank at all the only thing I suugest is some stress coat to help the fish. Be pacient and try not to over do it. I had a similar problem when I first started. I bought a test kit and attempted to munipulate the water too much. I lost a lot of fish until I stopped and allowed the natural process to take place.

[Jacquie]

I had stopped adding chemicals to it before my first post.

Its still fluctuating without me adding chemicals to it. Normally my tap water is very close to neutral and I dont have to add anything to it.

In the tank I have guppies, a betta sp. a bristlenose and kuhlies

[kimmers318]

Jacquie....I have to agree with Northernboy, leave your water to stabilize and don't try to adjust ph as you will find that it will swing too much. If your ph is around neutral out of the tap as you said.....find out if there is any reason that it is going up. Did you add any type of decor or gravel that could be causing it? It may take some time for the chemicals you have already added to try to obtain a specific ph to work it's way out of your system. Test and monitor your water and fish for awhile and you should see things stabilize eventually. The swings in Ph are very hard on your fish as you have seen.

[Lady Hobbs]

I'd leave it alone as well. Is you tank fully cycled? Sometime if they are not the pH will rise and fall some too. Aerating the water causes it to rise, as well. But everything you have in your tank will do fine with levels such as yours unless you start hitting those low points. Changing the pH more than .5 points at a time is not good for them. I have hard water and a pH 7.6 at all times and have a variety of fish that all do fine in that.

The only one I would like to see changed is the angelfish tank and may get a pH 7 stabilitizer (Proper pH) for that one tank.

The pH levels given for our different fish is the water they are used to in the wild. Most everything we buy here are farm raised in big cement tanks, go to the distributor and then the store and they are used to different pH levels.

[Jacquie]

My tank has been cycled for about 7 months, so it couldnt be that.

[Cichlid_Man]

Good points by everybody!

Go ahead and check your tap water.
I would do as Northernboy said and get fish based on what your tap water reads.

This is extremely helpful when doing water changes so you don't have to worry about the PH changing as you add new water.

If you DO decide to get fish that are not within the PH range of your tap water, then by all means use Proper PH. It is 2nd to none.