pH going up. Now what!

[Lady Hobbs]

My pH has been a constant 7.6 since I started this hobby. Today I decided to do some testing after not bothering with it for awhile and my pH is now 8.2!!!!!

What now? I can't believe these angels still spawn in this stuff (all eggs die).

Can the pH go up in the summer months or what could be doing this?

[RobbieG]

Is it 8.2 in all of your tanks?

[Lady Hobbs]

Yes. And all get cleaned and a large water change every week. I use a fine spray airstone, not an aerator and have bogwood in all my tanks. And I am really aggravated right now. Just could be a reason my plants died?

I have a phosphate/silica removing sponge coming this week. Do you think that might help.......or nay?

[RobbieG]

Any time you add or remove minerals from the water you CAN change the PH - I've never specifically used a phosphate or silica remover so I'm not sure how they affect it.

Did your tap water go up too? Just asking because most of the other things I would expect to see alter PH would most likely only happen in one of your tanks (or to different degrees in more than one)

Did you start adding a new chemical to all of them (new water conditioner or fertilizer or something)?

Maybe your bogwood "wore out"

[Lady Hobbs]

Checked from tap and it's 7.8 there. I'm starting to wonder now about my substrate. It's been in the tank for a couple months but then I haven't checked the pH in a while either. It's just small stones from WalMart....no coral in it. And I put it in all 3 tanks, too. 4th tank has same stone, just another color. hummmmm

I was checking online at RO systems. Gez....not wanting to shell out $240-260 for one of those. I'd be better off, I think, getting canisters and running peat pellets thru it and then could add phosphate/silicate sponges easier. Need canisters anyway. I don't understand all this with RO, buying new membraines, back flushing and all that nonsense.

And switching back over the sand!

[Spyder]

Is this city or well water?
Either way, the city may have made changes and well water is constantly changing.
The phosphate remover will not change the pH.
And yes, most plants do much better in soft water.
What is the KH of the water?
Have you added any rocks to all the tanks that may have buffered the water?

I think it's time to switch to Africans :)

[Dave66]

Yes. And all get cleaned and a large water change every week. I use a fine spray airstone, not an aerator and have bogwood in all my tanks. And I am really aggravated right now. Just could be a reason my plants died?

I have a phosphate/silica removing sponge coming this week. Do you think that might help.......or nay?

Hobbs,
Do you top off evaporated water with the tap? If so, that could be raising your pH, as the evaporation leaves minerals behind, and you'd be adding more with your top-off.

Dave

[Lady Hobbs]

I haven't done a thing to the tanks which has me so perplexed. Nothing but this gravel change is all. I have city water.

All I really have to test hardness is paper strips but I show "hard" 150 GH and can't tell at all on the KH. Shows a tourquise color which is not even one of the colors on the chart. Time for better testing materials there, I see. LOL

I found a Warbley pH tester that gives the pH I have always gotten but my API that I always use shows more. Odd.

[gm72]

How old is the test kit? Maybe the reagents are starting to go?

[Lady Hobbs]

Dave.....

YES!!!!! And I've only been doing that since it got hot outside as the level is evaporating more with the air conditioner running. I don't top off at all the rest of the time so you may have hit it right on the head!

Or my gosh. This could be such an easy fix after all. Should I maybe do another big water change?

[Lady Hobbs]

gm72.....could be.

[gm72]

Worth thinking about before you freak out...more than you already are! There have been a few posts recently about the reagents going bad after a while.

[Dave66]

Dave.....

YES!!!!! And I've only been doing that since it got hot outside as the level is evaporating more with the air conditioner running. I don't top off at all the rest of the time so you may have hit it right on the head!

Or my gosh. This could be such an easy fix after all. Should I maybe do another big water change?

You could use distilled water to do your top-offs; it's what I use (tho' its ro/di water) freshwater and marine. Do about a 30 percent water change, then a 10 percent a few days later with a large percentage of distilled, then check your pH. Little tweaks til you get the pH you want.

Dave

[RobbieG]

Don't you use the same water for water changes as you do for topoffs?

[Dave66]

Don't you use the same water for water changes as you do for topoffs?

No, I don't. I use a mix of RO/DI with tap for water changes, RO/DI for topoffs, for obvious reasons.

Dave

[RobbieG]

Sorry for the confusion - I meant Lady Hobbs

[Dave66]

NP Robbie. Still wondering where Lady Miss Hobbs is . . .

Dave