ph trouble
- Thread starter 300galjay
- Start date
sepulatian
Moderator
I am not understanding this post. Your water has always been 8.2 and it jumped to 8.8? Your tap is 7.4? What am I missing here, or what have you left out? I appologize, it is probably just me, but could you try explaining this again?
300galjay
New Member
my tank has always stayed at 8.2 my tap water is 7.4 the salt brings it up to 8.2 i tested it in a bucket today after i found my tank over 8.8 and in another bucket i used tap water no salt it was 7.4 i put some proper ph 8.2 in it as much as the directions say it spiked it off the chart i thot it worked both ways but i stillwanted to test it glad i did my nitrates or 0ppm same on nitrites and amoniea ive had tanks at this house for years and never had a ph prob
sepulatian
Moderator
Ok, ph 8.2 does not work both ways. It is a buffer to raise ph. If your tap is 7.4, mix some saltwater with your tap (no buffer) for 24 hours and do a water change. Why were you doing a change anyway if our nitrates are zero? You need to dillute the ph 8.2 Don't add less salt though, that would be stressfull to your tank inhabitats. Please forgive me if I sound rude at all, I certainly don't mean to be. Just trying to help you and your fish :happyfish
sepulatian
Moderator
Originally Posted by 300galjay
thank you i was changeing the water becase i had red slime alge all over my sand you wernt rude some one told me 8.2 works both ways
Red slime is usually because of high phosphates. Have you checked your phosphate level? It may be in you tap, test that too.
thank you i was changeing the water becase i had red slime alge all over my sand you wernt rude some one told me 8.2 works both ways
Red slime is usually because of high phosphates. Have you checked your phosphate level? It may be in you tap, test that too.
sly
Active Member
Normally you shouldn't have to adjust your pH. The salt mix will buffer the water and put the pH at 8.2 naturally. How long has this tank been set up? Has it fully cycled yet? Are you using filtered water? The pH of your tap water is pretty high. I would bet you have a lot of calcium in your lines. High calcium will drop your water's alkalinity which will remove the pH buffering from your tank. Therefore the pH will drop quickly as things decay in the water.
This is just a guess but I bet you don't use a filter. You REALLY need a reverse osmosis unit to filter the water or at least a deioniser filter from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It's called simply "The Tap Water Filter".
Buy a filter or some filtered water (walmart or wherever) and do a water change. You have to have your pH down before you add the fish or they are going to die.
If you haven't cycled your tank and you already have fish on the way then it is going to be difficult to keep them alive but it can be done. It will involve you doing daily water tests for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and alk. You will have to do as many water changes as necessary to keep your levels down enough for your fish to live. This can mean a water change every day or ever other day until your tank cycles. This process may take a month or more. However given time, and the use of good filtered water, your tank will stabilize and the headache will end.
This is just a guess but I bet you don't use a filter. You REALLY need a reverse osmosis unit to filter the water or at least a deioniser filter from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals. It's called simply "The Tap Water Filter".
Buy a filter or some filtered water (walmart or wherever) and do a water change. You have to have your pH down before you add the fish or they are going to die.
If you haven't cycled your tank and you already have fish on the way then it is going to be difficult to keep them alive but it can be done. It will involve you doing daily water tests for pH, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and alk. You will have to do as many water changes as necessary to keep your levels down enough for your fish to live. This can mean a water change every day or ever other day until your tank cycles. This process may take a month or more. However given time, and the use of good filtered water, your tank will stabilize and the headache will end.
