PH 4.8 too low for planted tank?.

[octopus]

I have maintained the same tank condition for the past 2mths. But today after buying a new ph meter decided to test my tank ph which i have never tested before. I got a reading of ph 4.8. So far i cant recall coming across sub 5 for planted tank. However plants and fishes are doing fine. Fishes are very healthy, plants though healthy are slow growing. No algae issue so far. Dosing EI and weekly 50% water change. Is there any cause for concern in the low ph level?. Using ADA used Amazonia soil. CO2 about 5bps. Tank 3ft with Pressurised CO2 with diffuser. CO2 indicator solution shows dark green. Dont think ph meter is faulty as i calibrated it with 6.8 buffer solution before use. Moreover my other lapis sand tank w/o co2 gave a reading of 5.5 and reading from tap water 8.1. As most of the plant specifications for ph are above 5.0 what could i do to raise the ph level?

[David]

I am not too sure about your PH meter but as far as I know PH meter probes are calibrated in two solutions. PH4 and PH7.

At PH4.8 a lot of plants do not do well at this PH. Even Echinodorus begins to suffer and you are at the exteme end that Discus and Altums will take. In the pass, the lowest I will go is PH6 no further. Your solution is to use KH powder aka baking soda and perhaps your target KH is 4 or 5 there abouts?

I strongly recommend you get a KH test kit and test your water for its KH level before deciding on a course of action.

If you have livestock in your tank, NEVER raise more than 1KH point in 24 hours.

[octopus]

Thanks David for taking note of my dilemma. I have read about the warning of raising ph suddenly, but I would have overlooked it in my anxiety. So your warning was timely. I think will get myself a Kh test kit before doing any adjustment to the water.

[Urban Aquaria]

Better check the calibration and accuracy of your pH meter, just to make sure.

Since you have not tested the pH before, i assume you don't have a chemical reagent based pH test kit, it might be a good idea to get one to double check the readings.

I had a pH meter before too, but when i started getting odd readings, i compared the measurements to my API test kit, the results were way off (sometimes too high or too low)... discovered i got a faulty unit, but luckily was able to exchange it for a new working unit.

[wongce]

My ada amazonia soil also given me similar reading as your when i firstly set up, it is lower the the PH detectable by my test kit(my test kit max can detect PH 5-9)...the colour shows its 5 or lower. I buffer using baking soda" sodium bicarbonate" it will raise up to PH6-6.5.... So far so good after that

[octopus]

My ada amazonia soil also given me similar reading as your when i firstly set up, it is lower the the PH detectable by my test kit(my test kit max can detect PH 5-9)...the colour shows its 5 or lower. I buffer using baking soda" sodium bicarbonate" it will raise up to PH6-6.5.... So far so good after that

I can now skip the troubleshooting process . Buffering with baking soda is done everytime there is a water change or as and when necessary?. Do you mind sharing if encounter any problem when ph was low?. Thanks Wongce you made my day .

[jazzyboi]

My 3ft planted tank's PH has been constant 4.8 for the past months and my plants are doing very well with no problem. My Elantine Triandra grows like wild grass in just two weeks and covered almost the whole foreground with bright light green leaves. I kept the PH at that due to my Altums, Discus, Rams and Apistogrammas. So PH 4.8 is not really a big concern, at least, I think.