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Is it a new tank?
Hvae you tried pH up solution?
I just measured my tank parameters
PH: 4.5 (could even be lower)
KH: almost none...
I did a 100% water change last last Sunday (16 July) as I tried to wash gravel overrun by BGA. I also cranked up my CO2 to about 3 bps
thought parameter should be ok but only measure today... no wonder ram has white spots.....
I just put a packet of lime stone in...
anyone has an idea what happened?
Juwel tank 2 ft..
Flora: crypto, spiky moss and vialis... (all my crypto melt, and I mean 100% melt, not just 1-2 leaves)
Fauna: 2 otos, 1 borneo sucker, 2 rams...
Light on for 8 hours a day..
PLease help
Is it a new tank?
Hvae you tried pH up solution?
Tank is not new... just did a rescape.... but 100% water change performed...
did not do PH up as I want to do limestones 1st...
but i think it's cos of the excess CO2 that crash the PH...
Any comments?
your kh is zero causing the ph swings ... correct your kh and your ph will stabilise
... always look at the bright side of life
do a water change since your tank is small. Maybe something affected your kH to give you a low pH reading.
You sure your pH meter is reading well.
Christophe
I thought the limestone will increase the kH?
How come your kH is 0?
Initially no limestone... it was only after finding out the PH crash, then i add lime stone..
Measured the PH today. better... at 6.0.... will measure KH tommorrow... if KH still low, may need to use sodium bicarbonate....
Question: someone said it's cos KH zero, that's why PH crash. Could it be the other way round... I prefer to fix PH by adding a bag of limestone at the filter then adding sodium bicarbonate everytime i change water to ensure KH is 3. In my previous set-up, i had to add sodium bicarbonate everytime i change water. I found it really troublesome....
Also, i have turned off my CO2 to bring down the amount of CO2. Did I do the rite thing?
Any advice from experts here?
Hi,
I'm no expect but I can share what I know.. Bona fide experts, please correct me if I am wrong.
KH doesn't prevent pH crashes per say. It simply raises the start point of the pH. pH is determined by the amount of H+ ions in the solution. As an example for illustration, a solution (A)with X amount of H+ ions and a KH of 3 could have a pH of 8. Another solution (B) with also X amount of H+ ions but a KH of 1 could have a lower pH compared to the former solution, such as 6.
Say that the fishes you want to keep are comfortable with a range of pH between 6 - 8. Should the H+ ions of both solutions (A) and (B) increase by the same amount and causing a drop of 2 levels, the final pH of solution (A) would be 4 while the pH of solution (B) would be 6. As a result, solution (A) would be bad for the fishes, while (B) is still tolerable. That is how KH provides some "buffering effect" for pH crashes.
You can use CO2 to lower pH but not advisable to do the other way round. Afterall, your plants need the CO2 and lower it by too much would impede plant growth and bring about algae problems.
wa fishfan... too chim for me... dun understand at all...
Well, what i did after talking to dreamgarden was this.
1. immediately take out limestone..
2. Add sodium bicarb slowly, until KH is 3. This action will in turn increase PH.
3. Start CO2 to adjust PH down to 6.5
4. everytime change water, ensure that KH remains at 3. add sodium bicarb if necessary
So far, so good..
A good KH range will prevent a traumatic PH swing.
If you have a 0 KH, try measuring the PH at the start and end of CO2 injection you will be shock to know PH can be at 7.5 and ends with 5.0(depending on your bps). Too much PH swing will stress out your fish and shrimp.
1)Try maintain your KH
2)Adjust your PH by increasing/decreasing CO2 bps till you reach the ideal CO2 range (don't use PH up/down solution)
Note higher KH will have higher PH if CO2 remain unchange, you need more CO2 to bring down the PH. You should be able to stabilize your KH/PH within these 2 days, and plants will start to bubble if light is good and with enough fert.
With reference to the KH/PH chart, KH3 PH should be around 6.6-6.8, KH4 PH around 6.8-7.0.
There are some pretty good articles in the Fertilisation and Algae section, do read them up.
Hope this helps.
Regards
Originally Posted by Dreamgarden
A good KH range will prevent a traumatic PH swing.
If you have a 0 KH, try measuring the PH at the start and end of CO2 injection you will be shock to know PH can be at 7.5 and ends with 5.0(depending on your bps). Too much PH swing will stress out your fish and shrimp.
1)Try maintain your KH
2)Adjust your PH by increasing/decreasing CO2 bps till you reach the ideal CO2 range (don't use PH up/down solution)
Note higher KH will have higher PH if CO2 remain unchange, you need more CO2 to bring down the PH. You should be able to stabilize your KH/PH within these 2 days, and plants will start to bubble if light is good and with enough fert.
With reference to the KH/PH chart, KH3 PH should be around 6.6-6.8, KH4 PH around 6.8-7.0.
There are some pretty good articles in the Fertilisation and Algae section, do read them up.
Hope this helps.
Regards
EXCELLENT INFORMATION!
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"when the current is grounded it's cuircitry hums 0+2=1"
Thanks Dreamgarden....
Your advice is excellent.... Doing exactly that now.. Adjusting Ph using CO2... so far, things are stable.... KH is at about 3-3.5...
Fish are happy too.. White spots gone... just spawned as well....
Also, i shifted the Juwel filter outlet a little bit upwards to disturb the water surface... oil fim is gone as well....
Love the moss too
Also, i shifted the Juwel filter outlet a little bit upwards to disturb the water surface... oil fim is gone as well....
Love the moss too
A bit of surface movement will do, too much will cause CO2 lost.
Regards
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