water become more and more alkaline

[blurrblurr]

my water turning more and more alkaline y? took out all the coral chip still increasing everyday. wat is the solution?

[Aeon]

What's your kH?
Do you inject CO2? how much?
Anything else affecting your pH? gravel type?

[vinz]

What's in your filter media? I once discovered some chalky stuff mixed in with my unbranded sintered glass (came brand new with my second hande filter, so didn't get new ones).

[blurrblurr]

I use gravel as filter media cos is an eden 316 small filter only. CO2 had been adjusting and adjusting trying to lower the PH but seems tat injecting more and more everyday.

[confusekid]

take some of the gravel out, wash and then pour vinegar inta container with teh gravel. If gravel bubble, change gravel.

[Aeon]

There must be something in there making your kH high and preventing the pH from dropping.

See if your gravel is calcareous, try confusekid's way.

[juggler]

[quote:0073e4632b="confusekid"]take some of the gravel out, wash and then pour vinegar inta container with teh gravel. If gravel bubble, change gravel.[/quote:0073e4632b]

I think the bubbling may not indicate 100% there's something alkaline.
Another way is to soak some of the gravel in tap water and measure the pH over the days. If it turns more alkaline, then it is the culprit.

Otherwise, better keep an eye on your tank as someone may be sabo-ing you by putting soap in it. Joking lah.

[blurrblurr]

I know who is the culprite liao. Is the gravel sand which my friend gave me few days ago. After take a close look it actually contain small tiny corel chip. ...

[Aeon]

Ah ha. I knew it! lol! good luck! changing gravel is tiresome

[juggler]

Coral chips in the substrate is still good for almost all plants. They provide the Ca and Mg as well as the kH. I used to have a coral chip substrate for my old 4ft tank.

Unless you are trying plants like Tonina etc needing very acidic and low kH water, I don't see any need to change the gravel. So far any problems with plant growth?

[blurrblurr]

with a high PH i need to pump in more co2 to achive the 20-30ppm rite?

[Aeon]

[quote:cc6eccffe3="blurrblurr"]with a high PH i need to pump in more co2 to achive the 20-30ppm rite?[/quote:cc6eccffe3]

Your kH need to be 4-5 for a stable and good pH and CO2

[blurrblurr]

Then how u maintain KH at 4-5 if my KH is 7-8?

[Aeon]

These may help

http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.u...?article_id=22
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-chem.html

[juggler]

[quote:bc2cbf845d="blurrblurr"]Then how u maintain KH at 4-5 if my KH is 7-8?[/quote:bc2cbf845d]

kH of 8 is fine. From the article at http://www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_co2chart.htm you need to achieve a pH of 7-7.2 to get 15~24ppm CO2.