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So it seems that the problem is not with ADA powder as you have claimed.
Hi guys
Before I went on my holiday to HK I resetted my tank with MOSURA soil bought from Colourful. I replaced the white filter wool from the prefilter, but did not do anything to the canister. So there was previous tank's water in there. Before leaving, I measured the pH at 6.8ish. I am very surprised with the values I got when I got home.
Here are my water parameters
pH: 7
TDS: 105
GH: 5
huh????? are any other bros getting these parameters? Why TDS so low and pH so high? pH is tested using a pH meter and liquid tester and they tally.
Could it be something in my filtration system? I only have wool in my pre-filter and pure biohome in the canister.
Should I reset again and use a different soil? I don't want to use additives in this tank seeing how the whole purpose of shrimp soil is to buffer the values to the correct ones, why should i start using additives? And additives will be constantly FIGHTING with the soil to buffer the values so I will live in constant anxiety. Would like to avoid that..
Some help please guys!
So it seems that the problem is not with ADA powder as you have claimed.
I've spoken to a few people and it seems that MOSURA really does buffer the pH at 7.. so it looks like I'll have to reset the tank again with another soil
I actually didn't claim that there is a problem with the ADA Powder. I proved it. Controlled testing gave me the results.
If I can put 25% worth of soil in a 2L container with tap water, and see an increase in pH.. that's enough proof for me. A closed system by the way.
I forget. Was it with new soil?
What do u mean? you mean the powder? or new amazonia?
Umm.. the test was using soil from the same packet (left overs)
Does anyone know or have any experience with Bio Home increasing pH?
Apart from Bio Home, I have nothing else in my tank!
Just filter wool on prefilter, hang on filter, and biohome in my canisters. then i have 2 sponge filters.
A mesh of fissidens... and that is all i have in my tank.
Hey guys, update!
Seems like my digital PH meter is spoilt! Water change and I took a pH reading hours later.. and it read around 6-4 to 6.6
In the mean time, I had put Mosura soil into a container and put water in it. When I came home, tested it.. and it's 6.0 - 6.2 (based on colour)
So I figured.. did I make the same mistake with the ADA powder soil? I did a test again.. and nope, the powder ADA soil really is defective T_T
So.. I am going to borrow a digital pH pen / meter from someone to get a third source! Will post update again..
I have a theory..
When I resetted my tank, I valved off my canisters. These two still had tank water from the previous 7.7 disaster. Could it be that something in this water buffered the pH while I was gone in HK?
Before I did a 50% water change this afternoon, the liquid pH test showed 7.0. When I got home after the water change 4 hours later, it's 6.4-6.6 Infact most people I showed the pictures to said that it's 6.4.
hey eca!! Its me magnumkeeping fish again?
Maybe your tank water has low KH which resulted in fluctuating PH
Hey man!Originally Posted by Magnum-
hey eca!! Its me magnum
Just shrimps this time.. hehe!
Hi bro, how's your hong kong CRS shopping trip? Must be a very fruitful trip for both you and your fiancee right?
Guess both of us were too busy shopping till did not get to meet up when we were there.
Anyway, good luck for your resetting of your tank.
So, is your liquid tester spoilt too?
Last edited by cheetf; 3rd Oct 2011 at 13:10.
i have this soil ph problem too
my first shrimp tank - gex red, ph 7.4
decom 1 year later, change to ada ama ii, ph 6.7 for 4 months, 7.4 after 8 months
just decom that tank, using ada ama ii again, ph 5.3 lol
i suspect is your water issue
hope my problem will resolve this time
I just set up my tank for about 1week. I just place my probe in the tank all the way. my ph level is at 6.0 when I added a driftwood and a HC. but my tds is at 100.
I using ada amazonia new soil.
without the driftwood and plants, before i added bt-9. my ph lvl is at 5.5 - 5.8.
Bro, I'm using Mosura soil too. Tank is 1 week into cycling. Ph is 6.0, Gh is 3, TDS is 105.
My nick is lizhien. But i'm not a girl. It's Li Zhi En. =) You can call me Cole too.
Don't think so.. could just be coincidental that the probe is stuck at 7.0 and at the time the water really was 7.0? Meh. I borrowed eviltrain's pH meter and just bought a new one today. Last night the pH was 6.3 (After water change) and now it's 6.8. So I removed all the biohome and put in powerhouse media. I've changed the only thing that could have possibly increased the pH.
I really have no idea what it is now.. haha!
Interested to know if powerhouse media can really help control the pH as claimed. My tank pH also has crept up to 6.8 from about 6.3 in less than 3 months
You should have remove the biohome and test to confirm it instead of throwing in the powerhouse. Since you have no lifestock yet it actually a good thing to check what was previously raising the ph.
I already had intentions of removing the biohome and replacing it with powerhouse anyway.. this just expedited the process. But I put the biohome into my test box.. I just measured and the pH is the same as last night, sitting at 6.1-6.3
HOWEVER, my tank water is now sitting at 7.1 according to my pH meter, and 6.9 according to eviltrain's meter.
I REALLY have no idea what's wrong with it hah. Maybe I need to do a 100% water change?
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