Dropping PH

[Loudness]

A week ago, I measured my ph, 4.8. I believe is due to my ADA soil and new media. I manage to buffer it up to 6.5 without affecting the gh, using coral chips.

Sunday night: 6.55 (remove coral chips)
Monday morning: 6.5
Monday night: 6.1

It has been falling after I remove the coral chips. Do I just keep a few coral chips inside? Does it help to maintain it? What's the max ph level the coral chips will push it to?

Water parameter:
Ph:6.1
Gh:5
Kh: unkown
Nh3/nh4: 0
No2: 0
No3: 0
Temp: 26-28

It's a low grade crs and sakura shrimp tank.
Thanks in advance.

[newlife]

Which ADA soil you are using?
New ADA or ADA Africana?
Your pH 4.8 reading is how long after your setup?

I myself have also set up some tanks recently...
Tank using New ADA reading stable down at pH6 when cycle is completed.
Tank using ADA Africana reading stable at pH5....
My complete cycle took about a month +
The cycle period includes 1 x 100% w.c, 1 x 80% w.c and the last week with 50% w.c.

Coral Chips will gradually increase the pH if not removed...

As for your current pH reading @ 6.1 should be ok....
What water did you use for w.c?
Aged tap water or distilled water?

[Shadow]

your tank is not fully cycle yet. Once cycle completed (a bout a month) it should stay around 6-6.2. I would remove the coral chip if I were you.

[avex30]

your tank is not fully cycle yet. Once cycle completed (a bout a month) it should stay around 6-6.2. I would remove the coral chip if I were you.

same thought since you are cycling let the ph drop to a point where it will stop there. Once cycling done the soil should be around 5.6-6.2 huge gap. But it should buffer around that range once cycle done.

[gryphon]

your tank is not fully cycle yet. Once cycle completed (a bout a month) it should stay around 6-6.2. I would remove the coral chip if I were you.

same thought since you are cycling let the ph drop to a point where it will stop there. Once cycling done the soil should be around 5.6-6.2 huge gap. But it should buffer around that range once cycle done.

Hummm... so the PH will automatically rise higher when cycling is completed? I have am cycling a tank since 5 Feb and the PH has slowly dropped from 6.6 to the current 5.25 and it seems that it will continue to drop. I am also tempted to add coral chips

[Loudness]

Forget to mention that the tank was set up last year may, means it has already been cycled for 9 months. The new media were added a month ago, as I add on new filter. So surely there's nothing to do with tank not cycled. I also heard a lot ppl saying about ada soil causing ph to drop below 5.

[Shadow]

new filter media?

[alvinchan80]

Forget to mention that the tank was set up last year may, means it has already been cycled for 9 months. The new media were added a month ago, as I add on new filter. So surely there's nothing to do with tank not cycled. I also heard a lot ppl saying about ada soil causing ph to drop below 5.

if your tank already been cycled 9 months and if the PH still lingers around 4.8, shrimps are active and breeding... then you dont have to bother about it actually.. adding more stuff to it might just make things worse and not better...
i have a lower PH then what you are having & decided to switch off the PH meter since everything is ok, shrimps are active, breeding, eating well... So dont touch...

[felix_fx2]

How come good and thriving want to change? Not broken don't touch bro.

[chansl]

I envy you bro. I spent hundred over dollar just to make my Ph low

[gryphon]

I envy you bro. I spent hundred over dollar just to make my Ph low

Similarly I did not want to reset my tank as it was old 5-6 months and I tried many ways to reduce PH, add soil, changed medias, use Mosura Softwater, add peat etc. Some of these only work temporaily.
Faced with the massive loss of my precious shrimps, I bit the bullet and did a reset. Now my tank in cycling stage, the pH is 5.25.
You might want to consider a full reset

[chansl]

Yes bro .. Reset already .. Now cycling .. May i know what soil are you using and filter media ?

Similarly I did not want to reset my tank as it was old 5-6 months and I tried many ways to reduce PH, add soil, changed medias, use Mosura Softwater, add peat etc. Some of these only work temporaily.
Faced with the massive loss of my precious shrimps, I bit the bullet and did a reset. Now my tank in cycling stage, the pH is 5.25.
You might want to consider a full reset

[hyun007]

I envy you bro. I spent hundred over dollar just to make my Ph low

Come to Cambodia, you can have my ground water which is below PH6!!!

[YiRiYu]

Come to Cambodia, you can have my ground water which is below PH6!!!

How about the Gh level?

[chansl]

Wow .. Love to Cambodia .. We dont need to get distilled water . haha

Come to Cambodia, you can have my ground water which is below PH6!!!

[gryphon]

Yes bro .. Reset already .. Now cycling .. May i know what soil are you using and filter media ?

ADA New Amazonia and Crimson soil.
Filter medias: Ehiem mech pro and substrate pro, biohome, Power House.