PH keeps dropping!!!

[TMartins]

Hi everyone, I’ve setup a temporary tank in a Streilite tote (5 gallons) for Platy fry and my PH keeps dropping to 6.0 and below.  I keep doing 50% water changes to bring it back up but it goes right back down.  LFS told be to put base rock to neutralize the ph and that worked for my 20 gallon tank.  I have Java Moss that I just got from the Co-Op and Water Wisteria from my 20 gallon..  My Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates are all 0.  There is a seasoned sponge filter that I had in my 20 gallon aquarium.  Currently I have 5 fry inside the tank because a bunch have died that think due to the ph.  I’m pretty sure I’ve removed any dead fry.

[Colu]

I would add some crushed coral to buffer your water to provent pH swings

[TMartins]

Is what I have from my LFS coral and they are just calling it base rock??  If it’s the same then should I just crush that??

[tonyjuliano]

This is a carbonate hardness problem.  If you can measure, you will probably see you have little to no measurable amount of KH.

You can increase KH by adding baking soda, crushed coral or aragonite.

If you go the baking soda “route”, a baseline recommendation is 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons of water (dissolve in a cup of aquarium water if adding directly to the tank).

I don’t recommend any remedy be undertaken while the Fry are in the tank.  They should be removed prior, and slowly reintroduced, as a rapid change in pH (from what they are already acclimated to) will surely kill them.

Edited June 28, 2021 by tonyjuliano

[Colu]

On 6/28/2021 at 6:52 PM, TMartins said:

Is what I have from my LFS coral and they are just calling it base rock??  If it’s the same then should I just crush that??

I have never used base rock so am not sure 

[tonyjuliano]

On 6/28/2021 at 1:52 PM, TMartins said:

Is what I have from my LFS coral and they are just calling it base rock??  If it’s the same then should I just crush that??

“Base Rock” is aragonite.  It does no need to be pulverized to be effective, but bear in mind, it’s not an “immediate” process.

[Spicy Reef]

I originally got seachem equilibrium for my plants and guppies because my water is so soft here in N seattle. I do not RODI, only carbon block filter and prime dechlorinator. 

So water after filter is 3.5 PH when I add the equilibrium I can easily get to my desired PH and ALK as well - for BOTH my fresh and saltwater...

I think for a long term solution I might go Corey's rout of adding the crushed coral though. The equilibrium is working for now and I use about 1/4 teaspoon/ 5 gallons so it's cheap. 

Good luck 🙂

OH... ps  Corey has a video on the crushed coral someplace on youtube. I'm not sure I would add it directly to the main tank, maybe to a 5 gallon bucket with a pump and see if it affects the ph first...

Edited June 28, 2021 by Spicy Reef
PS

[TMartins]

Thanks everyone for the info.  I looked it up and what my LFS calls “base rock” is just “coral rock”.  I crushed it up some and the ph is coming up.  This forum is great for fish keepers like myself, I've searched for answers in the past in the forum and learned a lot.

[quikv6]

What is the KH of your tap water? If 0...you will most likely have repeated PH crashes. The crushed coral is a great suggestion.

I do a crushed coral substrate along with the baking soda thing, to help keep my Mollies and Platies happy. They generally like harder water (GH) and a somewhat higher PH than neutral, speaking broadly.