Ph and nitrates questions

[Camille]

Hello,

I'm embarrassed to ask about this, but here we go. I've realized recently (and should have known) that my pH is too low. It's 6.0 using two different API tests, the strips and the kit. Too low for corydoras, bristlenose plecos, rummynose tetras and golden dojo loaches in my 60 gallon.

Today I used the API increase pH drops. Instructions say to go slowly. Is daily dosing okay until I get the pH to at least 6.5?

I read online that wood branch decor can lower pH. Is this the problem? This site said to add shells or try 2tsps of baking soda for every 5 gallons. I added crushed coral last year in the hope that would help. Apparently it hasn't.

My 2nd issue is that my nitrates are almost non existent. I'm adding the Aquarium Coop's Easy Green fertilizer to increase nitrate levels for my plants. Is this the best solution?

My tank is about 1 1/2 years old. I welcome your suggestions. I prefer simple solutions because I need to keep expenses reasonable. 

Thank you!

[Perry]

First, don't panic, pretend for a minute that you didn't have a test kit and didn't know what your pH was; are the fish okay? 

Assuming they are you'll want to make any adjustments very slowly. It's my understanding that stability is more important than specific parameters for general fish keeping. If it were my tank I would add some more crushed coral (I add mine to the hang on back filter in a media bag). I know you said you added some a year ago but it may need to be refreshed. That's all I would do. I would monitor the pH daily for a while to make sure it was rising, but not too quickly. 

As for your plants and nitrate levels I would say that adding Easy Green as needed is the way to go.

I would definitely try not to worry though. Your tank is fairly mature and if everyone is happy and healthy sudden changes are likely to do more harm than good. Crushed coral (in moderation) is a good option because it will just gently raise your kH resulting in more stable parameters and likely a pH closer to neutral.

I hope it all works out; good luck!

[Camille]

Thank you Perry. The fish are fine. Most of the plants are too except for the java fern. That's an easy plant, I know, but it looks like they're not getting enough nutrients. Light isn't too bright so it's not that.

I like the idea of adding more coral to raise pH levels. My tank is actually about 2 plus some months years old. I miscalculated. I appreciate your very sound suggestions. And yes, I did panic a bit! Doesn't take much to elicit that response these days. 

[Wrencher_Scott]

On 3/21/2022 at 1:26 PM, Camille said:

Thank you Perry. The fish are fine. Most of the plants are too except for the java fern. That's an easy plant, I know, but it looks like they're not getting enough nutrients. Light isn't too bright so it's not that.

I like the idea of adding more coral to raise pH levels. My tank is actually about 2 plus some months years old. I miscalculated. I appreciate your very sound suggestions. And yes, I did panic a bit! Doesn't take much to elicit that response these days. 

I think the coral is a great way to go. I'm curious, what is the pH of your water you put in the tank? You aren't using RO are you? that would do it. 

I would also use baking soda at very small amounts over time to give it a slight raise on pH. Say get it up to 7 over 2 days and then  just watch it. 

If you water change water is very soft and low pH you will be fighting this forever. I would want to know exactly what is going in in the first place to make a plan of attack.

6.5 to 8.5 is good for most fish but if you really are at 6.0 that is pushing your luck. 

[Biotope Biologist]

On 3/21/2022 at 12:11 PM, Camille said:

Hello,

I'm embarrassed to ask about this, but here we go. I've realized recently (and should have known) that my pH is too low. It's 6.0 using two different API tests, the strips and the kit. Too low for corydoras, bristlenose plecos, rummynose tetras and golden dojo loaches in my 60 gallon.

 

All of these fish are fine at 6.0. crushed coral only raises kh and gh not ph. Kh is your ph buffer to make sure it doesn’t swing wildly, which will stress the fish over time. If your coral is dissolved that’s when it’s time to add another bag.
 

You aren’t testing nitrates because I’d imagine your plants are consuming them quite quickly. 
 

Also pH up adds potassium to your water something to watch out for. I don’t typically recommend using either up or down for their intended use and now that there is a plethora of fertilizers, I’d probably say avoid it.

 

As stuff breaks down in your tank it releases carbonic acid which will decrease your pH and kH levels. This includes wood, leaves, and other organic matter. 
 

Having all this been said as long as your water doesn’t dip below 6.0 your fish will be quite happy and healthy, they are remarkably adaptive. Chasing chemistry often leads to bigger headaches.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Biotope Biologist
I still don’t know my there their and they’re. I should have paid attention in english

[Katherine]

On 3/21/2022 at 4:30 PM, Biotope Biologist said:

crushed coral only raises kh and gh not ph. Kh is your ph buffer to make sure it doesn’t swing wildly, which will stress the fish over time

This has not been my experience. Out of the tap I have about 40ppm kh and about 6.4ph. It was the same in my tank before adding crushed coral. It's been about a month and I'm up to about 80ppm kh and about 6.8ph in my tank.

[Biotope Biologist]

On 3/21/2022 at 3:32 PM, Katherine said:

This has not been my experience. Out of the tap I have about 40ppm kh and about 6.4ph. It was the same in my tank before adding crushed coral. It's been about a month and I'm up to about 80ppm kh and about 6.8ph in my tank.

Yeah that’s normal! Let me explain a little better. Your kH buffers your pH so it doesn’t swing like crazy, but also this can mean for some people that the water pH will increase due to the change in the carbonic cycle. Where exactly your water stabilizes depends on different parameters that I won’t get into because I’d rather not confuse this any further. 
 

pH measures OH- (base) and H+ (Acid) ions in the water. When you add calcium carbonate (coral) it dissolves into calcium and carbonate ions which can be seen as Ca(2+) and CO3(2-). Each carbonate ion can take on a hydrogen ion (acid) to form bicarbonate HCO3(-). This reaction can go both forward and backward and can either release or absorb free hydrogen from the water thus effectively increasing your pH. This is why we say kh is a buffer is because the more carbonate ions in the water the more effectively your acids can be removed from the water column.

 

I can also use a real world example. I have pH 7.0 out of the tap with 40ppm kH. I add crushed coral to my water for my shelled friends. I increase my kH to 80ppm however my pH is still 7.0. 
 

I hope this helps! I am classicaly trained in chemistry, but I don’t always feel I’m good at explaining things so I will drop information that I personally feel isn’t necessary. Which of course is the rub because it may be necessary info for someone else. 😓

[Camille]

Thanks everyone!

Camille

[Camille]

Scott,

the water out of the tap is 0 pH. I tested it the same day I posted my question. That explains why the pH in the tank is 6.0. We have very hard water in Albuquerque. The KH is at least 180 using the API testing strips.

 

Thanks to you and to Katherine.

[Katherine]

On 3/22/2022 at 4:33 PM, Camille said:

the water out of the tap is 0 pH.

This has to be a typo, right?

[Camille]

Katherine,

I may have misread the test strip the other day. It's not quite 6.0 on the API test strip.

[Wrencher_Scott]

On 3/22/2022 at 2:33 PM, Camille said:

Scott,

the water out of the tap is 0 pH. I tested it the same day I posted my question. That explains why the pH in the tank is 6.0. We have very hard water in Albuquerque. The KH is at least 180 using the API testing strips.

 

Thanks to you and to Katherine.

0  ???

zero? 

I'm no chemist but I think hard water will give you a high pH. 

As for test strip I have NEVER been able to accurately read strips pH, other things yes, but not pH, I do the API tests for pH now. 

Maybe have a fish store double check it for you?? I do believe it would be VERY ODD to have a pH of 6.0 from the tap of hard water from New Mexico. 

 

Edited March 23, 2022 by Wrencher_Scott