Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I am on day 18 and ph just dropped down to 6.7 or possibly less!!!! How do I fix this??!?! Doing a fishless cycle and currently ammonia and nitrite are .50 and 2 ppm. Nitrates are going up cycle may be done soon but what do I do?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Cory Posted January 19 Administrators Share Posted January 19 Personally, I would add crushed coral to the substrate to help buffer it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 On 1/19/2024 at 3:55 PM, Cory said: Personally, I would add crushed coral to the substrate to help buffer it up. I don’t have any. Any thing else for it to raise IMMEDIATLEY Like maybe a water change? And what is the best conditioner for during cycle? I have prime and stress coat and topfinn water conditioner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quikv6 Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Baking soda. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Baking soda will add carbonates and raise ph. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Ok thanks! On 1/19/2024 at 4:17 PM, Pepere said: Baking soda will add carbonates and raise ph. How much? I have a 10 gal tank On 1/19/2024 at 4:17 PM, quikv6 said: Baking soda. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 (edited) Why is it too low you think? I'm confused. I have cycled tanks as low as 5.0 ph. No ammonia/ammonium and nitrite readings ever. No kh and almost no gh. Very low tds. Still cycled Edited January 19 by Lennie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Well I can’t answer that really…😅 ummmm can baking soda do anything bad for cycle? Just wanted cycle done sooner that’s all iguess On 1/19/2024 at 4:23 PM, Lennie said: Why is it too low you think? I'm confused. I have cycled tanks as low as 5.0 ph. No ammonia/ammonium and nitrite readings ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 I would recommend an internet search “baking soda to raise aquarium ph. I use Seachem Alkalinity buffer which is different, so I dont know the volume of baking soda. I mentioned baking soda because you likely have it in your home today. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 On 1/19/2024 at 4:32 PM, Pepere said: I would recommend an internet search “baking soda to raise aquarium ph. I use Seachem Alkalinity buffer which is different, so I dont know the volume of baking soda. I mentioned baking soda because you likely have it in your home today. Yes I do and just looked it up and it said 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons of water so I will do 2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Personally I would do one, wait half an hour and test the results. You can always add more. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 Oh ok thanks! On 1/19/2024 at 4:35 PM, Pepere said: Personally I would do one, wait half an hour and test the results. You can always add more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
face Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 If it were me I wouldn’t use baking soda for this a 6.7 ph is perfectly capable of cycling the only time you’ll really struggle to cycle a tank is if it drops below 6 (if memory serves it’s actually like 5.4or5.6 but most of us can’t test that low) something to keep in mind is it’s really impossible to keep ph completely stable it moves if your going to start adding stuff to effect it test KH not ph chasing ph is like herding cats KH is really what matters 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 On 1/19/2024 at 4:54 PM, face said: If it were me I wouldn’t use baking soda for this a 6.7 ph is perfectly capable of cycling the only time you’ll really struggle to cycle a tank is if it drops below 6 (if memory serves it’s actually like 5.4or5.6 but most of us can’t test that low) something to keep in mind is it’s really impossible to keep ph completely stable it moves if your going to start adding stuff to effect it test KH not ph chasing ph is like herding cats KH is really what matters Already did.😂 I see what u mean though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepere Posted January 19 Share Posted January 19 Baking soda raises kh. Beneficial bacteria consume carbonates as part of their replication. it would not be unusual for kh to diminish from establishing a cycle. I would doubt any harm was done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 19 Author Share Posted January 19 On 1/19/2024 at 5:15 PM, Pepere said: Baking soda raises kh. Beneficial bacteria consume carbonates as part of their replication. it would not be unusual for kh to diminish from establishing a cycle. I would doubt any harm was done. It worked!!!! The ph is now 7.5! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quikv6 Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 On 1/19/2024 at 4:34 PM, Bigdog99 said: Yes I do and just looked it up and it said 1 teaspoon per 5 gallons of water so I will do 2. I see that you already did this, but just an fyi....there really isn't a hard and fast answer to this. It depends on what the KH/PH of your source water is in the first place. A teaspoon may have different end results in PH/KH.....depending on one's original start. A great way to test is to know the value of your source water, and add and mix in a given amount (say a teaspoon) to a 5 gallon bucket; wait a bit, and then retest. Then, you can determine what that given amount does to your water specifically. In short, I have found a cycle will complete faster at a non-acidic PH. Just keep in mind when you add fish, you generally want them to see the source water perameters, and not a doctored value. (Unless you plan to consistantely doctor the water) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 20 Author Share Posted January 20 On 1/20/2024 at 2:58 AM, quikv6 said: I see that you already did this, but just an fyi....there really isn't a hard and fast answer to this. It depends on what the KH/PH of your source water is in the first place. A teaspoon may have different end results in PH/KH.....depending on one's original start. A great way to test is to know the value of your source water, and add and mix in a given amount (say a teaspoon) to a 5 gallon bucket; wait a bit, and then retest. Then, you can determine what that given amount does to your water specifically. In short, I have found a cycle will complete faster at a non-acidic PH. Just keep in mind when you add fish, you generally want them to see the source water perameters, and not a doctored value. (Unless you plan to consistantely doctor the water) So will this harm the tank? Because I added 1 teaspoon soooo……I hope not!😢 it should not right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 20 Author Share Posted January 20 @quikv6 My kh was 40ppm and gh 60 ppm in the first plAce even though seems like nobody measures kh and gh in ppm but that is what it read. I am also out of test strips so I guess I should order those? I use a master test kit for ammonia,nitrite,nitrates and ph and high range ph.but it doesn’t measure kh gh… On 1/20/2024 at 8:47 AM, Bigdog99 said: Messed up the quote on accident..🙄 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 No, you have to get those separately. API still makes them. One of my lfs’s has some from a company called Sera. I find them much more accurate than strips. Coop strips always seem off to me 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 20 Author Share Posted January 20 On 1/20/2024 at 9:10 AM, Tony s said: No, you have to get those separately. API still makes them. One of my lfs’s has some from a company called Sera. I find them much more accurate than strips. Coop strips always seem off to me I just order some from Amazon. The API kind..I didn’t find anything more accurate than those. I have used the API ones and I don’t think it measures ph right but the others are good I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 On 1/20/2024 at 5:57 AM, Bigdog99 said: @quikv6 My kh was 40ppm and gh 60 ppm in the first plAce even though seems like nobody measures kh and gh in ppm but that is what it read. I am also out of test strips so I guess I should order those? I use a master test kit for ammonia,nitrite,nitrates and ph and high range ph.but it doesn’t measure kh gh… It's just because the most common method for accuracy would be the liquid tests. One drop means 1 degree, then you can convert that to ppm. One thing to always keep in mind is your KH levels in the tap vs. the tank as well as your Gh ratio (compared to KH levels). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony s Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 I only have the Sera, haven't tried the API yet. but have been impressed with the Sera. going to get more test for iron, phosphates, etc... Does Api us liquid suspension and reactive drops. where you count drops. I find that's the most accurate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quikv6 Posted January 20 Share Posted January 20 I have found to the Tetra multi-strips to be the most accurate. "Accurate" = Closest to API liquid master kit used properly The Co-op strips are fine, and pretty consistent when you need a quick check to make sure there are no outliers. I do find them a bit off from the Tetra strips, and liquid kit. The API strips have been the worst for me, to be honest. Anything is better than nothing when it comes to the ability to test if needed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitecloud09 Posted January 20 Author Share Posted January 20 Thank u @nabokovfan87! On 1/20/2024 at 10:28 AM, quikv6 said: I have found to the Tetra multi-strips to be the most accurate. "Accurate" = Closest to API liquid master kit used properly The Co-op strips are fine, and pretty consistent when you need a quick check to make sure there are no outliers. I do find them a bit off from the Tetra strips, and liquid kit. The API strips have been the worst for me, to be honest. Anything is better than nothing when it comes to the ability to test if needed. Yeah 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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