flossy Posted June 29 Share Posted June 29 Hello, I was wondering whyhh my Ph decreases in my tank. I am setting up a 5 gallon tank and all the parameters are fine except taht the ph is 6.0. My tap water is 7.2 so does anyone known why this is? its a tank for my cherry shrimp btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Cory Posted June 30 Administrators Share Posted June 30 Two main causes. Converting waste from ammonia to nitrates produces acids and make your water more acidic. Also your tap water could be artificially inflated. After 24 hours, could change. To test for that, put an airstone in a glass of tap water for 24 hours, then test the water to see if it's still 7.2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted June 30 Share Posted June 30 Flossy, as Cory is right on but I would also wonder what your other numbers are and what is in the tank currently that could impact your numbers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossy Posted June 30 Author Share Posted June 30 On 6/30/2024 at 6:11 AM, johnnyxxl said: Flossy, as Cory is right on but I would also wonder what your other numbers are and what is in the tank currently that could impact your numbers. Live plants, dragon stone, contro soil, aquarium coop sponge filter. Ph: 6 Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: 10-20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube_Goldfish Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 I'd have to do more research, as I have no first hand experience with Controsoil, but if it's like a lot of "active substrates" then that might be absorbing your KH, which would then allow your pH to fall. You could counteract that safely but imprecisely with crushed coral, or with baking soda or alkaline buffer like Seachem's. Those are more potent, which means you'd need to be more careful and use them every water change, but they'd give you finer control of the KH. You said your tap is 7.2 pH. Do you have a KH reading? If there's a nonzero amount of KH, you could also just do frequent, small water changes and let the tap replenish the KH that the soil is absorbing (if I'm right about that). If my "soil is absorbing KH" theory is right, then it may also reach a saturation point at some point, which would let you then back off the "small but frequent" water change schedule. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted July 1 Share Posted July 1 Rubegoldfish that was what I just thought of. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossy Posted July 1 Author Share Posted July 1 On 6/29/2024 at 6:22 PM, Cory said: Two main causes. Converting waste from ammonia to nitrates produces acids and make your water more acidic. Also your tap water could be artificially inflated. After 24 hours, could change. To test for that, put an airstone in a glass of tap water for 24 hours, then test the water to see if it's still 7.2 After 24 hours, the Ph is 7.6. On 7/1/2024 at 6:50 AM, Rube_Goldfish said: I'd have to do more research, as I have no first hand experience with Controsoil, but if it's like a lot of "active substrates" then that might be absorbing your KH, which would then allow your pH to fall. You could counteract that safely but imprecisely with crushed coral, or with baking soda or alkaline buffer like Seachem's. Those are more potent, which means you'd need to be more careful and use them every water change, but they'd give you finer control of the KH. You said your tap is 7.2 pH. Do you have a KH reading? If there's a nonzero amount of KH, you could also just do frequent, small water changes and let the tap replenish the KH that the soil is absorbing (if I'm right about that). If my "soil is absorbing KH" theory is right, then it may also reach a saturation point at some point, which would let you then back off the "small but frequent" water change schedule. I dont have a Kh reading but I do have baking soda and I am currently using a bottle of seachem neutral regulator which was lying around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossy Posted July 1 Author Share Posted July 1 (edited) UPDATE: I just tested the tank water and its around 7.5 Edited July 1 by flossy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rube_Goldfish Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 On 7/1/2024 at 5:49 PM, flossy said: UPDATE: I just tested the tank water and its around 7.5 Nice! Was that without a water change? I guess just keep an eye on it for a while then, and see how it goes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flossy Posted July 2 Author Share Posted July 2 On 7/1/2024 at 5:09 PM, Rube_Goldfish said: Nice! Was that without a water change? I guess just keep an eye on it for a while then, and see how it goes. Yes, im gonna wait for a few days then add shrimp. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnyxxl Posted July 2 Share Posted July 2 I would also keep your water aged in a container and test before you do water changes and top off. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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