PH in my Fresh Water Aquarium wont rise!?
I’ve been using Proper PH 7.0 for about 2 months, and Ive also been using Kordon NovAqua Water Conditioner and Kordon NonAqua Nitrates and Chlorine and Ammonia remover as well, when adjusting the Ph and adding new water. I also you Topfin aquarium salt as well, to relieve stress for the fish. I have 1 pictus catfish in there, 1 Pearl Chiclid, and 1 Australian Rainbowfish. I’m about to buy more fish but I can’t get the PH to rise. I believe theres a buffer in my tank. How do I remove it and make the PH in my tank rise. Help!
My PH is at 6.6 and I need to raise it to at least 7.0 to 7.5. I want to get more chiclids, they require at least 7.0 or higher. My water out of tap is really hard. Its at least 8.5. I bought a pleaco and he was doing fine one day, the next day he was dead. I let him sit for 20min before adding him. Water temp in the tank is 78. Tank is a 29 Gallon long.
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If your water has a high Kh level (carbonate hardness) than it is naturally buffered from pH change. Rather than trying to chemically change the pH of your water, it is best to just let your fish get used to it! Most fish will adapt, and have an easier time when you leave your water alone, rather than try to use pH up or down.
Adding rocks such as limestone and crushed coral may help to slowly raise the pH of your tank in a more natural way, but unless the species of fish you are going to buy are very sensitive to pH, I wouldn’t worry about it!
Hi,
It’s hard to know exactly what you need because you don’t specify what your PH is at now. If you want the PH to rise you can add mineral salts which will raise your General Hardness as well as your PH to the levels you desire. However, I keep Discus fish whcih require very soft water, but my water is a bit too soft. I am trying to raise the PH a bit and am using crushed coral in the filter to do so. This should raise the KH Ph and the General hardness a bit to get it to the levels I need. I read 1 tablespoon of crushed coral to every gallon and it will raise gradually over 3 weeks. Then you need to maintain what has disolved after 2-3 months. You can use the salts gradually as well, and keep water changing and testing in between, but it would help us if you tell already what your water is testing at now and what you want it to be. Also, if you have any wood at all in there, it can lower your PH… it releases tannins and somehow lowers the PH of your water sitting in the aquarium. I wonder what your tap water is testing at after leaving a cup full out for about 12 hours?
You are using WAY too many chemicals in your water and probably throwing your chemistry ALL over the place. Just use your water conditioner. I doubt your nitrate/ammo remover is doing diddly other than throwing your cycle off. You shouldn’t need it as long as you’re doing proper water changes. And you don’t need aquarium salt unless you’re having issues with parasites.
Also, don’t mess with your pH. It’s probably buffering itself back down. And if your fish are fine with the water how it is, why change it? It’s only causing more stress changing the pH up and down all over the place.