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My 29g tank has a pH of 6.6. My other two tanks (55g and 10g) have pH's of 7. I would like my pH to be 7 in the 29g. What is the best way to up the pH and keep it stable. I know that most of those products you can buy are crap. My KH is 4 and GH is 9.

In my tank I have neons, glowlights, panda cories, bolivian ram, and an opaline gourami. Is 6.6 too low for them? My tank is planted.

*Kristin*

Girlie,

According to the fish profiles here your pH falls well within the range for each species fish you mentioned. I don't think you have a problem and it is probably better not to start messing with water chemistry if you don't have to.

If you really want to increase it you could just add some baking soda. This will increase your KH and help raise the pH plus help buffer it to keep it up there. You can search the internet for how much to add to raise the pH to 7.

-Rick


Rick
See all my pictures at Google Web Albums

GG,

What is your tap water PH after the water stands for 24 hours? Has your 29G tank been set-up longer than your other tanks?



__________
"To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism; to steal from many is research."
researched from Steven Wright

GirlieGirl8519,

Just like Bob, I am also wondering why your ph in this tank is lower than in the others. Are you adding any peat or do you have loads of diftwood, or what else do you think is lowering the ph?

And why do you want it to be 7? is there any fish that you want that could not live at 6.6?

Ingo

---

Proud Member of the New Jersey Aquatic Gardeners Club

What is your tap water PH after the water stands for 24 hours?

Will have to check when I get home.

Has your 29G tank been set-up longer than your other tanks

nope...actually it has been set up the least amount of time...about 3 months ago. The 10g has been set up over a year and my 55g has been set up about 6 months.

Are you adding any peat or do you have loads of diftwood, or what else do you think is lowering the ph

I am not adding anything except fertilizers...which are the same ones I add to the other tanks (Flourish line).
I have a piece of Swahala DW. This piece came from Drs Foster and Smith, while my other piece (same type) came from a person on ebay. That may have something to do with it. I had some Malaysian DW in a 10g before that lowered my pH alot. I didn't think the African Swahala kind was supposed to affect water chemistry though.

I just thought 6.6 is low because in the past, my pH in other tanks has been above 7 (around 7.4), so 6.6 sounds low to me. If my fish will be fine in that pH then I will leave it alone.

I am toying with the idea of DIY CO2 on this tank, but I know it lowers the pH. I didn't want it to get too low. And I don't know what kinds of things raise the pH and how to keep it there (haven't messed with anything of that nature yet).

Thanks for the advice guys.

*Kristin*

Check your readings again. Somethings not right. pH of 6.6 and a KH of 4 is not possible unless you are adding Co2 to this tank which you say you are not.

One of the readings is wrong.

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

bensaf: I will check them again. The KH test is hard to read.
The test is an Aquarium Pharmaceuticals KH/GH test. The instructions say the water will turn blue initially. Then you have to add a drop and mix it each time. When it turns positive it is supposed to turn from clear to yellow. Well mine never turns clear. It goes from blue to greenish to yellow (at about 3 or 4 drops).

If my pH is right, what would the KH be? Or around what number?

edit: Ok checked my pH again...and it is still 6.6. I tried to check the KH again, but I keep getting either 3 or 4. I think something may be wrong with the liquid stuff because in my other tanks the KH has been above that...but so has the pH.

I checked the tap water after sitting for 12 hours (hasn't been 24 yet) and it is a surprising 7.2. Definitely above 7. My guess is that the wood has brought the pH down. I haven't added anything that would bring it down.

Very strange.

*Kristin*

Hi,
I use the same products for my testing.
When you add the first drop it turns blue and
as you add additional drops the blue will generally
get a bit darker with each drop. Then you add one
more drop and it changes from blue to a yellowish green.
That change is the KH. In your case, if it chages at
3 drops, then your KH is 3 if it changes from blue
to the yellowish green at 4 drops the KH is 4.

Look for the drop that changes the color from blue to
something else, that last drop is your KH.

Frank

-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Assuming no Co2 is being added with a KH of 3-4 pH should be in the region of 7.4 to 7.6.

What you describe in measuring after 24 hours and seeing ahigher pH is typical of a co2 supplemented tank. Leave the wtaer test standing for 24 hrs and the Co2 evapoartes into equilibrium with the athmosphere and the pH rises. But you're not adding Co2 , very strange

---

Some days you're the pigeon and some days you're the statue.

Remember that age and treachery will always triumph over youth and ability.

Well I'm starting to think that my KH test is no good. I checked the KH of all my tanks and the tap water and the water turned blue with the first drop and then a greenish-yellow at the second drop, which would indicate a KH of 1. I think I will try to get another KH test this week.

As for the pH...I tested the tap water that has been standing for 24 hours. It was 7.4.

I also checked my 3 tanks:
29g-6.8 (looks more like 6.8 today than 6.6)
55g-7.0
10g-7.0

The 10g and 55g are the same. The colors on the test were identical, at 7.0.

The 29g isn't far off, at 6.8, but the KH's are very strange.
I'll get another test kit so I'll know what my KH actually is.

*Kristin*

I bought a Hagen KH/GH test kit. When I tested the 29g last night, I got a KH of 4 or 5. They have a color thing to compare to, so you know when to stop adding. I checked the pH with my AP test kit and it looked closer to 7. Does that sound right? I am still not adding CO2 or anything that affects pH or KH.

*Kristin*

Hi,
The best thing you could do is either call, or log onto
your water company. They can tell you what the GH and KH
of the water is that they are supplying you.
I don't know where you live in the US, however if your
water is drawn from limestone formations, for instance,
it will have a high KH and probably a high GH.

If you know what you are dealing with out of the tap
then, perhaps, the test results you are seeing will make
more sense.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

Thanks Frank! I will call my water company and see whats up. I don't know if the water is drawn from limestone or not. I live in Alabama. Thanks for the advice./:'

*Kristin*

May I know how you test your pH? Using pH test kit or pH test pen?

No way your water is flowing through much limestone unless your test kits are way off or they are really filtering and softening the water. Water here goes through limestone and it comes out with a ph between 8-9 and the kh and gh top out at 20 during certain times of the year. Someone at the lfs told me that water filtering through limestone can actually reach 11ph under the best(or maybe considered the worst) circumstances.

It would be good to check with their readings though and see what they are testing the water at. You can also ask how they filter it and if they add anything to soften(or even buffer) the water. Sometimes phosphate buffers can cause strange readings.

May I know how you test your pH

With my Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master test kit (its liquid).

I haven't had a chance to check with the water authority yet. I will ask about filtering and softeners, Sham, maybe that will help explain the low KH.

I know the water is taken from a river. I am not sure how they draw it or filter it or any of that though. I will soon find out.

*Kristin*

Hi Girlie,

Maybe pre-condition your water before pumping into your main tank will helps. Besides, aged water is still works best for me no stress for my fishes and pH quite in line with my main tank.