pH drop

[vlvtrope]

My pH had been hovering around 6.4 during the day. A week after introducing fish, my pH dropped to 5.5 and is the same today. Should I be concerned? All other values (Nitrate, Ammonia, GH = 11, KH = 1, CO2) are fine. There is no distress seen in my fish and the plants are growing like crazy.

If I wanted to nudge the pH up a little bit, what is the safest way to do that?

Oh also, I'm thinking of aerating at night like Amano does--any thoughts?

 

[ccLansman]

What sort of test kit are you using? Are you sure its 5.5? It seems that if it was that acidic the fish would die. I would not put anything in that messes with ph other then gh booster as more of a buffer than anything.

 

[vlvtrope]

pH

I'm very sure as I'm using a laboratory-grade pH meter. My GH is fine so I'm not going to boost that any further.

 

[vlvtrope]

more

I just checked it with another pH meter and it definitely 5.5

 

[VaughnH]

PH5.5 is not too low for fish. Adding CO2 will often drop the pH that low. If you have any "drift wood" in the tank you probably have tannins also reducing the pH.

 

[ccLansman]

well i must be in the dark, i have never seen my ph go below 6.3ish. Since 5.5 would be compared to black coffee and any lower would be even more acidic how is lower then 5.5 ok? Wouldent that be pushing the limits of killing the fish?

 

[Carissa]

GH booster doesn't buffer anything to my knowledge. It is KH that buffers and has an effect on pH, not GH.

 

[neil1973]

Nearly all fish will be fine at ph 5.5. If you want to bring it up a bit then increase your KH a bit (e.g. sodium bicarbonate, calcium carbonate etc.). Changing some water will help remove whatever acids are pushing the ph down.

regards
Neil