Still low ph in tank.

[flukes]

I really iam lost to why my tank drops to 6.0 and my storage waer is 6.8, iam doing 10% - 15% water changes everyday to not put much stress on the fish but it seems to drop fairly quickly after a water change. At first i thought it was some rocks i put in, when i got the rocks i did the vingar test and no fizzle so i used them but i still thought it could be them, so i took them out but still the ph sits at 6.0.
What else could be doing this? It was meantioned that high nitrates would lower a ph but with daily water changes and in a planted tank i didnt think nitrates would be a problem. The only other thing i could think of was that i didnt give the driftwood enough of a scrub, but even then would driftwood lower a ph that much??


Cheers
Scott

[kevkoi]

U wanna do a kH test and tell us the results of that mate?

kev

[flukes]

I did the 5ml test and it was hard to tell so i did a 10ml test an it was on 1.5, I know it is kinda low but still it is that low in my aging water and the ph still sits at 6.8.

Gh = 3

[gsaqua]

Changing 10% of your water will have no significant effect on the ph levels, for example, if you change 10% of a tank 200 liter with a ph of 6 with water that is 6.8 the ph of the tank will end up at 6.08 and a drop of .08 will happen within hours if your tank has stabilized at 6, so unless you are measuring your ph with an electronic ph tester you will not even notice a difference in ph.

George

[DiscusMan]

Scott,

What type of filtration are you using. Mini reef type system tend to lower the PH by the way in which they work. People running these seem to have little trouble getting there PH down and i get comments of damn it is hard to raise it up.

Just a thought

Wayne

[flukes]

iam using a ug and a canister filter (ehiem 2213)

[luvfishies]

ug?

They are notorious nitrate producers. I would bet money that there is sludge under the plates that is breaking down causing a pH drop (if your KH is low)

Get some clear flexible hosing (available at hardware stores or plumbing supply stores) and siphon UNDER the ug plates. Do up to a 50% w/c when doing this, and do this daily if possible. Every other day would do, but daily is better.

[Annie]

I totally agree with Luv. But I would have to say that I would not even give the option to my self with water changes. It would be everyday.

[flukes]

Iam doing water changes everyday!! have been for some time now and even before that it was every second day.

I tried "flushing" underneath the plates and it did bring out alot of gunk, but not as much as i expected. Iam going to try under the plates again today and then this afternoon ill clean the gravel. Then test tonight and tommorow morning.

I dont think its a matter of dirt/waste in the tank because I clean the thourghly every day.

Ahhh well learn my lesson with the UG. But soon they will be in a bare bottom, i just finished making a stand to hold 3x4fts. Dont know if i can use all 3 for discus though as the bottom one is too low for them and the top one is very close to the roof so clean it will be a pain. But once its up and running atleast they will have a new more suitable home.

[luvfishies]

Iam doing water changes everyday!! have been for some time now and even before that it was every second day.

I tried "flushing" underneath the plates and it did bring out alot of gunk, but not as much as i expected. Iam going to try under the plates again today and then this afternoon ill clean the gravel. Then test tonight and tommorow morning.

I dont think its a matter of dirt/waste in the tank because I clean the thourghly every day.

Ahhh well learn my lesson with the UG. But soon they will be in a bare bottom, i just finished making a stand to hold 3x4fts. Dont know if i can use all 3 for discus though as the bottom one is too low for them and the top one is very close to the roof so clean it will be a pain. But once its up and running atleast they will have a new more suitable home.

I realise that, but the amount you're doing won't help the low pH issue!

I don't mean flushing under the plates, I mean SUCKING the crap out from under there! I know this doesn't really compare, but I had a Betta in a 5g with UG, and when I tore out the UG about 3 months later cos of chronically bad water I was appalled and amazed at what had accumulated under there in such a short time!

[flukes]

Thats what i meant by flushing - I got a flexable tube (like you said) put it under the plate and syphoned out 40% of the tanks water volume. It did clean it a bit. Then i also used a power head down the UG like a reverse flow ug that just sent all dirt into the tank free floating and then sucked up by the cannister, i then gave that a clean. I ll do under the plates again today and give the gravel a clean and then ill test. I really need a nitrate test kit to see if thats the problem.

[Annie]

I am sure you already know this, but as a FYI incase not, all the build up of debris makes it very easy to have a high Nitrate issue.
Also, Nitrates over 20 ppm or so will also cause the pH to drop, as it is an acid. Good for some Discus tanks, but the higher the nitrate levels the higher and severe the consequences due to the stress on your fish.

[flukes]

I am moving them to a bare bottom this week, but id just lie to know if anyone has used a nitrate filter?? Just wondering how they work and are they only useful for saltwater aquariums??

Cheers
Scott