HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

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nphilli31
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HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by nphilli31 »

Ok, I have a 55 gallon currently housing 2 GSPs. They started getting bored so I decided to go to my lfs and get a huge piece of bog-wood for them to explore.

After having it in my tank for just a day my PH went from 6.9 to 5.2......... LAME!!!!!!
I have since removed my bog-wood and added about 30 pounds of crushed coral to try to buffer the PH. Now keep in mind I am a total newb. Got the GSPs without knowing anything about them... I have done a TON of research since then, but don't have the experience. Please help!!! I feel so bad for my Fish!!! My PH is not coming back up.
I also have a power-head going to airate the water, so the gas exchange can buffer it as well.
Nothing seems to be helping been 3 days and my ph is still at 5.4. What can i do? i don't want to add chemicals, cause i will have to keep adding them and they can cause spikes.

P.S. This is the first time my PH has fluctuated since I cycled the tank always has been at 6.9
So many water changes, so little time.
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by Flutter »

Water changes are always good. Otherwise it will take some time for the pH to go back to normal. Don't worry about it. A slow change is better than a quicker one.
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by Pufferpunk »

Read my sig & do lots of them!
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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nphilli31
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by nphilli31 »

Sig? I am really sorry I am new to this whole thing. What does SIG mean?
So many water changes, so little time.
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by Pufferpunk »

My signature is under all my comments. ;)
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by RTR »

What is the specific gravity and the KH?

Aeration in BW or SW tanks is a messy practice. Salt creep is a nightmare IMHO.
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nphilli31
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by nphilli31 »

SG 1.010 KH 75. I have a ton of crushed coral and even threw in some petrified coral to try to bring my KH up as much as possible. I never thought with a KH that high i would get a swing like that. Yeah salt creep sucks. I put it in there cause i am desperate!Lol. once i get my PH back up I will take it out again... Since the problem started I have also been doing 5 water changes a week. 15% each. (that's all my bucket will hold). Today I tested again and it is rising slowly. very slowly. I am kinda afraid that all my beneficial bacteria died. Though with all my water changes I have yet to see any ammonia.
So many water changes, so little time.
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by bertie 83 »

Double your water changes, do one morning and one evening, you will soon have it back in order.
It's amazing how easy maintenance is. If done regularly and thoroughly
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by RTR »

Bogwood, or any wood in BW or SW s asking for pH issues.

A bit late now for this set-up, but cruched coral is not as effective at supporting KH & pH as is aragonite. The crushed coral is less soluble, which is why it is less effective.

Surface current, even without any bubbles or other surface breaks is effective in supporting oxygen and CO2 trasfer in and out of the water volume. Bubbles are not required.
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nphilli31
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by nphilli31 »

Yeah, I am new to this whole aquarium thing. Honestly these are the first fish I have ever kept. I didnt realize the bogwood would do so much to the PH. The reason i put it in there is cause my fish are bored. They keep swimming up and down the side of the glass. The wood is large and full of holes and places for them to explore. I am not full marine yet so i cant have LR. But i am too brackish for most plants available to me. I just got a pre- drilled 75g. I might just set that up with full marine and re house them early.

P.S. Why does bogwood effect the PH in brackish/marine setups more than FW?
So many water changes, so little time.
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by RTR »

It acidifies FW as well, but that effect in BW & SW is not ever beneficial to the critters we keep. Until the tank is full marine, we rely on aerobic bacterial detoxification of nitrogen wastes (ammonia and nitrite) where the bugs need high pH. As you found out, masses of wood can drop the KH and pH, and that can be down to levels which can injure the beneficial bacteria. BW/SW should always be pretty highly alkaline, and stable.
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by Pufferpunk »

I added a HUGE piece of driftwood to my 90g. It is the length & height of the tank (cost me a pretty penny too). I was concerned about pH swings, as I do 75% WC on the tank weekly. Every week the tank becomes a dark brown color. Checked the pH before & after WC &n it's the same as my tap water, 7.2. Weird...
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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nphilli31
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by nphilli31 »

That is really strange. My ph seems to be a little more stable now that i have been up on the water changes *Twice a day* and removed the driftwood. I also got a new test kit thinking maybe my test kit was failing. The levels are now better at 6.4. I tested my tap water and it's pH is 5.9 The crushed coral seems to really be helping as well. Thank you all again for your input. I really appreciate this thread. :D
So many water changes, so little time.
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nphilli31
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by nphilli31 »

Oh One more thing. I noticed on one of the GSPs after the pH had the huge swing, there is a small lump on the left side of his stomach. Should i worry?
So many water changes, so little time.
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Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
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suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles
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Re: HELP!!! MY PH IS CRAZY!!!

Post by Pufferpunk »

That's just food.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...

"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
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