pH = 5.5, what now?

[sweetpuff]

Hi all. I'm still a little new to this whole planted tank gig.

Anyway, I tested the pH of my 12 gallon planted tank and it is consistently at 5.5. Even if I try doing 25%-50% water change it will revert back to 5.5 within a day.

My question is, should I do anything about it? Only plant that seems to be growing ok are the stem plants. My pearl grass is sorta like dying. Java moss isn't looking particularly healthy either. I've stopped using DIY CO2 for a couple of days and there's no change in the pH.

The tank is 22 days old and I've already a number of fishes in there.

[MikeNas102]

Your low ph could be caused by rotting organic material in the tank. Too much fish food, too much fish poop, a rotting piece of driftwood, dead rotting plants, etc. Do you use a gravel vac? Maybe cut back on the feeding? Just doing a water change won't help much if your not getting rid of the source cause.

[sweetpuff]

Thanks! I'll look into it. The water's dKH is 2, if that helps any...

[John S]

have u tested the ph out of the tap water after it rested for 24 hours?? if u have then if its still 5.5 then water changes arent going to help raise it?? or it could be a bad test kit.

[fresh_lynny]

my tank runs at about 5.5 and has for over a year.
I never have raised it, nor will I.

[sweetpuff]

I tried dropping some corals into my HOB and pH shot up from 5.5 to 7.5 within 10 hours. My pencil fishes are turning very 'white'. I've removed about half the amount of corals and did about 30% water change.

Anything else I should be doing to save my fishes from pH shock? I didn't realised that pH can change so much.

[cbennett]

my pH stays consistently ~5.7 with zero problems, plants are growing gangbusters and the fish are breeding like crazy. BUT i do make sure that I keep the KH around 2 degrees. Making sure you have enough KH means that your pH won't crash if you add CO2 - it'll keep the pH nice and steady.

Christine

P.S. KH 2°dH = KH 35mg/L = KH 35ppm

[mrbelvedere]

Keep your kH low. I've yet to see any negative repercussions of a low pH. Mine hovers around 4-4.5. My kH is zero, gH also zero.

[mistergreen]

Originally Posted by mrbelvedere

Keep your kH low. I've yet to see any negative repercussions of a low pH. Mine hovers around 4-4.5. My kH is zero, gH also zero.

huh? do you have plants? I thought plant thrive with some KH & GH.
They need Mg, Ca etc..

[fresh_lynny]

Mr Belevedere is 100% correct. I have a KH of zero as well and a very low pH. No problems....fish happy and spawning plants grow like gangbusters.... that pH crash crap has been disproven, so it may be best to stop perpetuating the same old dribble... DO not drop coral in your tanks or anything of the like...the pH is not harming your fish <that likely is>

You can dose Mg with your traces and a little CaCl2 with traces while EI dosing, but no need to whip out the test kits and put in coral and Baking soda and all of that crapola.