high ph

thestranger66 · 09-07-2008, 07:39 PM

I have consistenly high ph (~7.5) in my 10 gal tank and i suspect that it may be affecting plant growth and the happiness of my fish. The growth of my glosso has been very slow although it is creeping very low. I inject diy co2 and use 54 watts over my tank. My tank also has a flourite substrate. Any suggestions? Thanks

**epicfish** · 09-07-2008, 07:44 PM

What fish do you have?

Glosso is fine with that pH. How are you injecting CO2 and what filtration method do you have?

thestranger66 · 09-07-2008, 10:20 PM

i had three lamp eyes that all died in a matter of about two weeks. They never had really good color and were always very skittish. I have a 20 oz water bottle with yeast fermentation fed into the tank with tubing and then through a chopstick. The co2 also passes through my powerhead. I have a standard hob filter rated at 80 gph. thanks again.

**epicfish** · 09-07-2008, 10:28 PM

Depending on what species lamp eye...they should be fine at that pH.
See here: http://www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish...mpeyeKillifish

Does your HOB filter splash water, or is the water consistently high enough to prevent the water from falling a distance before hitting the surface?

The reason I ask is because the more surface agitation/turbulence you have, the quicker the injected CO2 is outgassed. If there is even a little bit of splashing, I bet you most of the CO2 is actually released into the atmosphere before the plants are able to use it.

**customdrumfinishes** · 09-07-2008, 11:13 PM

you using city or well water? check the ph out the tap.

thestranger66 · 09-07-2008, 11:35 PM

There is no surface agitation whatsoever from the filter or powerhead. The ph of the tap is about the same as the tank water. However, I have had tanks in the past that had ph around 6.5 consistently without buffers. Any ideas as to why the glossos isnt growing then?

**lauraleellbp** · 09-08-2008, 06:19 AM

Have you checked your kH?

**Wö£fëñxXx** · 09-08-2008, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thestranger66

I have consistenly high ph (~7.5) in my 10 gal tank and i suspect that it may be affecting plant growth and the happiness of my fish. The growth of my glosso has been very slow although it is creeping very low. I inject diy co2 and use 54 watts over my tank. My tank also has a flourite substrate. Any suggestions? Thanks

You have to much light on the glosso in a 10g tank
with DIY C02, reduce you're light by half and add another
bottle of yeast mix, plus NPK-TE.

**jaidexl** · 09-08-2008, 08:19 AM

A pH of 7.5 is not going to kill your fish. However, an unstable hardness from artificial buffering/dilution will if you aren't careful. There are also a million other reasons for fish death that make a 7.5pH highly unlikely IMHO.

The plants, that's a different matter depending on species and your KH. But what Wö£fëñxXx mentioned is more important to address before that.

thestranger66 · 09-09-2008, 02:48 AM

no i have never tested my kh what is it supposed to be at? Why do you think i need less light? I actually upgraded because someone told me i didnt have enough.

**Wö£fëñxXx** · 09-09-2008, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thestranger66

Why do you think i need less light? I actually upgraded because someone told me i didnt have enough.

Someone told you? I believe I would have gotten a second
opinion on that.
KH nor pH have anything to do with your poor glosso and
fish stress.

Most likely just poor water conditions and low 02.

Raise your light up off the tank some.
You need to feed the plants daily with that much light.
do you dose?

You may need to do some homework...

thestranger66 · 09-09-2008, 11:27 PM

Okay, I actually added 5 thredfin rainbows today and they seem much happier than the lamp eye ever were. They are swimming alll around the tank with good color unlike the lampeyes ever did. I dont think that I have poor 02 conditions because of how much my hm in the back is pearling. What do you mean by poor water conditions? And I still dont know what Kh is and how to deal with it. Thanks again.

**jaidexl** · 09-09-2008, 11:40 PM

KH = Carbonate Hardness - measure of carbonates and bicarbonates

GH = General Hardness - measure of calcium, magnesium and a few other trace elements

Both are factors that affect your pH, KH does more than anything. A person with a 10dKH (degrees KH) will have a higher pH than someone who has 3dKH.

SpeedEuphoria · 09-10-2008, 01:38 AM

are you dosing ferts? if not thats your issue

as for the PH, mine is 8.0 and my fish/shrimp are fine as are the plants

09-07-2008, 07:39 PM	#1 (permalink)
thestranger66 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: New Canaan, CT, USA Posts: 48	high ph I have consistenly high ph (~7.5) in my 10 gal tank and i suspect that it may be affecting plant growth and the happiness of my fish. The growth of my glosso has been very slow although it is creeping very low. I inject diy co2 and use 54 watts over my tank. My tank also has a flourite substrate. Any suggestions? Thanks __________________ 10 gal RCS colony Tank: http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/c...k/DSCN0024.jpg

09-07-2008, 10:20 PM	#3 (permalink)
thestranger66 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: New Canaan, CT, USA Posts: 48	i had three lamp eyes that all died in a matter of about two weeks. They never had really good color and were always very skittish. I have a 20 oz water bottle with yeast fermentation fed into the tank with tubing and then through a chopstick. The co2 also passes through my powerhead. I have a standard hob filter rated at 80 gph. thanks again. __________________ 10 gal RCS colony Tank: http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/c...k/DSCN0024.jpg

09-07-2008, 11:35 PM	#6 (permalink)
thestranger66 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: New Canaan, CT, USA Posts: 48	There is no surface agitation whatsoever from the filter or powerhead. The ph of the tap is about the same as the tank water. However, I have had tanks in the past that had ph around 6.5 consistently without buffers. Any ideas as to why the glossos isnt growing then? __________________ 10 gal RCS colony Tank: http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/c...k/DSCN0024.jpg

09-08-2008, 06:19 AM	#7 (permalink)
lauraleellbp Fresh Fish Freak (View User Tanks) PTrader: (37) Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Naples, Florida Posts: 8,786	Have you checked your kH? __________________ Laura Lee; 29gal, 46gal,and 90gal FW planted in progress- see my journal at http://forums.tfhmagazine.com/viewto...p?f=82&t=23207

09-09-2008, 02:48 AM	#10 (permalink)
thestranger66 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: New Canaan, CT, USA Posts: 48	no i have never tested my kh what is it supposed to be at? Why do you think i need less light? I actually upgraded because someone told me i didnt have enough. __________________ 10 gal RCS colony Tank: http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/c...k/DSCN0024.jpg

09-07-2008, 07:44 PM	#2 (permalink)
epicfish Planted Tank n00b (View User Tanks) PTrader: (89) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 7,359	What fish do you have? Glosso is fine with that pH. How are you injecting CO2 and what filtration method do you have?

09-07-2008, 10:28 PM	#4 (permalink)
epicfish Planted Tank n00b (View User Tanks) PTrader: (89) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 7,359	Depending on what species lamp eye...they should be fine at that pH. See here: http://www.tropicalfish4u.co.uk/Fish...mpeyeKillifish Does your HOB filter splash water, or is the water consistently high enough to prevent the water from falling a distance before hitting the surface? The reason I ask is because the more surface agitation/turbulence you have, the quicker the injected CO2 is outgassed. If there is even a little bit of splashing, I bet you most of the CO2 is actually released into the atmosphere before the plants are able to use it.

09-07-2008, 11:13 PM	#5 (permalink)
customdrumfinishes its only the end!!! (View User Tanks) PTrader: (49) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: south carolina Posts: 1,222	you using city or well water? check the ph out the tap.

09-08-2008, 08:19 AM	#9 (permalink)
jaidexl Custom User (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 33919 Posts: 2,354	A pH of 7.5 is not going to kill your fish. However, an unstable hardness from artificial buffering/dilution will if you aren't careful. There are also a million other reasons for fish death that make a 7.5pH highly unlikely IMHO. The plants, that's a different matter depending on species and your KH. But what Wö£fëñxXx mentioned is more important to address before that.

09-09-2008, 11:27 PM	#12 (permalink)
thestranger66 Algae Grower (View User Tanks) PTrader: (0) Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: New Canaan, CT, USA Posts: 48	Okay, I actually added 5 thredfin rainbows today and they seem much happier than the lamp eye ever were. They are swimming alll around the tank with good color unlike the lampeyes ever did. I dont think that I have poor 02 conditions because of how much my hm in the back is pearling. What do you mean by poor water conditions? And I still dont know what Kh is and how to deal with it. Thanks again. __________________ 10 gal RCS colony Tank: http://i526.photobucket.com/albums/c...k/DSCN0024.jpg

09-09-2008, 11:40 PM	#13 (permalink)
jaidexl Custom User (View User Tanks) PTrader: (32) Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: 33919 Posts: 2,354	KH = Carbonate Hardness - measure of carbonates and bicarbonates GH = General Hardness - measure of calcium, magnesium and a few other trace elements Both are factors that affect your pH, KH does more than anything. A person with a 10dKH (degrees KH) will have a higher pH than someone who has 3dKH.

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