[sunkyokim]

My pH controller read my pH to be 6.1. The only thing i did different since yesterday was put in new driftwood and started injecting some co2 from a pressurized canister this morning. The pH test kit reads 7.3 but the pH controller reads 6.2. What do you think is going on? i just recalibrated the pH controller twice and things seem to be working fine. I really need help! The water is around 84 degrees... what do i do to make it go back up and normalize it? water change perhaps?

 

[yoink]

Putting in driftwood can lower your ph. Injecting co2 will lower your ph. What is your kh? How are your animals reacting to the new ph? What was your ph before the driftwood and co2?

 

[Hoppy]

If the test kit reads 7.3 and the controller reads 6.1, one has to be wrong. The problems with test kits are in judging the color of the sample versus the little color chart, but 7.3 looks much, much different from 6.1. So, I doubt that the controller is reading correctly. I don't use one, but I know you have to do a two point calibration for it to be accurate. That would mean having a test solution with PH=7.0 and one with PH=6.0 or 5.0. If you only have the 7.0 solution that could be the problem. In any case even 6.1 isn't a low enough reading for panic. If the fish are all at the top of the tank gulping air, you have too much CO2. The fix for that is to reduce or stop adding CO2 until the fish act normally. If the fish act normally you don't have too much CO2.

 

[Ibn]

Like what the others have said, what is your KH value at and how are your fish behaving? If they're doing fine, then I wouldn't worry too much about it. I'm currently running the tank at pH 5.8.

 

[ianiwane]

I agree a pH of 6.1 may not be bad at all depending on you kH. Like Eric I am running my tanks at lower pH's.