Tank cycling and PH

[dmacch]

I am in the late stages of cycling my 55 gal tank, amonia is shrinking and nitrites are high. I haven't changed any water yet and have noticed that the ph is crashing, it has gone from 7.5 to 6.0. Is this normal?

[Carol_Roberts]

You must have soft water without much buffer. Are you using RO water or tap water?

[dmacch]

I used tap when I first filled the tank. The ph stay stable for the better part of the three weeks it has been up. all of a sudden the ph seems to be crashing. Keep in mind I haven't done any water changes yet. Just topping off with tap. Thanks

Dom

[ronrca]

Can you give us more info?
What is your kh and gh?
C02 injection? Plants or bare bottom?
Ph of your tap?


Thanks!

[Carol_Roberts]

So, then you must have soft water without much buffer (KH).

Minerals (buffer) are used during the normal process of nitrification (bacteria changing ammonia to nitrIte and then to nitrAte).

If you have soft water without much disolved mineral content your buffer is used up and the pH begins dropping rapidly. In many cases water changes alone will replace enough minerals to stabilize the pH. In very soft water you will have to add minerals with the water change.

Get a test kit of GH and KH. Tell us how many drops it takes and we can advise you further.

[dmacch]

my tank is bb and the ph is 8.0 out of tap. KH 6-7,gh 7. No plants in the tank.

[ronrca]

Do you or have you added anything to the water? Do you age/aerate your water for 24hours before a water change?

;)

[Carol_Roberts]

You have a nice amount of KH and GH. You should not have trouble with the pH dropping when you start daily water changes.

[dmacch]

Just did another check on the KH. Down to 4. Took the the driftwood out of the tank. Think that will help?

[ronrca]

Yea! Driftwood will release tanins into the water thus lowering ph. Is your water kind of brown? How long have you had the driftwood in the tank?

;)

Daily water changes will help! ;)

[dmacch]

Driftwood has been in there for a month and water does have a brown tinge to it. Even though my tank is not fully cycled can I do a water change? I'm afraid I'll slow down the process.

[Carol_Roberts]

What are you cycling the tank with?
IF pure ammonia, yes you can do a water change and add more ammonia.

Even if using fish you can do a 10% water change.

Pull the driftwood

[ronrca]

Do you have any fish in the tank?

If you do, do the wc's! It will slow the cycle a little but the fish are your main concern!

If you do not have fish, Im not sure if I didnt worry about it too much. You still can do the water change and add ammonia again. A small concern is, is that bacteria do not like ph swings either. So, by not stablizing the ph may have a negative impact anyways on your cycle!

Btw, how are you cycling the tank? Fishless or with fish?

;)

[dmacch]

Fishless cycling. Amonia was up to 3ppm. Last saturday it was almost 0. I kept adding amonia and the level is rising again, 1 - 2 ppm. Nitrites are 5ppm and nitrates are 110. How can the nitrates be so high with the nitrites so high?

[Carol_Roberts]

Do a 90% water change and add 3 -5 ppm ammonia and see what kind of readings you get . . . . you may be almost cycled.