PH concern

[Seanbhoy]

Hi folks, I got myself 7 discus at 3 and 4inch around a month ago. All my parameters are fine apart from my ph which is sitting at 6.5 in the tank but coming out my tap about 7.5. What could be causing it to drop?

[LizStreithorst]

Hi folks, I got myself 7 discus at 3 and 4inch around a month ago. All my parameters are fine apart from my ph which is sitting at 6.5 in the tank but coming out my tap about 7.5. What could be causing it to drop?

It will drop like that when the water source your getting your tap water is over oxygenated. Does you water come from a surface source of from a well? Putting your water that you use for WC in a Barrell, toss in an air stone and see if it doesn't drop after 12 hrs.

The other reason this might happen is because not enough water is being changed and it's not changed often enough. This puts too much bioload in the tank so the pH will drop. What is your water change routine?

A constant drop will be detrimental to the fish over time. Discus require stability in their water parameters.

[bluelagoon]

You water suppler is probably using something to increase the PH so it won't corrode metal pipes. It looks like you have little KH to begin with. The dropping is likely caused by ion exchange due to the food metabolizing your putting in the tank. So, KH if you bicarbonate is a negetive charge and the metabolized food carries a possitive charge. That's what makes water deplete it's minerals and PH drops. If you never put something like food in the water, the water will remain the same ph after settling.

[bluelagoon]

By the way a lot of folks would love to have your water for SA species.

[Seanbhoy]

Yeah the waters pretty soft here in scotland, is there a risk of the ph crashingbin the tank

[Seanbhoy]

I would post a picture of the readings but I cant seem to post pictures.

[bluelagoon]

Some folks will put a bit of coral in their filter to keep the Kh up and PH from crashing.