LouDogge
06-07-2019, 09:04 AM
Hello all,
I have fish-less cycled a 75 gallon tank with hopes to fill it with 6 adult discus. Tank has been running about 2.5 months and cycled.
This was a slow process but eventually cycled.
0 ppm ammonia ( goes from 2 ppm to 0 in ~12 hrs)
0 ppm Nitrite ( consistently)
Nitrate ~ 5 ppm (currently after large water change. Was up there near 50-60+ ppm before w/c)
I have change water 5 times during the cycle.
My question relates to PH drop. I have well water and age it in a barrel with air stones & heater.
I use the api master kit so reading the colors is not the most accurate means. what i see is:
Well water has high alkalinity (120-150 ish on a pool test strip)
somewhat low hardness ( lab test myself (chemistry for engineers class) at ~50 ppm carbonate hardness was the test i think but i remember 50 ppm for sure)
H20 out of tap PH ~8.3
Aged water doesn't change much, slightly lowers to ~8.1 PH
What happened after my last two water changes was the PH dropped to 7.8/7.9 overnight less than 12 hrs. It remains at this PH for weeks or until next water change. ( no crashing)
The first two water changes did not change much at all but the tank was still cycling.
I added some manzanita branches around this point. ( im thinking this may be the culprit) but tannin's are not real noticeable any more after a couple w/c's.
Will this change in PH effect discus when i do large water changes? Going from ~7.8 to 8.1 with a big water change and then back to 7.8 overnight? Everything i read states this is not ideal and I do not want to stress the fish.
Maybe i am just overthinking.
Any thoughts would be great. Thanks for your help. Ill do an intro post in the introductions section.
I have fish-less cycled a 75 gallon tank with hopes to fill it with 6 adult discus. Tank has been running about 2.5 months and cycled.
This was a slow process but eventually cycled.
0 ppm ammonia ( goes from 2 ppm to 0 in ~12 hrs)
0 ppm Nitrite ( consistently)
Nitrate ~ 5 ppm (currently after large water change. Was up there near 50-60+ ppm before w/c)
I have change water 5 times during the cycle.
My question relates to PH drop. I have well water and age it in a barrel with air stones & heater.
I use the api master kit so reading the colors is not the most accurate means. what i see is:
Well water has high alkalinity (120-150 ish on a pool test strip)
somewhat low hardness ( lab test myself (chemistry for engineers class) at ~50 ppm carbonate hardness was the test i think but i remember 50 ppm for sure)
H20 out of tap PH ~8.3
Aged water doesn't change much, slightly lowers to ~8.1 PH
What happened after my last two water changes was the PH dropped to 7.8/7.9 overnight less than 12 hrs. It remains at this PH for weeks or until next water change. ( no crashing)
The first two water changes did not change much at all but the tank was still cycling.
I added some manzanita branches around this point. ( im thinking this may be the culprit) but tannin's are not real noticeable any more after a couple w/c's.
Will this change in PH effect discus when i do large water changes? Going from ~7.8 to 8.1 with a big water change and then back to 7.8 overnight? Everything i read states this is not ideal and I do not want to stress the fish.
Maybe i am just overthinking.
Any thoughts would be great. Thanks for your help. Ill do an intro post in the introductions section.