# High Ph Not Sure Why



## cruppie (May 6, 2010)

I just found a great deal on a used 55 gallon fish tank so got it started i put everything in there that im supposed to ad i wash everything, but once im done filling it up i wait 10 days to test it and it comes up as 8.5 ph when my tap water tests at 7.6. I not realy sure whats causeing it i have a piece of drift wood in there some plants and a foam pad for bubbles.Please help ive waited another week to see if it lowers at all but it doesnt.


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

what test kit are you using to test the water? check to make sure your test kit is not expired. also you can try taking a sample of water to the local fish store for them to test your water to verify the results. ph should drop with driftwood so that is very weird.


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## cruppie (May 6, 2010)

It is a fresh water master test kit i got it at petsmart.

Forgot to add thats its the api brand


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

Weird, what do you have in there for substrate? Any rocks in there? or any metals?

That's all I can think of...


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## Us And Them (Dec 4, 2008)

If you have any rock in your tank it will raise the acidity of the water , or if you are using Crushed coral as a substrate that would do it for sure.
or any traces of it in the substrate.


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

Not every rock will raise your pH, just carbonates. This is probably it though.

Were there any calcium build ups on the tank? I doubt it could raise it that much, but it's a thought.

Another off the wall idea would be if your water comes from a fairly stagnant source with high CO2 content. When the CO2 rich water gets aerated it will ditch the CO2, and the pH will raise. Like I said, that's a pretty wild idea and unlikely. You can check this theory by putting JUST the water in a bucket and tossing an air stone in it to aerate it. If it raises, that's probably your issue.

I think I'm done cluttering your mind with wild thoughts now.


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## cruppie (May 6, 2010)

Thanks for the tips, but my fish tank doesnt have any calcium build up or i dont have any rocks in there just some gravel. I did notice today though that it went down a little in the ph should i just wait and see if it keeps lowering?


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

I personally wouldn't wait it out, I'd try to find the source, Ph doesn't just jump like that for no reason....


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## cruppie (May 6, 2010)

Could it be because my fish tank doesnt have a lid or aquarium lights yet?


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## Plowboy (Apr 9, 2008)

nope


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## cruppie (May 6, 2010)

How about this, since i bought the fish tank and the filter used could i be that the person before couldve had a problem with her fish tank and the filter media is leaking whatever was in her fish tank into mine, causing my ph to raise?


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## HGI (Oct 27, 2009)

So what did you use from the seller?

Substrate? You said your using gravel? Is this gravel from the seller?

Filter, What kind of filter is it? And your using the media (sponge, ceramic rings) that the seller had or did you replace it with new?

My guess right now is it could be something in your filter if you haven't cleaned it out before you started using it, maybe the seller had a small bag of crushed coral in there to raise the PH for him. Other than that you don't have anyone making wishes and flipping coins into your tank do you


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## cruppie (May 6, 2010)

Its an aqua tech 30 60 gallon filter i did clean it out but there was still some things inside it i couldnt get out, and i bought the gravel from a store i didnt use any from the seller


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## cruppie (May 6, 2010)

Its the worst type of filter i could have for a fish tank isnt it?


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## Tensa (Jul 28, 2008)

sorry havent been really following the thread but the filter you listed is a quality filter just undersized for your needs. you dont ever really get a filter completely clean but when you setup a tank with the filters and everything you dont do a complete clean ever again you just rinse lightly every few months the debri left in the filter with tank water so you preserve your beneficial bacteria.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

What was the brand and type gravel you bought and put in the tank ?Also test your tank water as well as tap water for kH and post your results.


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## cruppie (May 6, 2010)

I dont remember what the brand of my gravel is so next time i go to the fish store ill find out and my test kit doesnt measure hardness or kh it only measures ph,ammonia,nitrite,and nitrate.


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