# Major Ph Drop



## PirAnhA$p3ciAlisT (Oct 21, 2005)

My PH is usually around 7.0 and I just noticed yesterday that it went down below 6.0 and now my tank is not cycled. My ammonia is high, nitrite 0, nitrate 0.. Could it be the low PH drop killed all my bacteria? Can bacteria grow at such a low PH? What could have caused a major PH drop when I did nothing to my tank?


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## Lifer374 (Dec 5, 2003)

No new rocks or decorations?


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## Bawb2u (May 27, 2004)

PirAnhA$p3ciAlisT said:


> My PH is usually around 7.0 and I just noticed yesterday that it went down below 6.0 and now my tank is not cycled. My ammonia is high, nitrite 0, nitrate 0.. Could it be the low PH drop killed all my bacteria? Can bacteria grow at such a low PH? What could have caused a major PH drop when I did nothing to my tank?


Do a search on KH or carbonate hardness. That's the ability of your water to buffer and hold pH. Driftwood, food and fish waste or decaying plant matter will cause a pH drop in an unbuffered tank. Beneficial bacteria slow down or die off at low pH.


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## Piranha Dan (Nov 11, 2007)

Are you sure the tank was cycled to begin with? No Nitrate makes me suspicious that it wasn't.
Did you do any water changes lately and if so what is the PH of your tap water? Depending on where you life the PH out of your tap can swing pretty wildly, it might be that the drop was caused by you putting acidic water in the tank.
Do a water change and add some baking soda till you get back to 7ish, and your bacteria should bounce back.


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## PirAnhA$p3ciAlisT (Oct 21, 2005)

thanks


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