# ph droped all of a sudden



## tiran (Apr 27, 2007)

my ph droped from 7.6 to 7.2 why is this, never had this problem before my tank has been running for two years. I just recently started feeding like crazey but i do lots of water changes somtimes everyday somtimes every third day, the ph coming out of my tap is 7.6 and considering i do lots of water changes large volume water changes my tank water should be the same as my tap which is 7.6 ,what could be some other reasons my ph all of a sudden droped please answer.


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## NegativeSpin (Aug 1, 2007)

What exactly is all of a sudden? How long after you do a water change? Did you add more fish to your tank recently?

The amino acids and proteins in the food you are feeding contain carboxylic acid groups, amine groups, and various configurations of aliphatic hydrocarbons. We all know the nitrogen containing amines end up getting taken care of in the nitrification cycle but also the carboxylic acids, and hydrocarbons are also oxidized to CO2. Some of the CO2 will go into solution as carbonic acid and this will do two things at the same time: Some of the hydrogen ions from the acid will form bicarbonate with the dissolved carbonates in the water. This alone will reduce the pH. At some point some of the bicarbonates will combine with the extra hydrogen ions from the carbonic acid and will form CO2 and H2O. This second process will further sequester more hydrogen ions from solution and cause the pH to drop some more. In short. The greater feedstock of carbon containing waste to your tank will lower the pH.


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## NegativeSpin (Aug 1, 2007)

The above is one explanation at least.


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## tiran (Apr 27, 2007)

NegativeSpin said:


> The above is one explanation at least.


so if im overfeeding with my fish load even if im doing lots of water changes its going to lower my ph still because of the over feeding


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## NegativeSpin (Aug 1, 2007)

tiran said:


> The above is one explanation at least.


so if im overfeeding with my fish load even if im doing lots of water changes its going to lower my ph still because of the over feeding
[/quote]

That's a question of how often you change the water and the kinetics of the aerobic processes breaking down the food. Kind of an academic question.


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## SERRAPYGO (Feb 4, 2003)

NegativeSpin said:


> What exactly is all of a sudden? How long after you do a water change? Did you add more fish to your tank recently?
> 
> The amino acids and proteins in the food you are feeding contain carboxylic acid groups, amine groups, and various configurations of aliphatic hydrocarbons. We all know the nitrogen containing amines end up getting taken care of in the nitrification cycle but also the carboxylic acids, and hydrocarbons are also oxidized to CO2. Some of the CO2 will go into solution as carbonic acid and this will do two things at the same time: Some of the hydrogen ions from the acid will form bicarbonate with the dissolved carbonates in the water. This alone will reduce the pH. At some point some of the bicarbonates will combine with the extra hydrogen ions from the carbonic acid and will form CO2 and H2O. This second process will further sequester more hydrogen ions from solution and cause the pH to drop some more. In short. The greater feedstock of carbon containing waste to your tank will lower the pH.


I have no idea what you are talking about, but, thank god for you water people!









I do know that 7.6 to 7.2 is no reason to bat an eyelash especially for piranhas. But, it's good you're keeping an eye on such things.









Sorry, I gotta move this thread..


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

I would test for kH to see if you need to start adding buffers.


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