# Keeping the ph steady



## milesd_66 (Feb 9, 2004)

I've had my 90 gallon tank running with a fluval 403 canister for 3 weeks. All my water tests are in the acceptable range except for ph. My water was extremely alkaline. I added some stuff I got from the pet store to the water and lowered it to 6.8 which is what I wanted for my rbp's. I added 4 platy's to make sure the water was ok. A couple died so I checked the water again. The ph had risen again to above 8. What could be causing this? I was able to lower the ph again but it still seems to be rising. I want to add my rbp's to the tank but I'm worried that the ph will rise again to unsafe levels.


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## Dr. Giggles (Oct 18, 2003)

Leave the ph alone. Lowering and raising the ph between those levels does alot more harm (and possibly fatal) to fish compared to just leaving it alone. Your tank hasn't settled yet. My faucet water is 7.0 and my tank is 7.6. My tanks are 4 months running. Also have you checked for general hardness of your water. You might need to add buffers. *Perform searches for high ph you might find what your looking for.*


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## milesd_66 (Feb 9, 2004)

Thanks alot. I'll give the search a try.


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## Guest (Feb 20, 2004)

jerry_plakyda said:


> Leave the ph alone. Lowering and raising the ph between those levels does alot more harm (and possibly fatal) to fish compared to just leaving it alone.


 That's right.

Something other than pH probably killed your platys because those fish actually like water with a higher pH range.

Maybe some peat in your filter or some big pieces of Malaysian Bogwood would help lower your pH.


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## Daddy O (Jan 16, 2004)

Check your Kh if it's to low your Ph will not be stable.


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## jah maan (Jan 20, 2004)

Bullsnake said:


> Maybe some peat in your filter or some big pieces of Malaysian Bogwood would help lower your pH.


 thats right ..... malaysian bogwood ... yesh.


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## milesd_66 (Feb 9, 2004)

Excuse my ignorance, but what is Kh?


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

kh is the measure of carbonate hardness in your water. It is essentially the measure of carbonates and bicarbonates in the water. In terms of ph, kh is the measure of your water's buffering ability, or its ability to absorb and neutralise acid. So if you have a high gh, general hardness( the measure of Magnesium and Calcium ions in the water), you will have a high kh and thus will not be able to effectively lower your ph. You can lower kh though, and this can be done by injecting CO2 into your water or by using a RO/ tap water mix. Of course you can also use products. But as said before, a fluctuating ph is far more dangerous than a high/low ph( given it isn't a far extreme in alkalinity or acidity). Better not to open this can of worms unless you have a lot of time and/or money to devote.


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## sccavee (Feb 11, 2003)

SLANTED said:


> kh is the measure of carbonate hardness in your water. It is essentially the measure of carbonates and bicarbonates in the water. In terms of ph, kh is the measure of your water's buffering ability, or its ability to absorb and neutralise acid. So if you have a high gh, general hardness( the measure of Magnesium and Calcium ions in the water), you will have a high kh and thus will not be able to effectively lower your ph. You can lower kh though, and this can be done by injecting CO2 into your water or by using a RO/ tap water mix. Of course you can also use products. But as said before, a fluctuating ph is far more dangerous than a high/low ph( given it isn't a far extreme in alkalinity or acidity). Better not to open this can of worms unless you have a lot of time and/or money to devote.


 I maybe wrong but I don't believe GH has anything to do with KH. You can have a high GH and a low KH. My tap water is that.


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## Puma (Jan 27, 2004)

while gh and kh usually go hand in hand as far as levels are concerned, they are indeed separate.....and you can have one high and the other low.

what you are doing is adding acid to your tank and TEMPORARILY lowering your ph......but your kh is so high (your water is buffered) the ph creeps on back up over time.

dont mess with your ph, throw that "ph down" crap out the window and keep your fish in good, clean water even if the ph is high.


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## SLANTED (Dec 7, 2003)

> I maybe wrong but I don't believe GH has anything to do with KH. You can have a high GH and a low KH. My tap water is that.


You're right. Usually a high gh goes along with high kh, but it is not necesarrily so and they are not integrally related.


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