# PH Levels Dropping



## Spadster (Aug 18, 2009)

Hey guys i just added a pressurized CO2 system on my 10 gallon yesterday, and stupid me didnt read the instructions right and kept the co2 running for a few hours which dropped my PH level to 4.6. After reading the instructions, i realized i needed to plug my regulator into my controller so it would shut off if levels were too low. So gradually i added some baking soda and got the PH back up to 7.0 over a few hour span. I just tested my water and it dropped again to 6.8, my GH is at a wopping 16.8 degrees, and my KH is at 2.2 degrees. The co2 hasnt kicked in again since i set it for 7.0 PH. My PH is gradually going down what is causing this to happen??? Should i change the water, leave it alone or do you guys suggest something else? At this rate i'll never get co2 into my aquarium since it wont ever go up to 7.0. Oh and just so everyone knows my water out of the tap is 7.2 PH.

Thanks for any help


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## Bert H (Mar 2, 2004)

What kind of substrate do you have? Certain substrates will affect the pH. How long has the tank been set up? Newly set up tanks will often fluctuate in water conditions. Do you have any hardware (rocks or wood) which might be leaching something into the water?

I would not add baking soda to the tank, simply because you're adding one more variable to the system which makes it harder to control. Do a major water change or several smaller ones over the a couple of days to essentially start over. Let the tank stand for 24 hours, and measure pH. Do it again 24 hours later. Assuming the pH is stable, then aim for about a 1.0 pH unit drop from your measured levels and you'll be at about 30ppm CO2.

HTH.


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## Spadster (Aug 18, 2009)

Alrighty, here is my situation, i have www.aquariumplants.com substrate, which when i read the review today, someone pointed out that it lowered the PH substantially! I also have a piece of driftwood, BUT it isnt leeching out any colours no more, my water is crystal clear. Well i did a 50% water change two days ago, and it raised the PH up, but then it went back down to 5.3. So im going to do what you said, and do another major water change and go from there.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

CO2 will lower your pH. It won't hurt your fish. Mine went down to below 5.8 from 7.0 when I first changed to AquaSoil. I kept worrying but all was fine. My tank did stabilize. I've read in numerous places that pH drops due to CO2 are fine. Don't add chemicals. All will be well. You can check out my 125g thread and see what people told me. It's somewhere in the middle.


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## Spadster (Aug 18, 2009)

TexGal quick question:

Im gonna be doing some water changes over the course of the next few days, but the question i have is, how long did it take for your tank to stabilize with the aquasoil????


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

It took between 4 weeks or so for the pH to stabilize. It took about 6 weeks for the ammonia to go down.


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## Spadster (Aug 18, 2009)

how were you using CO2?? My controller doesnt go passed 5.5 PH, so i wouldnt be able to use my co2


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Yes, I had the same problem. I just had to turn my CO2 back so that it didn't stay on all the time. I think I set it at 5.8. Eventually it all worked out. I had to watch check it every day and before I went to bed. I had a time where the fish were all gasping. I did a huge water change and put an airstone right in front of a power head. They were all fine within 5 min.


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## Spadster (Aug 18, 2009)

Thing is my controller only goes up to 5.5, my PH drops to 5.3, and if i add CO2 it'll go down to 4.7  so ill just put a timer i guess for now on the CO2 regulator


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Why would they make a controller that only goes up to 5.5? That's weird. Are you sure? I have the green one on this page.

http://www.greenleafaquariums.com/ph-controllers.html


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## Spadster (Aug 18, 2009)

thats the one i have, but if you look you can only dial in 5.5 as the minimum. So if your PH is below 5.5, the regulator will never turn on, unless you manually put it on, then you would have to manually shut it.


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

Spadster said:


> thats the one i have, but if you look you can only dial in 5.5 as the minimum. So if your PH is below 5.5, the regulator will never turn on, unless you manually put it on, then you would have to manually shut it.


So yours goes DOWN to 5.5 ph. Just wait til your tank settles out. You can put it on a timer but be SURE to watch your fish. The pH will come back up. Mine did. I ended up with mine on 6.2 (until my water source changed).


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