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pH

1K views 6 replies 4 participants last post by  beaslbob 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone!

So I have a question that I've been wondering about since I started fish keeping two years ago.

I've always wanted a planted tank and in the past I've tried a couple of plants in my tank and they would melt in just a few days. I recently sold a lot of my 40Gs and bought a 90 gallon. I put in soil substrate and capped it with fluval plant and shrimp stratum and a few other things. The plants are doing great and I'm just waiting on the cycle. As you can see in the attachment there are a lot of plants.

My pH is 6. I'm worried about my pH because I've heard that your beneficial bacteria will die off at acidic levels.. I normally put crushed coral in the HOB but in this case I didn't put any in the canister. I think the pH out of the tap is around 7 or so. I'm thinking the substrate is tanking the pH level to 6. The tank has been running about 3 weeks or so and the plants initially had a little melt problems but they are doing great now. They all have new growth and the death is clearing up. I generally cycle with ammonia drops but I put 6 neon tetras in there and they show zero signs of problems. My ammonia was sitting around 1 ppm but now sits around 0.25. I do 50-60% water changes every week and dose ferts. No signs of nitrites yet. Will the tank ever cycle with all of these plants? I'd like to end up with a hefty amount of neons and red cherry shrimp and an absolute jungle of a tank. I want it to be super thick with plants.

Thank you ahead of time for the help!!!
 

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#2 ·
You have two (sortof) negatives in getting beneficial bacteria to culture... 1) You're correct in that bacteria do not like acidic environments and 2) Plants will adsorb ammonia (a good thing) so in the heavily planted tank, there may be little (if any) beneficial bacteria because the plants compete and remove the (ammonia) food source.
Your tank is most likely not yet stabilized which will happen in time with several more water changes ... so your pH should come up then.
I wouldn't sweat the 'cycle' in a heavily planted tank as it will all take care of itself. In a 'dirt' tank, I'd let things settle before adding [in your case, more] stock.
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply! I seeded this tank with bacteria from my goldfish tank at home that has ran for over a year. I bought new fluval canister sponges and stuffed them in the hob at home. After 2 weeks I put them in the canister. That was Wednesday of last week. I just did a full workup on the tank. Last week the ammonia was 1 ppm and this week: GH-0 KH-0 pH-6 Ammonia-0.25 Nitrite-0 Nitrate-0. So if the beneficial bacteria seed would have worked I think I would have at least a small amount of nitrate.

Also, how long would you wait to add more stock?
 
#4 ·
My ph is just a hair above 6 out of my tap (well water). I added a piece of calciferous rock to my 75 gallon tank and it helps to bring the ph up to neutral. And it looks good :thumbsup:
 
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#7 ·
ammonia will be 0 on planted tanks. growing plants will also maintain high pH just before lights out as the plants are consuming co2.


I did have a low ph with peat moss in the substrate but in a few days and no more the a few weeks, the pH was high as the plants over took the effects of the peat moss.


I use no circulation, no filters also and no water changes.


PH is 8.4-8.8 on the api high range ph test kit. Even with that pH fish the "need" soft acid water with ph of 7 or less live for years and years. neon tetras, hatchet fish for example.


my .02
 
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