| Re: Crazy pH in fry tank! |
Subject: Re: Crazy pH in fry tank! by Fishlady on 22/12/2018 14:14:37 It sounds like your water has very low kH (carbonate hardness). kH is what prevents pH from swinging and also raises it. If there is very little the pH becomes unstable. In an aquarium, the filter bacteria use up the carbonates in the water as part of their processing of ammonia and nitrite, so in a cycling tank, kH will fall. If it falls too low, the pH drops and the bacteria become dormant and stop processing waste. Initially, this isn't a problem for fish as ammonia is less toxic at a low pH, but when new water replenishes the kH, the pH rises and the ammonia becomes toxic. The answer is to buffer the water by using crushed coral or oyster shell in your filter and by adding bicarbonate of soda to water changes. However, if you raise the pH fast you'll have toxic ammonia, so until the cycle re-establishes you need daily partial water changes and Prime to protect the fish. |