Play Sand = High PH??

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Memphis10

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 28, 2009
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Memphis
Hello all this is my first thread..

I resently switch the gravel in my 110/115g tank.. I've had it running for about 3 months Just added in some live plants last month... Heres my problem My PH is 7.6 :eek:....How do I lower this before I put my RBP's in. Or will I have to take the sand out (I'm assuming thats the problem).. Any advise for a rookie?????? Here is a few pics of my take as of yesterday from the view of my IPhone..

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I used play sand in my tank and have to use crushed coral to raise mine. I wish I had your 7.6!

I would suggest its your plants that are raising your PH

High concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) will lower pH, usually found with lower concentrations of oxygen (O2). Photosynthesis can build O2 levels faster than the O2 is consumed, and greatly reduce CO2 levels. If CO2 levels are not high enough, plants will manufacture it from calcium and magnesium in the water, raising the pH. The toxicity of ammonia increases with higher pH.
 
Whats your tap waters PH?

99.9% of fish will adapt to a PH level even if it is not there ideal range. What harms fish is PH swing. So as long as the ph is stable with a margin of say 7.2-8.0 then they will be fine once properly acclimated.

My tap ph is 7.8 and I have kept all sort of piranha and rare wild caught amazon characins with no problems.
 
just curious how the lucky bamboo been doing inside your set-up submerged?
 
KALLMOND- I'm going to have to look into that.. The problem is I have 3 Aquariums the Ammonia is fine in all three, but the PH is only high in the 2 with sand 1 with plants and the other has no plants.


HYBRID- I'm going to check that as soon as I get home. This was the first time I ever checked the PH I've kept Piranhas for YEARS but really wasn't that serious about till now.. I never did water changes I would just add water when it was low.. But thanks to everybody I'm learning a lot.


LIMS - They have been in there for about 3 weeks now.. When I put them in they really didn't have any roots or any leaves. You can't see it in the picture but the roots are growing and the leaves are coming out. once it hits the surface I expect a lot more growth..
 
Could be aragonite sand.Take a sample of it dry it out and get some muriatic acid at the hardware store.If putting the acid in the sand sample causes fizzing then its the sand.In that case let us know and all the rift lake cichlid keepers will go out and buy that brand!
 
I run the play-sand from home depot.. I wish I got a ph increase out of it :(

I wonder if the sand difference is a regional thing?
 
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