pH and Water Changes: How Much and How Often
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- Опубліковано 12 вер 2024
- In this video, I discuss the difference between my tap water's pH and the pH in my Fish Tanks. I'll explain how the neutralizer in my water system works. I also reiterate the importance of testing your Aquarium Water.
I created this video with the UA-cam Video Editor ( / editor )
Lights and shadows in perfect harmony...so beautiful !!
I use a straw cleaner to wash out my stained ammonia vile when it gets like that and it clears it right up.
Thanks! I just had one last night that looked yellow and stained. I'll give it a wash and see what happens.
Great video! That tank is really looking good!
Hello Mr. Hiteshew my 20 gallon long has 6 fancy guppies! my reading this morning after changing out 15 gallons of water (last night about 18:00) is now at 07:06 am 01 Oct 2018 (temp=78.0 F PH=7.2, High Range PH=7.4, Ammonia=0.25,Nitrite 0 ppm,Nitrate 20-40ppm, my tap water is 0.25ppm ammonia out of the tap (cant get it down? in tank always 0.25ppm ammonia, until watching your videos my nitrate was 160 ppm or higher! i have 9 pothos clippings 4-6 leaves and good root structures, 1 twisted bamboo plant, 4 potted amazon swords, 1 madagascar lace plant (potted), irun 1 Aqua-Tech 10-20 hang on back with filter floss, 1 bag of fluval ammonia remover also in it. 1 20-40 gallon ( cant remember brand) hang on back with floss and a bag of ceramic media also. 1 ProSponge 50 sponge filter. bare bottom. I have a 25 pound bag of National Geographic white sand and some blue and white top fin gravel ,but can't decide which to go with yet? how long do i have to wait to do another water change to try and get my nitrate down further and would 10 gallons be to big of a change?. sorry it took me so long to get to the question but was trying to give you as much insight as possible. THANKS you have been a blessing.
Please help me, Dan. I'm a novice. I'm here because I'm stumped by the pH in one of my tanks. I have one 3 gallon planted tank and one 3.5 gallon planted, each with a single betta fish. I thought I was doing everything right, but recently, I was over zealous with cleaning the gravel, which resulted in my 3 gallon getting a bacterial bloom. I researched this and learned that a small amount of baking soda would help to clear it up, so I removed the fish and dosed the tank (I forget the exact amount). Obviously, this raised the pH to a very high range. I followed this with daily water changes, until it began to clear. Then I slowly reacclimated the fish and put her back in the tank. Since she's been back in the tank, I've been dealing with some ammonia spikes (around .25 ppm, which I'm combating with Seachem's AmGuard) and PLUMMETING pH readings! My resting tap water is around 7.6, but no matter how much I change out that tank water, I can't raise it much above 6.0! Why is my pH not budging? Is this some sort of "pendulum swing" in response to when I had raised it with the baking soda? My betta seems very lively and normal, but I know that 6.0 is too low for even a betta.
Also, I'd love to give her an Indian Almond Leaf, which I know has tannins, but I'm afraid it will lower the pH even further. I have one in the other tank, and the parameters are perfection. I'm stumped! Thanks for any insight.
I'm not sure about the pH staying low like that, but I think you got bad info about your cloudy water.
I think your over zealous gravel vaccing disrupted your nitrogen cycle. the cloudy water was from your tank re-cycling. I'm not sure what purpose baking soda would serve though. You're still getting ammonia and probably nitrites too because the tank is still cycling back in.
ua-cam.com/video/k_gQmZIdCN0/v-deo.html
I think you're definitely correct about the tank recycling. Indeed, nitrites are spiking, too. Guess I should move the fish to a bowl with daily water changes, while I let the tank recycle. Regarding the alleged bacterial bloom, that's what I understood it to be, after watching vids where the tanks looked exactly like my cloudiness. But no matter... it's DEFINITELY recycling now! Regarding the low pH levels, do you have any opinion on those products that raise or lower pH and lock it in?
OK, I'll check out the link you shared, though, I've probably already watched it. I've been watching a lot of your vids. Thanks!
I've never really messed with my pH. Let the tank stabilize, then see if you're still having issues.
Thank you, Dan. I watched your other vid about surviving the cycling process, if that's the jam you find yourself in. It was the second time I watched it! I think I may feel more comfortable by keeping my single fish in a large bowl with daily WC, while the tank completes cycling. I just don't have the confidence to ride it out with her in there. I appreciate your advice! I've learned a LOT from your videos!
No new videos in a while so I will post on this one.... Have a great Memorial Day weekend Dan. Hope all is well at home and all is well with your tanks.
Thanks! I'll actually be posting one tonight.
Dan Hiteshew YES! New video, Fantastic. Can't wait.
Michael Agostino You might be surprised. Lol
I talk about my experience in the hobby. (I have less than most people think)
Very good info! Thanks
Good quality video, keep the good work
That tank looks dark, would you call it a low light planted tank? Trying to get the hang of low tech plants
Most of my tanks are highly lighted, but he plants block a lot of the light deeper into the tank.
Your tanks look awsome, really natural
Thanks!
good video man. great info
Thanks for thr video dan
do you meaure KH and GH? Why do some people talk about it (GH & KH) and some don't? It's confusing.
I have no GH and very little KH. I guess most people don't talk about it because there's four different types of "hardness" and it gets confusing. In addition to GH and KH you've got temporary hardness and permanent hardness as well.
Nice video
Whynot own one of those Milwaukee instruments real time PH meters? seems like that would be less of a hassle.
I had a pH meter once, but it was a cheap one, and I never trusted it.
I'll probably get one at some point.
Yeah I got the Milwaukee instruments MC122 ph controller with the probe...use it to turn on/off compressed Co2 system from greenleaf aquiriums (first co2 setup!). Works great!!
Why after putting in a piece of driftwood ,1 month later did the pH go from 7.2 to 7.8 ?the only other change was a banana plant added & it is suddenly getting reddish colored leaves & leaves are curling !
What type of substrate do you have? Is there any rocks in the tank? I have a mystery tank that always rises for reasons I can't explain too. Try doing more frequent water changes.
@@DanHiteshew-oneandonly gravel substrate ,all the other tests are good , nitrate is below 20ppm no ammonia, nitrites 0 , everything seems good except for pH no rock ! I do weekly changes !
Wow 257 views and only 6 comments ?? I'm guessing no one is as interested in ph as they should be I tested my taps again today and my ph has raised to 7.0 in the cold tap and 8.0 in the hot tap 😱 I miss the two together so I'm gonna do that in a minute and then check the ph I'm intrigued to what it says I'm also gonna leave a big out overnight like you did and check that 👏👏
interesting. I'll go check my hit water. I never really thought about it, but it makes sense.
Does driftwood, soften/lower the pH of the water?
It does not soften water (that requires removing iron, calcium and magnesium)
It does however lower pH slightly. Tannins are "tannic acid" and any time you add acid to water, it lowers the pH. (makes it more acidic)
We have also recently moved, and the water pH at this new house is pretty high, usually at 7.9, would trying to lower the pH in the aquarium work if the pH of the house water that I am using so high? Ever since I did the first water change in the tanks my fish haven't been the same and the tetras that I have had for years now are sick and one has died. I believe this is from the high pH, since it wasn't that high before and I have tested everything else and its just that the pH is higher. My shrimp are also not doing as good either, they are in a ten gallon heavily planted aquarium and I use to have tons and tons of shrimp, but now, they aren't breeding as much and their numbers have gone down. I do all the same water changes and feedings, and they are not just doing very good.
Okay, that was what I was thinking of doing, but I was worried that it would stress the fish/shrimp out more because of the pH changing again. So, I should slowly get them use to it with adding a few more gallons every time I change the water? Because I need to do another water change but I wasn't for sure what to do, should, since I usually do a weekly water change of a little over 3 gallons with the ten gallons, should I do a couple gallons if the drinking water and some from the house water so as not to stress the fish more and slowly change the pH? Becuase the pH in the tanks tries to get lower than what the house water is, it's just every time I do a water change, the pH goes back up from the house water.
Abby c It's not the pH. It's the hardness. You need to lower the amount of dissolved solids in the water. Do a 2 gallon water change immediately, using 2 gallons of "drinking water".
When you do your regular water changes, mix your tap water about 50/50 with drinking water.
For tetras, and other med-soft water fish, you should get the hardness below 10 dGH.
Gradually, your fish will adjust to the harder water, but for now, their systems can't deal with the high levels of dissolved solids. They are dehydrating in the hard water.
Oh! Okay, thank you for telling me this! so, do the pH and hardness of water go hand in hand? because I thought they did? Scratch that! I finished watching the other video that you linked above c:
Scuba was here for sure.
lol. I was expecting you.
OMG like, totally dude like, this is so like, really like, very much like, such like, dudu like, like so like! ew my Guwd!