Tropic marin

@Marco - I am using 50% RO water and 50% tap water - but - I do pass the tap water thro a filter to get rid of all the nasties that is in Rand Water water ( chlorine,chloramines, heavy metals etc etc). Not sure what the filter is called, a tall blue plastic cylinder with a silver membrane inside.
I also store that water in a Jo Jo and heat it before using it.
Maybe I should just stop filtering the municipal water and whatever it has got in it - just prepare the water and use it as is ??

@f-fish, this is in my 600L bare bottom tank. From having high pH and trying to reduce it, I now have the opposite . Never bought the peat pellets. I do not add any additives, but I am controlling the pH with Neutral regulator. Chatting to a person I really trust, he says that the low pH is because of the fact that my filtration is just too efficient and that is causing the low pH. As I said before, if I don't monitor it closely it can drop as low as 3.2.
I have one pH meter and I do check and re-calibrate it monthly.

 

Hi erros out of interest, what ph test kit are you using?

 

Funny you should mention filtration possibly affecting your ph - I was reading this the other day.

PH Drop Post Canister Filter


Maybe add some marble chips to the sump and let that stabilize over a few weeks?


Later Ferdie

 

YESSSSSSSSSS @f-fish that's exactly what I was told and I believe it to be absolutely the truth.... The bacteria in the biological media in my filter are consuming oxygen as they break down the various forms of organic matter. They in turn then produce CO2 as a byproduct, and the CO2 forms CARBONIC ACID in the water thereby lowering the pH. My filter as lots of airstones in it to give the bacteria as much oxygen as they need, but was also told that it is a good thing to put air into the filter media so I have not changed that.

 

By adding additional air into your filter you are creating a spawning pool for "good" bacteria... Which in a sense is a good thing because your water will have less nitrates. However TOO much "good" bacteria will also add to the bio load of your system. So in stead of fish and food causing ammonia spikes, your bacteria are causing CO2 spikes, causing PH crashes due to basically NO carbonate hardness in your water. Someone mentioned adding marble chips to your filter (VERY good idea). Also you could pull an air stone or 2 from the system to lower the bacterial efficiency of your filter. The main thing though is to raise the KH and GH in your water column with a mechanical method and NOT a chemical one. HTH

 

+1 @Double-D - going to find marble chips today and will remove 2 of the 3 air stones - thank you !!

 

No problem. Always willing to help where I can :lollypop: