PH levels...burning plants

by **adehaan86** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 1:47 am

I have major problems with my 55Gallon planted tank. My PH was darn near 8.2. I brought it to the pet store and they recommeded using reverse osmosis water to get it down. I tried that it's 7.6 - 7.8 so A lot better. I would like to get 7.0 if possible.

I have heard a lot of rumors that mainting the PH that you want is near impossible and to go to whatever it wants. Now I do have city water that does NOT run through water softner with like a PH of 8.0 or greater.

As far as plants go I do have a 2 types. 1 that is a grass and another is like a wide blade grass(nothing hard). I do have about 10 guppies for now.

The plants are gettting black spots like burning. My watts per gallon is like 3.9 so nothing horribly high. And use a fert twice a week(just started, I was once a week).

all i'm asking is FOR HELP!!! LOL .....

by **Tmercier834747** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 2:41 am

The use of CO2 (you can do several DIY sources since I noticed you weren't interested in the cost of pressurized systems) peat moss, and large enough pieces of driftwood together could potentially easily drop your Ph far more than you'd need it to...
the single piece of driftwood in my profile 16gal there dropped mine a full point by itself. granted its rather large for this tank..

by **adehaan86** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 2:49 am

Where did you buy driftwood from? and how much needed?! And driftwood ever need to be replaced?

And let me get this straight... If I used driftwood? and put water with P.H. of 8.2 in, it should go back to normal levels? It may take time?

And CO2 anything DIY recommeded for 55 gal tank?

by **adehaan86** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:34 am

1 more question.....When is the best time of the day to check PH. And all the info you can give about driftwood that is helpful would be great

by **natalie265** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 3:35 pm

i also live in an area w/extremely high PH. I have a HOB filter that i use to filter the water through peat granules AND i have a pretty good sized piece of drift wood in my tank. Even that is not enough to keep my PH down to reasonable levels. I mix RO water with my tap water with every water change. As you bring your PH down take care to do it very gradually. Fish are very sensitive to PH changes. I took about 3 months to bring mine from a PH of around 8 to a PH around 7. Once you get the PH that you want, it's important that the PH remains constant. It is tricky, but possible to do this if you are vigilant, howver, most fish can adapt to a PH that is higher than ideal, but no fish can adapt to a continually fluctuating PH.

by **aaronnorth** » Fri Dec 26, 2008 5:02 pm

pH does not affect plants in anyway, especially burn them, almost every specie can adapt.
The trouble you have is that 3.9wpg is very high lighting so i dont know where you have read that it is quite low! the plants are in need of CO2. (anything above 2wpg on a tank size over 10g needs CO2).

Also pH changes do not affect fish unless it is a SUDDEN drop. the pH in the wild can constantly fluctuate throughout the day, one reason is acid rain.

by **adehaan86** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 12:59 am

Well I'm getting mixed stories now. According to you is my lighting is high.. Most people recommed higher up to 5 WPG will be good. Also CO2 you do not need, only if you want plants to grow over night. It could be possible plants are starving becuase not enough CO2? I do only have like 10 guppies in a 55 gallon tank.

Not saying any of your wrong. but the problem is stories are making it hard.

by **Tmercier834747** » Sat Dec 27, 2008 9:41 pm

Different pieces of wood will have varying degrees of effecting your water, but generally the larger the piece the more it will cause ph to swing acidic.

There's only so many answers we can give you in regard to YOUR situation. Your tank size, the amount and varying sizes of driftwood, the amount of R/O you mix with tap should you decide to do so, whether or not you filter through peat moss, and whether or not you decide to supplement CO2 will all be factors that vary for your given situation and would not necessarily apply to us if you get my meaning since no two tanks are exactly the same.

All I can tell you is that adding driftwood, filtering through peat, running CO2 and mixing tap with R/O water will cause your PH to be more acidic than 8.2. Guaranteed.

Its up to you to find the balance that's right by trying things little by little. I do however agree with aaron that CO2 is within your reach and you should try it.

Two DIY CO2 setups should work fine with your tank. Its not necessary to go out there and get the $300 pressurized systems. Just get a couple 2 liter soda bottles, a drill (borrow one if you must), some silicone, airline tubing, and lastly the only thing you really have to spend money on...a diffuser and/or bubble ladder, some sugar, and yeast. Your plants will love you for it.

by **yasherkoach** » Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:03 pm

I agree with Tmer...but what you should do is water test the ph coming directly out of your tap.

tap water sometimes is very high to begin with, so you may want to do this first. If this can be eliminated from the pictured, then do what Tmer is suggesting. On the other hand, if your tap water is high ph to begin with, you may want to invest in a tap water filtering system.

hope this helps

by **adehaan86** » Sat Jan 03, 2009 6:08 am

I did buy a water filter... Also known as a Reverse osmosis system. Problem it it's SO hard to get the PH from 8.2 to 7.0 (which pry will never do) but I do two 25 gallon water channels and I show PH still at about 7.6 or so. I show plants still like burned marks from acidic water. Just any ideas? Or just to wait for the PH to be down for a while and plants to fix there leaves themselves?

PH levels...burning plants

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