PH low during cycle?

[Sintralcoast]

My Ph is a steady 7.7 and was wondering if that’s normal during cycle? I’m a little into the 2nd week. Just curious because my buddy said it should be higher but maybe it’s because it’s cycling.

 

[Lasse]

How do you measure your pH?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Sintralcoast]

How do you measure your pH?

Sincerely Lasse

Just been using my apex probe. I even recalibrated it yesterday just to see if it would change but it stayed right in that range. I know there not the most accurate but I figure it wouldn’t be off that much

 

[Lasse]

Do you ad ammonia and what´s your KH? When the nitrification process start it consume alk and pH decrease.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ThePlummer]

A low oxygen condition can lower PH. I'd suggest a protein skimmer (if you aren't currently using one) to see if that raises it some.

 

[Lasse]

A low oxygen condition can lower PH

How?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[ThePlummer]

How?

Sincerely Lasse

I've learned this using a RDSB (Remote Deep Sand Bed), the water deep in the sand bed becomes oxygen deficient, and at a certain depth, there is a 'neutral' zone, where nitrafying bacteria grow. Deeper than that, the water becomes anoxic (acidic from carbon dioxide buildup), this acidic water then slowly dissolves the aragonite sand, releasing calcium into the water column, balancing PH at 8.4 and raising alkalinity to crazy high numbers. I've seen up to 12 dkh on my system.

This is how a calcium reactor works also, and some even pump CO2 into the reactors to lower PH to dissolve the calcium.

 

[taricha]

Low O2 is not the same thing as elevated CO2.
O2 doesn't affect pH, CO2 does. It's easily confused because breakdown of organics in a low flow area (like sandbed) can lower O2 while raising CO2. So often they move together.

 

[Sintralcoast]

Do you ad ammonia and what´s your KH? When the nitrification process start it consume alk and pH decrease.

Sincerely Lasse

Yeah I put a shrimp and and adding Dr.Tims beneficial bacteria to get it going. Ammonia has spiked just waiting for it to start going down or if it’s done spiking not sure yet. It hasn’t been long since I started the cycle

 

[Sintralcoast]

A low oxygen condition can lower PH. I'd suggest a protein skimmer (if you aren't currently using one) to see if that raises it some.

Thanks..I currently don’t have one in just waiting to get paid ha but yes I do plan on running that as soon as I do. Just trying to fix potential problems before I add fish or anything really

 

[ThePlummer]

Thanks..I currently don’t have one in just waiting to get paid ha but yes I do plan on running that as soon as I do. Just trying to fix potential problems before I add fish or anything really

A simple wooden air stone and pump would suffice till you get a skimmer. Petco has them for less than ten bucks.

 

[ChrisQ0904]

Could just be your house... I constantly struggle with low pH. My tank has been setup for a while and I'm constantly between. 7.5-7.7 even got new probes thinking my old ones were bad and the numbers still match. Debating a c02 scrubber but thecost of media is keeping me away

 

[Lasse]

If you have a low pH in a tank without any biological load - you probably live in a tight house with many inhabitants. aeration with room air will in that case (either from airstone or skimmer) do nothing. If you do not live in the midle of the city - outside air could help up to around 8.1

Sincerely Lasse