What's this about Ph?

kateswan · Post by **kateswan** » 15 Oct 2003, 23:45

I've been reading a thread about corys losing
fins, and mention was made of Ph altering because
of plants/CO2 etc.?

I haven't been keeping aquariums for long, and
this is bewildering! How long does it take for an
established tank with plants to pose a problem?
My Ph is relatively hard to begin with --
between 7.5 and 8 . . . does this have any bearing?

If anyone can steer me to a good place to read
about this, I'd appreciate it.

Thanks -
Kathy S

coelacanth · Post by **coelacanth** » 15 Oct 2003, 23:59

Please provide more information on your set-up, but don't worry too much about it as it's easy to find yourself getting into a pattern of worry as each new parcel of information comes your way.
Pete

Post by **Rusty** » 16 Oct 2003, 00:08

The people in that tread were using CO2 injection, or adding supplementary CO2 to give their plants a growth spurt. As CO2 dissolves in water, carbonic acid forms, putting tanks with injection at risk for large and sudden pH swings, which can have nasty effects on fish. If you have plants but don't add CO2, you have nothing to worry about in terms of CO2 induced pH crashes

Rusty

kateswan · Post by **kateswan** » 16 Oct 2003, 00:19

Thanks guys!

I have plants in my tanks, but no CO2 injection.

Is there anything else that causes drastic shifts
or 'crashes' in the PH?

Kathy S

magnum4 · Post by **magnum4** » 16 Oct 2003, 00:23

yes the ph can ''crash'' but only if your kh is very low but guessing from your ph thats unlikely so dont worry about your ph moving too much.

sand506 · Post by **sand506** » 17 Oct 2003, 05:32

the problem i have which i am fixing is my undergravel is not flowing right so it is killing my ph levels, this is something to watch if you run an undergravel