Just done water tests and curious on pH readings

[Gill Passman]

I'm curious about a variation in pH between two 50 gall tanks that I have.
Just done the tests and didn't get the result I expected so would be very
interested in your comments. Firstly I didn't expect them to be the same
necessarily but what I got was the opposite to what I was expecting.

1st Tank is a Community Tank full of plants, driftwood, fish and
unfortunately still battling with my algae. Substrate is just standard
gravel. This tank has been up and running since September. Possibly verging
on being overstocked - plans afoot to move some of the residents into other
tanks. Readings are:-

Nitrates 20
Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
pH 8

2nd Tank is a Malawi Community Tank - set up around 5 weeks ago and cycled
using existing filter medium. This has Ocean Rock and Marine Gravel plus
some crushed coral. Only four plants that are holding their own. Still
stocking with fish and it probably hasn't finished cycling yet from the
nitrite reading. Readings are:-

Nitrates 5
Nitrite 0.1
Ammonia 0
pH 7.5

I use the same water on both tanks (treated tap water) and do the same water
changes on both. The pH of the tap water is 7.5.

Now, I would have expected either the pH to be the same in both tanks or
lower in the first tank because of the driftwood. Any ideas? plus might this
be indicative of a problem in one of the tanks - the first tank does appear
to fluctuate between 7.5-8.?Or is the difference down to the fact that the
second tank is still cycling?

Thanks
Gill

[Margolis]

It's normal for the ph of a planted tank to increase dramatically while the
lights are on if you are not adding co2. Check it again after the lights
have been out all night right before they come on again.

I am not 100% sure of all of the causes, but here one contributing factor
is the plants are using up all of the co2 decreasing the buffering capacity
and increasing the ph slightly.

also when the plants run out of co2 they start breaking down bicarbonate to
get the carbon they need and this also raises the ph.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

[Dick]

On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 10:51:55 -0000, "Gill Passman"
<gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote:

>I'm curious about a variation in pH between two 50 gall tanks that I have.
>Just done the tests and didn't get the result I expected so would be very
>interested in your comments. Firstly I didn't expect them to be the same
>necessarily but what I got was the opposite to what I was expecting.
>
>1st Tank is a Community Tank full of plants, driftwood, fish and
>unfortunately still battling with my algae. Substrate is just standard
>gravel. This tank has been up and running since September. Possibly verging
>on being overstocked - plans afoot to move some of the residents into other
>tanks. Readings are:-
>
>Nitrates 20
>Nitrite 0
>Ammonia 0
>pH 8
>
>2nd Tank is a Malawi Community Tank - set up around 5 weeks ago and cycled
>using existing filter medium. This has Ocean Rock and Marine Gravel plus
>some crushed coral. Only four plants that are holding their own. Still
>stocking with fish and it probably hasn't finished cycling yet from the
>nitrite reading. Readings are:-
>
>Nitrates 5
>Nitrite 0.1
>Ammonia 0
>pH 7.5
>
>I use the same water on both tanks (treated tap water) and do the same water
>changes on both. The pH of the tap water is 7.5.
>
>Now, I would have expected either the pH to be the same in both tanks or
>lower in the first tank because of the driftwood. Any ideas? plus might this
>be indicative of a problem in one of the tanks - the first tank does appear
>to fluctuate between 7.5-8.?Or is the difference down to the fact that the
>second tank is still cycling?
>
>Thanks
>Gill
>
>
>
I wonder about your water changes, how much and how often. My 5 tanks
have the same pH as my tap water (I change 20% twice weekly).

As for why the difference, I have no opinion. I trust water changes
to solve all problems. <g>

dick

[Gill Passman]

"Dick" > wrote in message
...
> On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 10:51:55 -0000, "Gill Passman"
> <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote:
>
> >I'm curious about a variation in pH between two 50 gall tanks that I
have.
> >Just done the tests and didn't get the result I expected so would be very
> >interested in your comments. Firstly I didn't expect them to be the same
> >necessarily but what I got was the opposite to what I was expecting.
> >
> >1st Tank is a Community Tank full of plants, driftwood, fish and
> >unfortunately still battling with my algae. Substrate is just standard
> >gravel. This tank has been up and running since September. Possibly
verging
> >on being overstocked - plans afoot to move some of the residents into
other
> >tanks. Readings are:-
> >
> >Nitrates 20
> >Nitrite 0
> >Ammonia 0
> >pH 8
> >
> >2nd Tank is a Malawi Community Tank - set up around 5 weeks ago and
cycled
> >using existing filter medium. This has Ocean Rock and Marine Gravel plus
> >some crushed coral. Only four plants that are holding their own. Still
> >stocking with fish and it probably hasn't finished cycling yet from the
> >nitrite reading. Readings are:-
> >
> >Nitrates 5
> >Nitrite 0.1
> >Ammonia 0
> >pH 7.5
> >
> >I use the same water on both tanks (treated tap water) and do the same
water
> >changes on both. The pH of the tap water is 7.5.
> >
> >Now, I would have expected either the pH to be the same in both tanks or
> >lower in the first tank because of the driftwood. Any ideas? plus might
this
> >be indicative of a problem in one of the tanks - the first tank does
appear
> >to fluctuate between 7.5-8.?Or is the difference down to the fact that
the
> >second tank is still cycling?
> >
> >Thanks
> >Gill
> >
> >
> >
> I wonder about your water changes, how much and how often. My 5 tanks
> have the same pH as my tap water (I change 20% twice weekly).
>
> As for why the difference, I have no opinion. I trust water changes
> to solve all problems. <g>
>
> dick

I do 20% weekly on all 5 tanks and prepare the water in the same way for all
five of them.

[Margolis]

hmm, I guess my newsserver is not posting again.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

[Mary Burns]

"Gill Passman" <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote in message
.. .
>
> "Dick" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 10:51:55 -0000, "Gill Passman"
>> <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>> >I'm curious about a variation in pH between two 50 gall tanks that I
> have.
>> >Just done the tests and didn't get the result I expected so would be
>> >very
>> >interested in your comments. Firstly I didn't expect them to be the same
>> >necessarily but what I got was the opposite to what I was expecting.
>> >
>> >1st Tank is a Community Tank full of plants, driftwood, fish and
>> >unfortunately still battling with my algae. Substrate is just standard
>> >gravel. This tank has been up and running since September. Possibly
> verging
>> >on being overstocked - plans afoot to move some of the residents into
> other
>> >tanks. Readings are:-
>> >
>> >Nitrates 20
>> >Nitrite 0
>> >Ammonia 0
>> >pH 8
>> >
>> >2nd Tank is a Malawi Community Tank - set up around 5 weeks ago and
> cycled
>> >using existing filter medium. This has Ocean Rock and Marine Gravel plus
>> >some crushed coral. Only four plants that are holding their own. Still
>> >stocking with fish and it probably hasn't finished cycling yet from the
>> >nitrite reading. Readings are:-
>> >
>> >Nitrates 5
>> >Nitrite 0.1
>> >Ammonia 0
>> >pH 7.5
>> >
>> >I use the same water on both tanks (treated tap water) and do the same
> water
>> >changes on both. The pH of the tap water is 7.5.
>> >
>> >Now, I would have expected either the pH to be the same in both tanks or
>> >lower in the first tank because of the driftwood. Any ideas? plus might
> this
>> >be indicative of a problem in one of the tanks - the first tank does
> appear
>> >to fluctuate between 7.5-8.?Or is the difference down to the fact that
> the
>> >second tank is still cycling?
>> >
>> >Thanks
>> >Gill
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> I wonder about your water changes, how much and how often. My 5 tanks
>> have the same pH as my tap water (I change 20% twice weekly).
>>
>> As for why the difference, I have no opinion. I trust water changes
>> to solve all problems. <g>
>>
>> dick
>
> I do 20% weekly on all 5 tanks and prepare the water in the same way for
> all
> five of them.
>
>My Ph stays the same in my 4 tanks, doing 15% twice a week.

[Dick]

On Sat, 26 Mar 2005 11:37:51 -0000, "Gill Passman"
<gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote:

>
>"Dick" > wrote in message
...
>> On Fri, 25 Mar 2005 10:51:55 -0000, "Gill Passman"
>> <gillspamattaylorpassmanspam.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>> >I'm curious about a variation in pH between two 50 gall tanks that I
>have.
>> >Just done the tests and didn't get the result I expected so would be very
>> >interested in your comments. Firstly I didn't expect them to be the same
>> >necessarily but what I got was the opposite to what I was expecting.
>> >
>> >1st Tank is a Community Tank full of plants, driftwood, fish and
>> >unfortunately still battling with my algae. Substrate is just standard
>> >gravel. This tank has been up and running since September. Possibly
>verging
>> >on being overstocked - plans afoot to move some of the residents into
>other
>> >tanks. Readings are:-
>> >
>> >Nitrates 20
>> >Nitrite 0
>> >Ammonia 0
>> >pH 8
>> >
>> >2nd Tank is a Malawi Community Tank - set up around 5 weeks ago and
>cycled
>> >using existing filter medium. This has Ocean Rock and Marine Gravel plus
>> >some crushed coral. Only four plants that are holding their own. Still
>> >stocking with fish and it probably hasn't finished cycling yet from the
>> >nitrite reading. Readings are:-
>> >
>> >Nitrates 5
>> >Nitrite 0.1
>> >Ammonia 0
>> >pH 7.5
>> >
>> >I use the same water on both tanks (treated tap water) and do the same
>water
>> >changes on both. The pH of the tap water is 7.5.
>> >
>> >Now, I would have expected either the pH to be the same in both tanks or
>> >lower in the first tank because of the driftwood. Any ideas? plus might
>this
>> >be indicative of a problem in one of the tanks - the first tank does
>appear
>> >to fluctuate between 7.5-8.?Or is the difference down to the fact that
>the
>> >second tank is still cycling?
>> >
>> >Thanks
>> >Gill
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> I wonder about your water changes, how much and how often. My 5 tanks
>> have the same pH as my tap water (I change 20% twice weekly).
>>
>> As for why the difference, I have no opinion. I trust water changes
>> to solve all problems. <g>
>>
>> dick
>
>I do 20% weekly on all 5 tanks and prepare the water in the same way for all
>five of them.
>

Might be worthwhile to do twice weekly changes and see what happens,
if you can find time. Easy for me to suggest as I have more time than
I can handle. <g>

dick

[NetMax]

"Margolis" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> hmm, I guess my newsserver is not posting again.
>
> --
>
> Margolis


Or there is a 24 hour delay, or it is posting ok, but your ISP doesn't
upload them regularly to your news server.

You have a 2005-03-25 8:37AM and now a 2005-03-26 9:21AM post. hth
--
www.NetMax.tk

[Margolis]

thanks for the reply. My isp switched newsservers a little while back and
now I have nothing but troubles. A week or so ago I found out that none of
my messages were being propagated for a period of about 5 days or so and
nobody saw any of my replies. Then they got it fixed and messages were being
propagated again, but none of the messages I posted in that 5 day period
ever made it anywhere else. I think I am just going to have to spring for
a supernews account or something like that.

--

Margolis
http://web.archive.org/web/20030215212142/http://www.agqx.org/faqs/AGQ2FAQ.htm
http://www.unrealtower.org/faq

[Angrie.Woman]

"Margolis" > wrote in message
...
> thanks for the reply. My isp switched newsservers a little while back and
> now I have nothing but troubles. A week or so ago I found out that none
> of my messages were being propagated for a period of about 5 days or so
> and nobody saw any of my replies. Then they got it fixed and messages were
> being propagated again, but none of the messages I posted in that 5 day
> period ever made it anywhere else. I think I am just going to have to
> spring for a supernews account or something like that.


If you don't need binaries, try news.individual.net. They just started
charging :( but they're a great server.

A