Did you check your gravel? They may increase your PH level. In fact,
you should check any deco in your tank to make sure they do not react
to acid. Otherwise, they will increase your PH level.

Also, tab water in most case increase PH level after air out the CO2
in a day or two. My tap water comes out at 7.5, 24 hours later it goes
to 8.0, In day two, it goes up to 8.3. A simple way to test this is to
have two plastic cups, one filled with tab water, one with 1/2 gravel
and 1/2 tap water. Test both right after fill, then in 6 hours, then
in 24 hours, then in 48 hours. Recording down all readings. That will
give you a better picture how's the water in your area, also how it
react to your gravel.

Let use know in two days then we can help you.



Hi,

I'm new to this newsgroup, so please redirect me if this question is in
the wrong place.

I'm trying to cycle my new aquarium using Ammonia. Things seem to be
on track except that the pH is climbing to very high levels (pH 8.4
today) and I'm concerned that the bacteria I need for my nitrogen cycle
will not do well in these conditions.

Details:

Small 6 gallon tank
L2000 Ladybird AIr Pump
GPS 370 filter
2 plants
medium well washed gravel + (on day 1) added 2 large handfuls of gravel
from an established tank to seed the bacterial populations.
Tap water treated with de-chlorinator.

Initial water chemistry before start:

pH 8.0 (interestingly the tap water here is pH 7.0 - the tank had sat
for four days before I began. I don't know where this change came
from.)
NH3(Ammonia) 0ppm
NO2 (Nitrite) 0ppm
NO3 (Nitrate) 10ppm

Day 1 - added 4 drops ammonia solution (9.5%) (I suspect this is
Ammonium Hydroxide which would then give me the OH- ions for
alkalinity). NH3 went up to 1.0 ppm

Day 2 - added 5 drops ammonia

pH 8.3
NH3 2.5ppm
NO2 0ppm

Day 3 - added 5 drops ammonia

pH 8.4
NH3 4ppm
NO2 0ppm

So, my questions a


Is this pH a problem for my fishelss cycle?
If so what can I do about it?
If not, how can I lower it before adding my fish?
Is my main cause of high pH the Hydroxide from the ammonia solution, or
something before that (since my tap water is at 7.0 and my initial
reading was 8.0)?

Any advice, guidance, help would be really appreciated.

Cheers,

Muddy