How to raise a PH in freshwater tank?

Question

Hello!

I have a 55 gl tank with 3 tiger, 3 green tiger, 3 cherry, 2black ruby barbs, 3 kissing gourami and 1 pleco. Two weeks ago I decided to get few sharks. To my knowledge parameters of my tank water were good, but I am not an export and i took a sample of the water to the pet store. The clerk said my parameters were excellent. I've purchased 3 red-fin sharks. Three days later they died. I went back to the store and explain the situation (I wouldn't get a new fish if I knew I had some problems with the water). Anyway, at this point another clerk pointed out that my PH is low and sharks together with most of the tropical fish prefer 7.0 PH. My PH is always at 6.0 or lower. I guess my other fish got used to 6.0 PH. THe clerk told me to use "Neutral Regulator" by Seachem. I've been adding it to the tank every other day for over a week now, but my PH is still at 6.0 or less.

Can someone tell me why I can't adjust PH? I really want to add few sharks to my tank.

Thanks a lot.

Answer 1

Best option.. leave the pH alone.

As you have found by experience your fish can live in pH 6 (and generally anything up to 8)

The problem comes if the pH is not steady, or the fish is subject to a sudden change in pH. If you go down the track of adjusting pH you need to keep adjusting things EVERY water change, and risk the pH making like a yoyo and killing fish.

I suggest you stick to fish that can handle a low pH, Plecos, tetras and most Sth American Cihclids are perfectly happy at pH 6. Barbs and gourami are also adabtable enough to handle it fine.

Ian

Answer 2

See your on the wrong track here

what happened is you over loaded your bio filter. All the extra fish wast is what killed the fish not the ph.

The overload of wast is what made your ph change. You dont want to change your ph unless you trying to kill the other fish.

Do a 50% water change let your levels get back to normal and for get the ph it was fine and it will be fine again if you leave it alone.

Oh and for get the red-fin sharks they get way to big for a 55gal.