# PH too low for nitrification process?



## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

i have a very low PH of 6.0 (acidic). my bottle of nite-out (supposed to aid in the nitrification process) reads "nitrification requires adequate levels of alkalinity". is my low PH the reason i've not been able to cycle my tank yet? if so, what do i do. will my low PH keep the tank from ever cycling? i will try the nite-out today anyway, and see if i get any results. please help, i've been cycling this tank for a long time. i need some experienced fishkeepers here. what are your thoughts please.

also when i dosed with special blend yesterday, i dosed 20 ml, and was able to put half directly on the filter cartridge and half in the tank water. the dosage of nite-out is much smaller at 2.5 ml (50% of normal dosage because i'm using it in conjunction with special blend), and therefore i'm unsure if i could does half on the filter, and half in the tank. where should i dose? the filter cartridge, or in the tank water in front of the filter.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

i just dosed the full amount of nite-out (5ml). i put some on my bio sponge, some on my filter cartridge, and a bit in the tank water in front of the filter outlet. i'm supposed to dose the nite-out every other day, and the special blend on day 8 (which is next sunday. i dosed yesterday). we'll see. i still need to know what you guys think about my low PH and the nitrification process. i don't even know if this nite-out will work due to my acidic PH of 6.0.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

was just at my LFS picking up "special needs fishy", and they said that my tank will still go through the nitrification process, but it may take a little longer due to my low PH. later :fish:


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

how long have you been cycling?


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

over 30 days. i've lost track. could be 5 or 6 weeks for all i know. no more than 6 weeks though


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yes, low pH will hamper nitrification rather severely.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

try adding 1/4 tsp of baking soda. Wait a day, test and repeat as necessary. Should gently bump it up a bit.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

emc7 said:


> try adding 1/4 tsp of baking soda. Wait a day, test and repeat as necessary. Should gently bump it up a bit.


no offense, but my LFS told me not to do this. i'm not sure if i should try it, cause there are fish in the tank, and i'm not sure if any harm could come of it. do you have personal experience wth the baking soda method? if you can assure me that it won't harm my fish, i'll try it. so just dissolve some in water and then add to tank? won't it clog my filter and get into everything? besides, i just bought $20 in nitrification bacteria, so maybe i should just use that?


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

my PH climbed to 6.4 from using the special blend and nite-out. hopefully it will continue to do so. still no nitrites, but it's only been a day.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Why do you have your pH so low, anyway?

One thing you'll learn after hanging around here awhile is that most of us know a lot more than the average petstore owner, and a LOT more than the average clerk, about how to do things involving aquaria. Just sayin'.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

TheOldSalt said:


> Why do you have your pH so low, anyway?


it just comes out my tap that way. my well water has a PH of 6.0. any thoughts? should i go back to store bought water? can i use the baking soda along with the nitrification bacteria? is baking soda some kind of base or something?


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

TheOldSalt said:


> One thing you'll learn after hanging around here awhile is that most of us know a lot more than the average petstore owner, and a LOT more than the average clerk, about how to do things involving aquaria. Just sayin'.


i will add the baking soda, but first i must know that it will not cause problems for the nitrification bacteria that i'm administering. yes, i don't know what baking soda is. i mean i know, but i don't really know. please tell me i can use it with the products i'm currently using, and i will use it.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Baking soda is sodium bicarbonate. Bicarbonate is a weak base. It is an old aquarist's trick and is cheap and safe at low doses. Somewhat self-buffering, its safer and more stable than the straight, strong base NaOH the store sells as pH UP. 

Raising pH/hardness can be bad for breeding 'blackwater' fish and ammonia is more toxic at higher pH, so make sure your ammonia is low. But if you want to nudge pH up a little bit, to speed your cycle, its either that or a commercial buffer like Seachem's regulators.


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## Obsidian (May 20, 2007)

Honestly the best way to care for the long term ph of your tank in the upwards direction would be to add something like crushed coral, granite etc. Things like this have high Ph and will bump up the Ph slowly but steadily and it should stay that way. Since you have low Ph and want it higher do not use woods in your tank, they will naturally bring Ph down.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Of course, that depends on what kind of fish you ultimately want to keep. I'm sure a lot of folks would LOVE to have tapwater with a pH of only 6. That would certainly make my own life easier.

Anyway, after the tank cycles, you can just start using tapwater again to lower it back down if you wish, but like Obsidian said, a calcareous type gravel will help keep it up higher.


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## baileysup (Nov 25, 2009)

it's the ammonia that's the problem right now. i just added another fish, and i may be having a mini cycle right now (on top of the actual cycle). i did a small water change yesterday, and today, my ammonia is 1. looks like i'm back to doing water changes every day. if it was your tank, would you do the water changes every day (slows cycling), or get some kind of ammonia detox product. my LFS said the special blend and nite-out that i bought would cycle my tank in a week, but i just don't see this happening.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

I don't know about Nite-out, or how well it does or doesn't work. I do know that SafeStart works like a charm, but even it needs a pH above neutral to be most effective.

No, I wouldn't do water changes every day, and I wouldn't add any more fish, either. Ammonia detoxifier also slows things down, but not so much as to ruin everything, so I'd have to go with that.


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## grogan (Jan 23, 2011)

TheOldSalt said:


> Why do you have your pH so low, anyway?
> 
> One thing you'll learn after hanging around here awhile is that most of us know a lot more than the average petstore owner, and a LOT more than the average clerk, about how to do things involving aquaria. Just sayin'.


I wish Fish Forums had a "Like" button for comments like this


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