Low ph?

So I am currently cycling my tank, actually I think its over after 10 days but my ph has been low. 7.4-7.8

I have read that ph changes throughout the day so I'm going to test it in the later afternoon.

Any recommendations for increasing ph easily?

 

your tank is new. Dont chase it - let everything go during the cycle. A lot of things effect the PH - fresh air - lighting etc.

 

It's highly unlikely that the cycling is over. What sand/rock did you start with and how are you cycling it?

The substrate/rock you're using also could be affecting the pH.

 

I used 20lbs caribsea fiji pink livesand with the bacteria packet it came with, 10lbs liverock, 5lbs base rock. I am also ghost feeding.

My ammonia started at .50 and has dropped to 0.

I never saw nitrites at all, and my nitrates were 20 and now have dropped to 10

 

I'm not in a rush, just trying to figure out where I'm at.

I have never had a cycle like this before and I did the same thing I always have done...thats why i'm wondering whats happening.
normally i get ammonia, nitrite, nitrates and then it all goes to zero and voila cycle done.

I have 0 ammonia
0 nitrites
10 nitrates
7.4 ph ( i'm going to test later as i was testing around 10-11am)

 

As posted previously wait until you reach the 3 and 4 month mark before you concern yourself with pH.

I know you see the need to address it everywhere, on every forum, but trust me your values are fine for now and trying to intervene on such a young tank is truly an exercise in frustration and futility.

 

Thank you.

During my research I read about how it can effect certain livestock but if this is something that can be corrected with age and time, I prefer that.

Sometimes dosing and working on things can lead to other issues.

Now if only they made testing and colour charts easier to read, life would be grand

 

Get Hanna or Salifert for Alk.
Red Sea for Ca.
Salifert for Mag.
Salifert, Hanna or Milwaukee for pH.
Hanna ultra low for Phosphates.

Make your testing easier and more reliable, but do not get overly concerned about it until your tank is more mature. Right now the chemistry will be all over the place.

 

Thank you

I will look for those kits, not sure if I can get them in cda.

 

That sounds right. Just making sure you didn't have lava rock or like a bunch of wood in there for some odd reason because that would lower the pH. As long as you have plenty of flow and a way for air to get into the tank, I wouldn't worry about it just yet.