pH Drop

[Feddy]

Doing my weekly testing, and my pH dropped to the low end of the readings, using the 5 in 1 test strips. Based on the color, I'm estimating it to be about a 6.5 reading. I had a water change planned any way, so went ahead with about a 10% switch. Is there anything else that I should do at this point? My water did get a bit cloudier over the last few days, but looked a bit better this morning, and my fish seem to be doing fine.

Thanks.

 

[cas]

I would test the KH. KH is what helps stabilize the pH.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

How old are these test strips? Have they been exposed to any moisture or humid conditions?
You don't indicate what your normal pH level is. How much of a drop was this?

 

[Feddy]

Test strips are new, purchased within the past month, and sealed in their original container. I've been testing one to two times weekly, as this is a new pond, and the pH readings have consistently maintained between 6.9 and 7.2.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

A 6.5 reading is not that much of a difference. Time of day has a large influence on pH levels with the lowest levels being at daybreak and the highest at dusk. Try to take 2 readings- one early in the morning and the other as close to dusk as possible. Compare the two (2) readings. If the difference is more than 0.5
then you may need to adjust your KH (Alkalinity).

 

[Feddy]

Thanks. I'll do that tomorrow and see if there is still cause for concern. I appreciate the help.

 

[Feddy]

Numbers were closer the Neutral this morning.

 

[budgenator]

That's a little low, make sure your getting enough aeration, CO2 build up can drop pH, and that a special hazard in hot weather; especially at night when plants are consuming oxygen not making it. Some crushed oyster shell, also called soluble chicken grit can help regulate pH without being drastic.

 

[mgmine]

Doing my weekly testing, and my pH dropped to the low end of the readings, using the 5 in 1 test strips. Based on the color, I'm estimating it to be about a 6.5 reading. I had a water change planned any way, so went ahead with about a 10% switch. Is there anything else that I should do at this point? My water did get a bit cloudier over the last few days, but looked a bit better this morning, and my fish seem to be doing fine.

Thanks.

?
Freddy way are you testing weekly? Why are you testing at all? Do yourself a favor and ignore what ever your test strips are telling you. Try this for the rest of the season and see if you have any difference. I know that this goes against what you read and I know that you want the perfect pond. Testing needs to be done in a human swimming pool because your health is at risk. Yes your fish health is at risk but are you planning on taking them to the vet if they display some sort of issue? What does a fish issue look like? I know a low or high PH stresses them or it does something else to them that you read about and shouldn't happen. There are just so may things that can change the PH you will end up getting yourself in a wad over something that can change in a single day. Testing reminds me of a cartoon I saw of a man in the doctors office complaining about a back problem. He had his shirt on with the coat hanger still in the back of his shirt. Doctor took a look at him and said " I think I know what the problem is but I'd better run a series of tests." In your case I think your problem is that you have a pond and pond PH varies but you'd better run some tests. AND by the way chart those tests so that you know that you have a problem. Then start adding things and test again. Or follow the other advise and wait and see what happens because the PH will vary. With the first advise you risk adjusting the PH too much. With the second advise you risk not adjusting it at all. With my advise you are in the second boat of not adjusting it enough. But you're not going crazy in the mean time. As far as your fish go well experiments are just that, experiments. I'm sure that I've got myself in trouble this time.

 

[bettasngoldfish]

Testing is a way to learn about fish keeping (not everyone enjoys learning or wants to know how or why things work or don't work)

My fish are not "experiments", they are my pets. So yes, If they show signs of stress or illness (which I have learned to recognize over the years) then I want to help them if I'm able.

 

[mgmine]

Testing is a way to learn about fish keeping (not everyone enjoys learning or wants to know how or why things work or don't work)

My fish are not "experiments", they are my pets. So yes, If they show signs of stress or illness (which I have learned to recognize over the years) then I want to help them if I'm able.

But what do you do about them when you think they are sick? Testing the water I guess is a personal choice, it gives you peace of mind. But when your dog gets sick do you test him? Probably not you take him to the vet and shell out the $1500 dollars. When your fish gets sick you treat them yourself with information gleamed from the internet. I doubt that a vet would take a fish in. And if he/she did would you shell out the $1500? I can understand that fish are pets, mine are to, But I also know from personal experience that they can take care of themselves in a wide range of conditions. I keep the fertilizer and other toxic chemicals out of the pond. Under toxic I include salt and baking soda and snake oil sold by pond companies. So far so good. I go by the philosophy that no matter how loud or often you say something (or read something) it doesn't make it right. Think of it this way if you had never heard of testing would your fish still be alive? Have you ever done anything that have saved your fish? Be truthful to yourself on this one. I only say this because so many people recommend testing the water. They get dragged into what is know as "group think". For the ponder that is just starting out they read this and take it for something that just has to be done. I am one of those that seeked wisdom and was told to buy a test kit. I remember in the 60's buying a magnet that went on the gas line of the car to somehow straighten the molecules out to get better gas mileage. Hey everyone said it worked and a number of reputable companies sold the gadget including Sears. Did it work? I don't know but I told people that it did. I repeated what I read. There is no offense intended with this reply just another side of the discussion. I had started another thread a month or so ago about test kits. It goes over what a professional pond store owner told me.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

Water testing does have its place in the overall care of ponds that house fish.
With a new pond, testing will provide the needed information for determining if nitrifying bacteria are colonizing as expected and when the required level of bacterial population has been reached (the pond has 'cycled').
In an established pond, testing really needs only be done if visual clues indicate that a potential issue exists with the water chemistry.
The typical water testing kits used for ponds only test basic parameters. They do not test for toxic hydrocarbons such as those found in pesticides or herbicides. The do not test for pharmaceutical products that are unfortunately in most water supplies at present. They do not test for the presence of bacteria or virus, benign or infectious.
In short they really only test for those items that are basic to a pond's overall ecological health. These basics are important, but once established very seldom exhibit much change and when change does occur it is gradual unless external factors exert an influence over the basic water chemistry. These events are infrequent and can not be predicted with any accuracy.
If periodic testing of one's pond brings a certain level of 'peace of mind', then by all means test. Just don't develop a 'Chicken Little' mind set that results that differ from a previous test means that there is a problem. Parameter levels are constantly changing in any pond. This is a sign of healthy biological activity.

 

[mgmine]

Meyer I agree with you 100%. As you say "With a new pond, testing will provide the needed information for determining if nitrifying bacteria are colonizing as expected and when the required level of bacterial population has been reached (the pond has 'cycled')." This is the part that I think people get in trouble with. When things don't test "right" which is what they read things should test at, they start doing what ever they read on the internet to make things test right. Then they wonder why all the numbers start to go off the charts. Ignorance is bliss don't test don't treat. Yes someone somewhere may have lost a fish because they didn't do something that could have saved it. But a lot more people have killed their fish thinking that they were doing something that will save them

 

[budgenator]

But what do you do about them when you think they are sick? Testing the water I guess is a personal choice, it gives you peace of mind. But when your dog gets sick do you test him? Probably not you take him to the vet and shell out the $1500 dollars. When your fish gets sick you treat them yourself with information gleamed from the internet. I doubt that a vet would take a fish in. And if he/she did would you shell out the $1500? I can understand that fish are pets, mine are to, But I also know from personal experience that they can take care of themselves in a wide range of conditions.

If I owned a Koi valued at $60,000.00, a $1,500.00 vet bill wouldn't seem too outrageous, however I'd be surprised if there were many vets who would feel competent treating such an animal. Both show dogs and show koi are a whole different world from the mutts most of us love.

 

[Meyer Jordan]

If I owned a Koi valued at $60,000.00, a bill from a psychoanalyst for any amount would seem appropriate.