Ph too low

[rob3rtphan]

My Ph for my 75gallon cichlids tank is at 7 and it won't change. I run 50pd of crush coral gravel 50+pd of holey rock and my Ph is still low. I don't want to use chemical. And my nitrate stay high. I run 2 magnum 350, one 405, and one C4. My fish seem happy but the environment is not ideal. Oh and I have 60 cichlids in this tank.

 

[Tony]

How big are your 60 cichlids? That is the likely the cause of the high nitrates....

 

[jonclark96]

More water changes for the nitrates.

How is your tap water? Seems like it must be pretty low with the crushed coral and holey rock and only raises the pH to 7.0. Maybe you are better suited for keeping south americans that would enjoy the acidic water.

 

[rob3rtphan]

The cichlids are mostly 2 inches about a dozen are 4 inches. I don't know how's my tap water. I use amquel by kordon too n still so high. And I just nitr-zorb filter pack too. I have to feed them twice a day because there is so many. I do weekly water change. I did 30% yesterday n it's high already

Sent from my HTC Glacier using MonsterAquariaNetwork App

 

[Tony]

Quick fix would be to drop feedings down to once per day and bump up the weekly water changes to 50%-75%.

An easy and cheap way to raise pH is to use baking soda - though in truth, your African cichlids will be fine with pH 7.0 (assuming Malawi, Vics and many Tangs).

 

[mscichlid]

test your tap water.