Why won't my PH change?

[ScottRamsay]

I got a PH test kit and adjuster because I am getting a turtles tomorrow, I put some stuff in to raise my PH to 7.0, but it seems I have added too much as it looks like it's between 7.2 and 7.6 on the chart.
It sais add 1 drop to every 3.8 litres of water and my tank has approx 300 litres in it, so I added 80 drops. The PH remained the same. I added 20 more and it still stayed the same. I then added about 60 more and it was still the same.
Why won't it drop in PH?

 

[Kirby]

personally, i would take ALL The water out. and get a new test kit.

sounds like a faulty test, and you should only raise the PH by 0.02 per DAY.

 

[Chrisreptile]

Those pH adjuster droppers were useless on my tank aswell.

What you need is a powder called "Neutral Regulator" it keeps my tank spot on 7.0
It will take the water from being acidic or alkaline to bang on 7

 

[ScottRamsay]

personally, i would take ALL The water out. and get a new test kit.

sounds like a faulty test, and you should only raise the PH by 0.02 per DAY.

I thought it wouldn't matter if I changed the PH because there is nothing in it. And the test kit seems to be working ok, because after the water turns blue in the glass tube, I add PH down and it instantly turns yellow.

 

[ScottRamsay]

Those pH adjuster droppers were useless on my tank aswell.

What you need is a powder called "Neutral Regulator" it keeps my tank spot on 7.0
It will take the water from being acidic or alkaline to bang on 7

Thanks I will have a look into it next time I go to the fish shop

 

[ReptilianGuy]

i owned native fish and all native fish thrive in a higher ph. you want to get rid of the ph down altogether as your water will never go up in ph.
and nuetral is fine so float between nuetral and a high ph around 7-8.
all tap water generally comes out nuetral so ph up is fine, sometimes it takes a bit to raise it up. if nothing is in there turn it blue and leave it there. once you own your turtles then just check your ph every week and add little amounts to raise the ph. just remeber, ph down will drop it fast. ph up will raise slowly

just drain your water if you've up and downed it heaps and just refill it and increase the ph to a blue. dark blue is far to high to have your ph, so add a teaspoon of ph down if you have that colour and depending on the size of the tank it should be the mid blu wich is 7-8

good luck m8

this should be fine for turtles as well as i kept turtles for years in the tanks with my jacks and barra's

 

[Wild_Storm]

I know this is flame worthy, BUT if I am trying to get my PH down to more acidic like 6.8, I use Vinegar, and if I want it more alkaline I use Bi-Carb of Soda to raise it to the 7.8's. A friend told me to set up my tank and test my PH, then add whatever I thought I needed to get it right, but then LEAVE it for 24 hours. Testing it after 24 hours allows it to go right through the tank. This has always set me right. Good luck.

 

[Rainbow-Serpent]

Well, I used a PH up kit that included a PH down, if yours does you could aways add some down.

Im probably wrong though, but this happened to us once, the Down didnt work either, so we got rid of all the water and started again.

 

[Kirby]

i say scrap it and start again. im from your area and my water out of the tap was SPOT ON perfect.

 

[user 13028]

also remember that when water neutralises it creates salt. i would remove some water ad start again. probably would have suggested leaving the tank to sit and filter for a few days before adding turtles also.

but add at least 25-50% fresh water already on correct pH and let it sit.
Small changes are better and it can take 24hours for the water to settle.

The water will gradually change in pH by itself as a result of air dissolving in the water etc.

Tap water always come from the tap at a pH of at least 7 and even towards 8. The only thing you need is a dechlorinator and (if you local water is soft) a small amount of aquarium salt (imo at least, not everyone uses it)

The thing i learnt from keeping fish is fiddle with water stats as <b>little</b> as possible. most fish/animals will adapt to your local water anyway. just add them slowly and make sure you keep an eye on the stats while the tank cycles.
it will take a month or more for the tank to cycle and during this time waste may buildup rather fast.

sorry. you probably know all this and more...

good luck with your turtle(s)!!!!!! XD

 

[mysnakesau]

Your local pool shop can explain better than me, but when you have problems with pH like that, or pH bounce, it has something to do with the hardness of the water. I don't know for sure, but ask your local pool place or aquarium shop to help out.

 

[Tsubakai]

If its for turtles you would probably be better off with a higher pH than 7 anyway. I personally aim for about 7.6 to 8. Don't use the pH up/down as, although they do change the pH temporarily they have no buffering capacity so your pH can still fluctuate dramatically.

Buffers like Seachem's 'Neutral Regulator' help keep a stable pH. If you want to use a buffer go for a non-phosphate one like Seachem's 'Alkaline Buffer' (it says on the bottle if its non-phosphate). The reason for this is that you want to minimise phosphate in your system so that it won't bind calcium. This means that any calcium you add (eg in food or dissolved) is more likely to be biologically available to your turtle.

Use this site http://www.australianfreshwaterturtles.com.au/index.php for more info/help.

 

[ScottRamsay]

also remember that when water neutralises it creates salt. i would remove some water ad start again. probably would have suggested leaving the tank to sit and filter for a few days before adding turtles also.

but add at least 25-50% fresh water already on correct pH and let it sit.
Small changes are better and it can take 24hours for the water to settle.

The water will gradually change in pH by itself as a result of air dissolving in the water etc.

Tap water always come from the tap at a pH of at least 7 and even towards 8. The only thing you need is a dechlorinator and (if you local water is soft) a small amount of aquarium salt (imo at least, not everyone uses it)

The thing i learnt from keeping fish is fiddle with water stats as <b>little</b> as possible. most fish/animals will adapt to your local water anyway. just add them slowly and make sure you keep an eye on the stats while the tank cycles.
it will take a month or more for the tank to cycle and during this time waste may buildup rather fast.

sorry. you probably know all this and more...

good luck with your turtle(s)!!!!!! XD

Axtualy I didn't know most of it, thanks.