ADA Africana - is pH of 5 going to be too low?

[ChadO]

So, I'm not married to just one specific substrate.  I like to try out different types to gather knowledge and direct experience.  I usually set up tanks and then run them 12 - 18 months to get a good feel.  About 5 months ago, I set up a 20L with ADA Africana, and it has been fully cycled, is running with an Eheim 2213 filter.  In short, no real worries about how the cycle went - quite happy with all that.  However, tonight, I measured the pH with my Apex probe, and it is registering at 4.93 - 4.96.  Say the probe is off just a smidge, and we're looking at like 5.0 or slightly higher.  Does this seem too low to be safe for shrimps and shrimplets?  I have good trust in my probe - I measured another tank with liquid API, and it showed yellow, or right at 6.  This Apex probe showed 6.03 - 6.1.  In my world, that's close enough.

 

So, back to the original thought.  Is right at that 5.0 mark just too much (i.e. too low)?  The tank is RO water with SS GH+, and a TDS of 101.

[JamesHe]

You need to use reference solution to calibrate pH probe, not API kit.

 

pH5 and below is too low for CRS.

[ChadO]

Thanks James! Agreed on not using API to calibrate. I probably needed to be more clear in my description. I measured two different samples, one with API, and a separate one with my probe. The values were what I listed. I have reference solution for calibrating, and I now just went and put my probe in the 7.01 solution. We'll see if it has drifted since last calibration.

I was afraid that 5 might be too low. Even if after any adjusting of the probe is needed, I'm afraid if I'm still to close to 5, I'll have to figure something else out. I'd much rather be closer to 5.8 at a minimum.

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[JamesHe]

Thanks James! Agreed on not using API to calibrate. I probably needed to be more clear in my description. I measured two different samples, one with API, and a separate one with my probe. The values were what I listed. I have reference solution for calibrating, and I now just went and put my probe in the 7.01 solution. We'll see if it has drifted since last calibration.

I was afraid that 5 might be too low. Even if after any adjusting of the probe is needed, I'm afraid if I'm still to close to 5, I'll have to figure something else out. I'd much rather be closer to 5.8 at a minimum.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

most of my tanks are at 5.3-5.5 without any issue.

 

I do have one tank at 4.8, that tank has issue.

[mayphly]

I have some tibee that I keep in a ph of 5.2-5.3 (pinpoint) and they breed like crazy. I'm using re-min RO and Amazonia substrate.

[popimac]

I have used africana soil as substrate too and it was giving me Ph 5 consistently. And I started the crs tank since 1+ year. The tank is not striving I must say.