High ph in the supposed to be CRS tank with ADA amazonia

[shrey]

Hello All,

 

I started a tank hoping to keep and breed CRS shrimps, the specs and parameters as below.

 

Tank – 12G with a piece of wood and few ferns (no rocks in there)

Substrate – Brand new ADA Amazonia 9ltr, with substrate thickness close to 3inches in the tank

Filtration – Sponge filter, Sunsun 603B with seachem matrix and ceramic rings

Cycling – Since one month (set up on  Dec 21 )

Water – Using RO water with SS GH+

GH – 6

KH – 0-1

TDS – 140

PH – 7.6 !!!! (even after a month)

 

I have twice done 100% water changes with remineralised ro water hoping to get the ph back in 6.6-6.8 range but after a day the ph climbs to 7.6

 

Now the problem is the ph which is on the higher side and reads 7.6 with API test kits.

Isn’t the Amazonia supposed to buffer the water to less than 7 ?

Just few queries on the ph,

what could have gone wrong resulting in the higher ph  even though I am using ada.

Will this ph be suitable for the CRS shrimps,

With all these time, effort and money spent i don't want to give up at this stage due to the ph.
Guys need your suggestions or comments on what would have gone wrong resulting in the higher ph with the supposed to be called the buffering substrate

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

[pastu]

at a loss for an explanation,  first thing i would  doubt the  test kit, maybe get a new one and see

[JT_Redmist]

Hi shrey,

Welcome to the forum.  Don't give up.  A few questions for you?  

- API has two test kits for PH.  One is made to test High Range PH.  Which one are you using?  Do you have a picture of the bottle you're using?

- Could you test the PH on your RO water?

- Can you bring some water to a local fish store and have them test the pH for you?  Just to see if there is a consistency of your high PH.

 

Anyway, your PH range is pretty high and odd.  I have several tanks with ADA Amazonia and they all test PH 6.0 with the API test kit.