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hey and welcome to trt!
could you tell us a bit more about your system? what size tank? what kind of water are you using...tap, ro only, ro/di? what the filtration situation? how much/what kind rock/sand? what are your other params...ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, sg? what tests are you using? what do you have for water flow in the tank? what kind of tank do you want this to be, fish only or a reef?
have you found the reef keeping made easy thread yet? it is a long, but great read and will explain a bunch about the things that go on in our systems.
this is a prime example of why I am not a fan of these "quick cycle" bacteria in a bottle things. there are other things going on in a new tank besides the nitrogen cycle. new tanks have a lot of fluctuation in parameters and bacterial populations as they try to find the equilibrium point between enough nutrients and the number of bacteria. the pH drop you are seeing may be the result of a bacterial explosion, so to speak. the bacteria use up the o2 in the water and produce co2, thus dropping the pH. this swing will even out over time, but is not at all unusual in a newish tank. imo, if the pH is dipping below 7.8, I would return the fish until you get the issue sorted out. most likely it will stabilize nd come up in time. these quick cycle deals may take care of the nitrogen cycle, but there is much more going on in our tanks and it takes some time for everything to settle. the cycling period is also a great time to practice water changes and other maintenance routines and adjust your tanks equipment or layout before live things are introduced. this time is invaluable to anyone, but especially to a new person who may not have any "routines" down.
there are a couple quick tests you can do to kinda determine the cause. first, test the pH of the tank and record it. now, take a sample and let it sit in the room that the tank is in for about 5 or 10 minutes. maybe agitate it a little bit. now, test it and record. if the pH increases, it is probably low due to a bacterial explosion. if it doesn't increase, tak a sample outside and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. if it increases, there is an o2, problem in the tank and in the room. you should try to get some fresh air into the room and/or increase the surface agitation in the tank.
im not a big fan of buffers. I look at them as a band aid and not really addressing the underlying problem.
my tank was empty for 3 and a half months before I added my first fish. I spent that time adjusting waterflow, tweaking rock placement, and familiarizing myself with the routine things so I was set to go when I had lives depending on me! I think the bacteria in a bottle products are robbing a lot of new people of this opportunity, as well as the 30 or 40 bucks that it costs!
could you tell us a bit more about your system? what size tank? what kind of water are you using...tap, ro only, ro/di? what the filtration situation? how much/what kind rock/sand? what are your other params...ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, sg? what tests are you using? what do you have for water flow in the tank? what kind of tank do you want this to be, fish only or a reef?
have you found the reef keeping made easy thread yet? it is a long, but great read and will explain a bunch about the things that go on in our systems.
this is a prime example of why I am not a fan of these "quick cycle" bacteria in a bottle things. there are other things going on in a new tank besides the nitrogen cycle. new tanks have a lot of fluctuation in parameters and bacterial populations as they try to find the equilibrium point between enough nutrients and the number of bacteria. the pH drop you are seeing may be the result of a bacterial explosion, so to speak. the bacteria use up the o2 in the water and produce co2, thus dropping the pH. this swing will even out over time, but is not at all unusual in a newish tank. imo, if the pH is dipping below 7.8, I would return the fish until you get the issue sorted out. most likely it will stabilize nd come up in time. these quick cycle deals may take care of the nitrogen cycle, but there is much more going on in our tanks and it takes some time for everything to settle. the cycling period is also a great time to practice water changes and other maintenance routines and adjust your tanks equipment or layout before live things are introduced. this time is invaluable to anyone, but especially to a new person who may not have any "routines" down.
there are a couple quick tests you can do to kinda determine the cause. first, test the pH of the tank and record it. now, take a sample and let it sit in the room that the tank is in for about 5 or 10 minutes. maybe agitate it a little bit. now, test it and record. if the pH increases, it is probably low due to a bacterial explosion. if it doesn't increase, tak a sample outside and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. if it increases, there is an o2, problem in the tank and in the room. you should try to get some fresh air into the room and/or increase the surface agitation in the tank.
im not a big fan of buffers. I look at them as a band aid and not really addressing the underlying problem.
my tank was empty for 3 and a half months before I added my first fish. I spent that time adjusting waterflow, tweaking rock placement, and familiarizing myself with the routine things so I was set to go when I had lives depending on me! I think the bacteria in a bottle products are robbing a lot of new people of this opportunity, as well as the 30 or 40 bucks that it costs!
