PH of Aquarium Water? How to Test?

How to Test Fish Aquarium ph isn’t hard. You can also raise and lower it. I highly advise investing in a master test kit made by API. They’re the best kits.
Other comments on fish related talk:
I’ve rescued a couple huge goldfish and have them in a 20 gallon tank for now. I don’t have a big tank. What should I do?
Good luck! Do you have a separate large tank for them to go into? Almost anything would be better but wouldnt want to stress current fish with whatever these fish may have (that you can treat if quarantined).
They're all bottom sitting from the super high ammonia. You'll want to get them into clean water. 7 single tails like this would eventually need atleast 280 gallons to thrive, but anything bigger than this is a step in the right direction. Provide clean water and frequent water changes to get them back healthy.
Yeah until you can get them into something bigger or find a somebody with a pond. In that hex compared to this 10 gallon theres only 4 more inches of swimming room in the tank just more depth. From what I can see they are comets & Commons, which do get huge and really need a pond, but massive tanks will do ok...like 120 gallons or so.
They are pond fish: commons and I see at least two Comets. TBH, a hexagonal tank wouldn’t really be that all much of an upgrade. These guys need (horizontal) room to swim and a LOT of surface area. What is going on here? He's trying to help them and he wants help to do what he can to better their lives. An extra 25 gallons is a bloody good start. Thanks for helping them! Sure is, healing is often a multi step process. Nobody is bashing the guy everybody has said thank you and suggested a pond afterwords or a big tank, as is only ethical.
When you get them switched over to a bigger tank, try to increase the clean water gradually over a few hours. After living in such a small space and poor water quality, they might get shocked if they go straight into clean water. Also, if you want to accommodate them quickly and cheaply to the 55 as David suggested, you could look at storage totes short term or stock ponds (Rubbermaid) are cheaper than actual tanks.
Wow strange. I put sand in a couple months ago and it didn't change a thing. I got the National Geographic sand because it doesn't suck up in the tube when I am cleaning or my filters etc. Its a bit pricey but worth it. Mine regularly eat sand, they pass it no problem. What do you think happens with carp in the wild? The bottom of ponds are not bare; a healthy fish will pass the substrate no problem.
A recent post reported a dead goldfish with a digestive system packed with sand. Probably a rare occurrence, but I just can't see how indigestible material can be ok in a fish digestive system. Makes more sense to go with substrate too big to get into a fish's mouth in the first place. BTW wild carp evolved in environments where sand and gravel are common. Fancy gfs mutated long after that and probably never developed abilities to deal with all natural materials.
I had an amazing experience with East Coast Ranchu! Cynthia was awesome with answering questions and it was so awesome to have the option to pick up my baby at a nice warm FedEx instead of having him sitting at my apartment front door. Thanks so much if you read here, Cynthia.
New baby explored the quarantine tank and started looking for food immediately. I’m following the 24 hour rule, but I’m expecting him to have a nice appetite when it’s time to eat. Here’s a crappy video. Can’t wait to get him in with his new family! Po is gonna love him.
So my comet goldfish will periodically lay at the bottom of my tank for a bit but then be swimming around the tank like nothings wrong, every thing I’ve been reading is saying swimbladder disease but she swims fine, anyone know what could possible be the cause or is this normal?
My two oranda did this when I had them in a 10g tank while I was preparing their bigger one. Your tank appears big but it could be from overstocking or underfiltering? You should try feeding peas like they do for swimbladder issues though to see if that helps her improve. Even if it is not swimbladder they could all still benefit from a little bit of veggie.
How much are you feeding them? It is looking a bit on the slim side for a fish that size... Mayb try to put some greens in with them so they can have a snack through the day time as well. I would up your feed for sure.... a couple of times a day is ok... I don't know the size of the pellets but it doesn't sound like it is enough... You could try a live soft leaf plant and just drop that in the tank you might be surprised how fast they lay into it... Hornwort is one my fish love, duck weed is another... deshelled pea's are another food that fish love.

[@PalmerAquatics]

amzn.to/2WlSDoO - How to Test Fish Aquarium ph isn’t hard. You can also raise and lower it. I highly advise investing in a master test kit made by API. They’re the best kits. Here is a link: Master Test Kit: amzn.to/2WlSDoO

[@felipeperez4941]

Y'all may think this was boring but this was really informative. Thanks mate.

[@jasabasenara8124]

You're spot on. GREAT honest video. 👍 Whatever your ph is in your tap water, just leave it.

[@tolmiepheasants8079]

You put 3 drops at the same time ,cap it , shake it. Here is your ph 3 seconds. Don't need to do drop by drop !

[@narwhal9852]

Tell someone who cares maybe you're mom

[@PDXTundra]

Johny *your

[@narwhal9852]

@@PDXTundra wow thx

[@harryhannington3849]

first youtuber i’ve ever watched who is realistic. Everyone says your water must be this, your fish much have this must have that. your the only person who actually talks sense

[@keithmoore408]

+ I dont know how fussy these API kits are, just a tip...turning the dropper on the side and adding drops is no where near as accurate as holding the dropper vertically. The reason...if this makes sense, when you hold dropper horizontally it spreads the width of the drop out, so it will take a larger drop to fall. Vertically their is no deviation, it will be consistant. Otherwise keep up the videos, I watch many of them

[@narwhal9852]

Wow you want a medal

[@lukenelson556]

@@narwhal9852 he's right dumbass 😂

[@amandalewis7699]

Yep I noticed that and usually anyone who knows anything about testing water knows that.....I'm just going to go to another video and gets some info from someone experienced🙃

[@mandymoore5774]

I don’t think it’s geeky I think it’s kinda cool. Anything that interests a person to the point of wanting to know more and more and more is very interesting

[@SemihydroponicswithSma]

I just found your channel and i love it. Tomorrow i will have a betta delivered and i was frinking out that my water ph is not in the parameters that i found on internet🤔 but what are you saying is making perfect sense. I will take the time to watch all you videos. Thank you💚

[@davidhess6899]

Watch many channels and then make your decision. May I suggest cory from aquarium co-OP.

[@lwarfield52]

Thank you Palmer Aquatics! This was perfect it! You answered all my questions. YOU ROCK! (:

[@Gulbahar11]

Thank you for the info👍don’t worry about the negative people 😊

[@thethingwithfins]

I would contrast and say that for some types of fish PH can be the most important thing. I had well water that was on average around 7.5 every time I tested. Everyone told me to not worry about it and I stopped testing. It rained a bunch during hurricane season and unknown to me the ph lowered to around 6. And Guess what certain species such as LIVE BEARERS cannot survive/reproduce in lower ph. I didn't know, bought a bunch of pricey breeder guppies and lost ALL of them slowly, assuming it was a disease and it turned out to be the ph. You really shouldn't assume that a fish is going to adapt cause that is likely just going to cause stress on a fish and possible losses. Never neglect ANY parameter.

[@charlesmorris6476]

@ Hunter ; good advice this guy didn’t even know you don’t have to put one drop in at a time and shake it in between drops, you just put all three drops in at the same time then shake it. If I put guppies or a live bearers in 6.0 or 6.5 PH water very likely to kill them or Kill them slowly. It amazes me with all these fish and aquariums behind him he absolutely does not know a thing he’s talking about. It really doesn’t matter that these Fish farms raise their fish in more alkaline water. Neon tetras or cardinal tetras are suited biologically to a more acidic and softer water and will live longer and healthier lives with a lower pH and less hard water. It all has to do with their osmotic regulation, and the same with African cichlids you cannot put them in 6.0 water, they’re biology won’t permit it. There is some flexibility within each respective species tolerance ranges, but not the flexibility that this young man claims they have. totally misleading bad advice for novice fish keepers. This proves there are too many people giving advice on KZbin but don’t know what they’re talking about and think they do. LISTENERS BEWARE!

[@Bongholio-fd5eq]

Ummm you can keep fish in those ph ranges as long as you SLOWLY increase or decrease the ph and keep it consistent!

[@Ace-wu5it]

Thank you so much for your video that help me so much about my pH in my water

[@corey6269]

Always good information from Palmer Aquatics !

[@Panzer-xy8ph]

Thank you very much :)

[@tevynfalcon5366]

Omg thanks so much for this video

[@joeycovington4681]

Thanks!

[@aristotleoracles1457]

thank you. Good points and educational!

[@colleensgotcha]

Thank you makes total sense!

[@hfayaz1000]

Great video

[@daviesandy1]

love your videos, helpig me to build ideas and knowledge for my 300 litre tetra based community tank

[@juanriso5517]

Mane gonna go real Madrid next this summer u guys need coutinho

[@southnyourmind]

I wish there were some fish farms that had some clown killifish.

[@mandymoore5774]

Holy hell! Do u actually have a flowerhorn in w those other cichlids?! That’s amazing!

[@repeater08]

Its amazing the other fish are still alive. Hear you shouldn't have fish in with a flowerhorn.

[@rudyvalentino77]

I really enjoy your videos and find them really helpful. I am brand new to the hobby and my Nitrogen cycle just started! Everything is going like it is supposed to but I have a question about pH. During cycling, what kind of pH range should I expect? I am at an 8.0 and it just started cycling after 11 days.

[@yournamehere3071]

My Ph tester is originally green blue

[@petercsigo9935]

I'm a horticulturist I can tell you for the experience ditch that pH solution get the general hydroponic pH kit. You put three drops in it you don't need to shake it every time you put the drop in it lol.

[@ajoyrod]

I'm now keeping mystery snails with my bettas & while they alone were fine with my ph being a bit over 8 as that is my tap ph where I live & my baby snails were hatched in it, some of my live plants bought in tubes at pet store, were struggling & 2 of my male bettas were having issues with their fins (looked like fin nipping from stress). So I tried slowly lowering the ph in some of the tanks using seachem neutral regulator at 1/2 strength with weekly water changes. The product says to use weekly till lowered to 7 & then monthly also makes it seem that it won't lower the ph below 7. However after about 1 month of use at 1/2 strength it lowered my ph as low as 6 in 1 of my tanks. I can see noticable effects on snail shells. Also tested ammonia as my 2 struggling stressed bettas started suffering fin rot (in treatment now) & my ammonia is up to 8 in 1 tank. I've done water changes in all 7 tanks (25-90% depending on readings).

[@theOneThatWas]

You didn't do any of it right with the testers. It states to drop all the drops then mix it. Even says that turning your bottle completely upside down so you can get a complete drop for better accuracy.

[@arranjohnson9795]

Yeah he did it wrong....u put 3 in then shake lmao

[@PhillyDee215]

Thanks😄

[@Aquatic_Amigo]

Putting your finger over it or the cap on it .. it comes out the same I’ve check that hundreds of times and comes out the same

[@ajiisss]

My water ph is 7.4-7.6 but my fish tan Ph drops to 6.4 do you know teh reason.. my tank is not cycled yet

[@chrisschuele4743]

Check it again when it finishes cycling. Did you clean the tank before you filled it?

[@Busterpeek21]

What do you have in your tank? Lots of things can act as a buffer.

[@mys3riou5]

Going through the same now. 3 months in. PH 6.4 normally 7.6 but keeps dropping Amm .50 Nitrite 0. Nitrates 10. 78°.

[@chrisschuele4743]

@@mys3riou5 if you haven't use the prime seachem it worked wonders for me

[@ajiisss]

@@mys3riou5 Mine stabilized after cycling hope yours too

[@stefanobenland5304]

You’re not following the directions of holding the bottle upside down so the drops are uniform. It also says to shake it after three drops, not after each one.

[@gavanreid2888]

Dude not all fish come from fish farms as a lot of fish have not been successfully breed in captivity and people have to go out into the wild and catch them so ph is important in some cases. I can also say depending what you have in your aquarium can change the ph level and even the tap water I have noticed can fluctuate between changes hell I’ve even had ammonia issues happen after water changers and was losing the battle with it till I actually tested the tap water and the ammonia levels were through the roof. So getting to my point I believe testing ph is very important and should be done at least twice a week. I find a good ph level for most freshwater fish like cichlids is around 7.5

[@justme7055]

I see you didn't read the test kit instructions.

[@markrokycky1458]

Interesting point, however would that recommended pH online still be the best bet considering, that is a pH where that particular fish thrives?

[@PalmerAquatics]

Yeah. But almost all aquarium fish have adapted so much through the years that’s it not even worth talking about their “natural habitat” anymore

[@thethingwithfins]

@@PalmerAquatics As my own comment states some ph require a bit more to one side than the other, and it can be a difference between life and death. And there are always plenty of fish that are still not very adapted from the wild versions.

[@11jeremyv]

Should Titrate with bottles completely vertical and should run of first couple drops

[@waatao9856]

But ph will drop overtime. So u saying if it goes full acedic is fine? I have had a wipe out due to acidic water

[@calleyvulich9376]

I've just added Malaysian wood to my tank, how do I add water when I do water change and keep the ph low without shocking fish???

[@517royston]

how did you keep a flowerhorn in a community tank?

[@ThePersia450]

I would imagine because of the other large predatory fish in the tank. They are basically all so mean, they don't mess with each other too much.

[@davidarbelaez4395]

Maybe it’s human nature, but we truly love to fucking tinker too much. I discovered that when I started this hobby and still catch myself. Maybe it’s to alleviate boredom or possibly to screw things up so we can solve it. Keep things simple. Just test for nitrate and do your weekly water changes without fail.

[@mandymoore5774]

Nice blood parrots & severums.

[@keithmoore408]

What are the affects to fish with a ph of 6.0? My fish seem skitish or even frightened and I wonder if its a low ph issue. I have had them in this water for 6 months and they have always acted like this, no illness or deaths. I also went on the theory that my fish didnt come from south america so those recommended numbers were not scripture, but now I am wondering. Anyone actually know the affect low ph has on fish?

[@kyleswift9422]

Ok so first off I'm thanks for your video's I'm getting back in the hobby after 15 years. So my water tests 8.2-8.4. My tiger barbs or at least a couple were acting really stress. So I dropped it to 6.2 and their entire attitude and behaviors changed and the colored up so much darker in just a few hours. What are you thoughts brother?

[@fil2834]

How did you drop it so much so fast, that's what I'm trying to do rn

[@moneymansqweez2174]

Hey I was wondering can my fish live in a 6.5 ph aquarium

[@miguelbahena8769]

Antoine Lewis as long as you’re ph is consistent you should be good

[@apenguingames4305]

Sunfish like African cichlids enjoy a very high pH is like around an eight like my Florida water is I would try to bring it up to like maybe a seven but you should be fine it shouldn’t harm your fish to bad

[@Gaby83]

PH is very important, had 7-7.3 at my previous address, from 6 guppies I had about 300, moved house , PH 6.5, NONE of the guppies gave birth to no fry and now they are dying slowly, pulling out 2-3 every week...so no , they are not "adaptable" and the PH is extremely important ! The tetras are thriving though...guess why ? tetras live/love in lower PH

[@naturallyloachy3164]

First like view and comment and my ph is had to manage

[@sophiecoales959]

Hey, a few months ago I started setting up a planted tank (all live plants) and I've been monitoring it and the pH levels won't go down at all. I've done a 90% water change after a while and cleaned out filter and i've even tried pH down things that are added into the water and still the pH levels won't go down at all. Very frustrating and i'm ready to give up. I cannot add a fish in obviously with the pH levels being high, so there hasn't been one in there. I've tried every possible thing I can think of and it just won't go down. Please help

[@abelcorona1060]

Hey it might be your tap water or substrate. I know that fluval stratum is one of the best substrates that levels pH naturally to about 6.8. Its meant for shrimp/planted tanks because shrimps love living in a lower pH range. Good luck 👍

[@sophiecoales959]

@@abelcorona1060 ok thank you :)

[@devonbussey3704]

My ph is 5.5 in a tank with fish plants and soil. My other tank with only gravel and fish is 7.5 was told soil lowers your ph is this true?? Should I raise my ph

[@reekosama921]

If my ph is yellow and i need i light green do i add ph or lower ph to get it that color

[@ricklys]

ph UP

[@elyssa.cranford]

So overall, what level range should my ph be? Or does it really just depend on the fish?

[@deathdecorvid9926]

Depends on the fish

[@pittsburghaquaria6011]

Alright guys my tap water is 7.6 ph and my tank water reads around 6.2-6.0. I keep white clouds and Otto cats in a planted tank, should I be concerned

[@_beYOUtiful_chaos]

I’m having the same problem right now 😒

[@davidhess6899]

PH is a bit more important in regards to shrimp

[@kirondebnath7525]

My 10000 liter capacity fish tank water ph 5.9. So how I can raise ph 7.5 ? Thanks

[@GTS_Fanatic]

Add crushed coral in your filter inside a mesh bag. It will raise it max to 8.2 but with water changes or if you have drift wood it will even out close to 7.5

[@elizabethG633]

You did it all wrong. You add all three drops in the same pour, and you are supposed to hold the bottle totally upside down so that all drops are equal, and THEN you cap it and blend the solution by flipping it upside down three times, then read the results.

[@gilx.9886]

Hey Chris what temperature do you keep your tank at

[@apenguingames4305]

Parrott Aquatics 78

[@Ivronix]

@Palmer Aquatics 1;Testing the pH of your Tapwater is going to give you…. Nothing. The KH of your Tapwater is going to give you some indications of the pH level you can expect to maintain in your tank 2. Fishes adapt, ok but do Pterophyllum altum for example live a long happy life at pH 8 ? Every cell of an organism is made to work best at some level of pH. Try t lower the pH of your body to lets say 5 and we talk again about it in a few weeks :)

[@meatman858]

I had 20 fish die in my 75 gal do to low ph and low allalinity why is this? everything else was good when I got it tested

[@km-kz5xf]

It could be water temperature, or you haven't declorinate the water, or if you over feed them, or it can be over crowding. Some fish are more hardy than others, so do a bit of research about the fish you want to raise.

[@edmundooliver7584]

ammonia

[@anthonys2621]

Where's ur video about GH and KH at? 🤔

[@drbluntroller1872]

Had a problem with this i went to petco and got API water softener pillow worked like a charm

[@Aquatic_Amigo]

Where can I get a hat like that it’s dope ... thanks for vedio very helpful

[@FoxyCanDoIt]

my PH is 21 from the tap help me.

[@stefanobenland5304]

21? No, no it’s not.

[@FoxyCanDoIt]

@@stefanobenland5304 well Europe has horrible measurements for water PH they are like Hardness is 38 French Degrees, so i'm like WTF Is that so then they are like that's 21 german degrees and i'm like so that's general ph???? (ends up not being) so tbh i don't know what the hell is going on with ph cause our measurement system is horrible and can't find good information on it. (if they would just be like that's this amount of pH..) No it's 38 french degrees. so i'm getting a master test kit and find out myself lol (cause i'm sure everything will be not as i think)

[@isaacknouse1538]

Hi

[@amanda67]

My ph does up why is that?

[@robbvalentine8858]

Water that sits, spoils, ph inscreases with. that's why water change helps and is apart of the solution so it doesnt go so high, to bring ph down use driftwood

[@MrLongjumper4]

what if the ph from my tap is 9.0?

[@liltalent2381]

MrLongjumper4 you gotta lower that

[@Ssyphoned]

i would move

[@rodmanfoster5238]

Uhhh I hope your not drinking that

[@drbluntroller1872]

That’s what mine is at

[@frank_texas7400]

Texas?

[@cyberdyne_1o164]

thats nonsense. even if a lot of aquarium fishes comes from fish farms what water parameter they need is in their genes. and this will not change even if the fish is a generation x of aquarium fish. evolution takes a bit longer.

[@keilfestin4606]

Just keep it stable

[@berenzable]

I stopped watching when he couldn’t even use the pH test kit properly...

[@PDXTundra]

I agree. That’s when I tossed his expertise on the subject out the window and moved on.

[@reekosama921]

If my ph is yellow and i need i light green do i add ph or lower ph to get it that color

[@keithmoore408]

PH up