Ph tanking during CP treatment

[Curt2199]

I'd lost several fish in a large fish only system due to velvet. I began treatment with CP and it's clearly having an effect as the symptoms are gradually disappearing after about 5 days on. I currently have salinity at 1.015 and temp around 79. I had a small ammonia spike due to dying algae (can see pieces if it floating around in the tank) and dosed amquel and it seems to be under control however my ph is tanking. It's currently at 7.36 and I have windows open with fans blowing fresh air in and air stones in the sump. I can't run a skimmer or it will pull out the CP and I'm sure the ph is due to CO2 buildup from a lack if algae. How much can ph fall before it becomes dangerous to the fish?

Curtis

 

[Newsmyrna80]

Why do you have the salinity that low? My understanding of CP is to keep your water at a normal salinity. I'm sure you read some of the threads on CP. Unless you are buffering your water the low pH is due to the low salinity. I would start to raise the salinity very slowly which will help with pH and/or use a buffer to increase it. Be careful to raise the pH slowly as well.

 

[HumbleFish]

Unless you are buffering your water the low pH is due to the low salinity.

+1 CP is not lowering the pH - it's due to the low SG. People who use hyposalinity battle low pH all the time.

 

[Curt2199]

Ok, actually I read that lowering the salinity can enhance the affect of the treatment as I've seen both crypto and velvet in the tank. I haven't reached hypo levels yet but I planned to if the CP treatment alone wasn't working. While I know the hypo alone does not kill velvet, I've seen research to prove that it does reduce the amount of active dinospores.
http://reeftank.co.nz/?p=172

In addition to that I know that higher salinity = lower dissolved oxygen so I would assume that for fish with gills being actively attacked by velvet and crypto, more dissolved oxygen would mean better chances of recovery.

 

[DrPat]

+1 CP is not lowering the pH - it's due to the low SG. People who use hyposalinity battle low pH all the time.

A simple way to control ph in low salinity is to top off with weak kalkwasser

 

[GTR]

The amquel can lower your pH. I haven't seen CP do that.