7.0 pH in an ADA tank???

[JTang]

My new 20 gal long tank has been set up n running for almost 3 weeks now...

Here's the setup:
Substrate: ADA Aqua Soil Amazonia (1cm thick)
Filter: Eheim 2213 Classic
Media: Ceramic bio rings, foam/floss.
Water conditioner: Prime, Equilibrium

Water changes:
70% everyday in week 1. Seeded filter (Added filter floss rinsed water from a cycled filter) early wk 2.
40% every 2-3 days in wk 2 and wk 3.

Current GH:3, KH:1
Temperature: 24 degree Cel.
Nitrate/Nitrite: Unknown
Tank is empty (no live stock, plant or decor.)

I just checked the pH 3 days ago n found that it is 7.0! Does anyone know why it is so high? Isnt ADA supposed to lower the pH to around 6.4?

I have since added a piece of almond leaf n a small bag of peat moss to the canister filter and was able to lower the pH to 6.8

Anyone has similar experience? Maybe theres something that I have done wrong?

[thefishwife]

Thats weird, b/c from what I have heard your right your PH should be low in the 6's. Doesn't look like you have done anything differently to cause the PH to be that high.

Whats the PH out of the tap?

[EDGE]

ADA is suppose to lower pH, but equilibrium in RO type water will raise pH. Counter to the raise in pH from equilibrium is CO2 injection.

[JTang]

Ok, I have pressurized CO2 on standby. Just have to get another 1-way check valve. How many bubbles a second shld I start with? There is no plants or shrimps in the tank yet.
Or shld I just add more peat moss?

[EDGE]

Hard to say how many bps for a 20 gallon. Too many variables such as diffuser efficiency, plant load, lighting, etc.

If you have nothing in there, just leave the tank alone for now.

Unless your inhabitant/plants require lower pH, there is no reason to lower the pH.

[tang daddy]

John part of the reason your ph isn't lowering is because your doing too many waterchanges, the ph coming out of the tap is 7 and if your doing 40% WC every other day that is displacing almost half the tank waters volume so the Ada is unable to buffer the water to a lower ph. It was good to do big waterchanges when you first started the tank because of the initial ammonia spike, but after you put filter squeezings in the water a 20% WC once a week is more than fine. Too many waterchanges doesn't allow the bacteria to settle intact all you're doing is removing it from the water!

[JTang]

So with the addition of a piece of almond leaf, a small bag of peat moss, the large piece of driftwood and pressurized CO2... the pH is now at 6.0!

Now is that too low for CRS? What's the ideal pH range?