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i have a 38 gallons tank.
i don't understand why theres a sudden rise in ammonia level.
it used to be normal though...
as for the drop in ph level, i guess its becos i added a big piece of driftwood in the tank which causes it. the ph is abt 5.
what is the ideal ph level for keeping plecos?
any idea why the rise of ammonia level and wat should i do to keep it low...
thanks...

Hi!

My guesses are that your tank is overstocked, the filter isnt working properly and /or you feed too much.

pH drops when acids are added especially when the water isnt buffered well (low hardness)

Hi all, can you check oxygen or co2 levels in the tank, the co2 can affect ph. If the tank as recently been set up ammonia levels can suddenly go high.

Try doing a few water changes. It usually gets rid of some of the ammonia. There are a few products out there that help with ammonia problems. Just ask your LFS. Make sure you DON'T use ammo-lock. It will give you bogous readings when you go to check the ammonia.