hopwood83;1737900; said:
If your water is very hard, a RO unit would be your best bet, especially with fish like angels.
Help with PH
- Thread starter hopwood83
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If your water is very hard, a RO unit would be your best bet, especially with fish like angels.
I just went through the same thing. Just like everyone has said PH down will not be the fix for you.
My PH is 8.2 -8.4 "well water". I ended up getting a RO unit. My PH is now 7.4.
Also just a heads up when I got the RO I did 50% water change and found very little drop in PH I was very surprised. Again I did another 50% two days later and seen a bit more of a drop. My point is the Hard water is very potent at keeping the PH on the high side of the spectrum at least that has been my experience.
fishysmell
My PH is 8.2 -8.4 "well water". I ended up getting a RO unit. My PH is now 7.4.
Also just a heads up when I got the RO I did 50% water change and found very little drop in PH I was very surprised. Again I did another 50% two days later and seen a bit more of a drop. My point is the Hard water is very potent at keeping the PH on the high side of the spectrum at least that has been my experience.
fishysmell
My tap water ph was 8.2 (well water) Using an acid buffer like seachem might work for you, it did a bit for me, but it didn't change it much. It also didn't bounce my ph around. (edited to add: PH DOWN don't know who makes it, but if that is what you are using it is junk, it did nothing for my 5G at all so toss it.) Every water change I used it and kept my ph around 7.9, but using a mix of distilled and treated regular water also worked wonders for my tank. It is now a stable 7.4 so if you go the distilled route make sure you mix it with your tap water.
When I do my changes I mix 60% distilled and 40% tap of the total quantity of water I am changing. My tanks are a 5G and a 10G so my water changes are not big. So there is still the tap water which has the minerals and stuff I was told I needed and the distilled being a neutral.
I was going to use peat but was told that it wouldn't be easy for a beginner like me to keep stable.
FYI I was told that a high ph is OK-ish but over 8 unless it is a fish that normally tollerates that ph it might do more harm than good even if it is a stable ph. 7.0 -7.6 is the most desired ph so i have heard and almost all fish will adapt to that ph.
If you do go the distilled route do it gradually so you don't over do it but was told once a few water changes go into the tank the desired ph will be easy to maintain.
It worked for me...
GL
Hugs
Jenn
When I do my changes I mix 60% distilled and 40% tap of the total quantity of water I am changing. My tanks are a 5G and a 10G so my water changes are not big. So there is still the tap water which has the minerals and stuff I was told I needed and the distilled being a neutral.
I was going to use peat but was told that it wouldn't be easy for a beginner like me to keep stable.
FYI I was told that a high ph is OK-ish but over 8 unless it is a fish that normally tollerates that ph it might do more harm than good even if it is a stable ph. 7.0 -7.6 is the most desired ph so i have heard and almost all fish will adapt to that ph.
If you do go the distilled route do it gradually so you don't over do it but was told once a few water changes go into the tank the desired ph will be easy to maintain.
It worked for me...
GL
Hugs
Jenn
If your tap water is actually that high, then don't do anything. Fluctuating PH can kill your fish. Are they healthy? If so leave it.
well i dont have that problem because all the fish are dead so quick pH change wont make any difference. I just checked the pH it is at a 8.9 just to let you know
muriatic acid that you find at home depot will lower your ph. Thats alot of water to try and lower the ph on. Why not just find fish that will do well in that type of water, it would be sooo much easier!!!
I plan on putting angels and various cat fish in the tank. I have also found something to fix the problem it is a seachem product called Acid Buffer. It lowers the KH and Lowers the pH and that seems to be work just fine. Thanks again for all your help.
The easiest, and I might add, the cheapest solution is to add driftwood. Let it soak in the tank for 2-3 weeks before reintroducing fish and check the pH levels from time to time. You should see a gradual reduction in your pH. This is the most natural and safest way of reducing your pH, not necessarily the fastest though.
