how to lower ph quickly??

[paOol]

i tested my water and my results are:

ammonia: 0
nitrites: .16 or something
ph: 8


i have a tank with 4 red bellys about 1-2 inches each. and a few tiger barbs. i would like to get this plant set here http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=2146
but the plants wouldnt do very well in 8 ph water.

how can i safely lower the ph of my water to 7 without the use of any of those drops? ( i dont know the next time i can make a trip to the LFS).
are there any methods or do i have to buy the solution?

 

[hardb0iled]

Its never a good idea to adjust PH quickly unfortunately! One thing fish hate more than PH being incorrect is sudden PH fluctuations!

I have fish that have lived happliy in a tank with PH of around 5.4 for the last 6 months or so with no real side effects, but as soon as I try and adjust the PH up by more than about 0.5 at a time they start showing signs of stress!

I know Bicarb of Soda can be used to increase PH but am not sure what you could use to lower it. There are long term things like drift wood, peat or C02 that will eventaully cause PH to go down but you sound like you need something quicker acting.

I'd assume the PH suggested for those plants is just that - the suggested PH and they should do ok at 8?

 

[fishnutham]

you can use some black water additives this basicly is decayed wood in a bottle they will lower your ph but still it needs to be done slowly and maintained imo get some peat for your filter add lots of bog wood to your tank and the ph will drop slowly and be more consistent also ph drops in an established system natuarly over time unless its high from your water sorce i would check if its not something in your tank is raising it shells substrate ect

 

[guppy]

Please adjust it slowly, the eassiest way to do this is add some aged peat moss, both to the substrate and in the filter instead of the charcoal, it will slowly lower your pH a little. You can also lower the tanks ph by treating you water changes, if you do a 30% water change in a tank that is at pH 8 using water that is pH 6.8 you should end up with water around ph 7.5 (roughly), this is the max you should change at a time. Do it again a few days later with water at pH 6 and you will be very close to neutral. You can use tannin, black water extract, or white vinegar as your acid. After adding it to your water tubs let it sit for a few hours to stabalize and then check it again before putting it in the tank.
Another thing to consider is if the plant is worth the hassle, and if it is a rooted plant can you plant it in a pot with a peat mix and a little tannin bark to give it a locally acid environment without having to adjust the whole tank, I have been told that some of the less sensitive plants respond well to this.
Since this is a plant question I am moving this thread to the plant forum so you will get a more informed response.

 

[id10t]

living with a fluctuating ph (which is what will happen with you messing with it) is worse than adjusting once to whatever it is and living with it there.

 

[paOol]

i dont necessarily need a quick solution. i can just put off ordering the plants for a while.
i do plan on getting some drift wood, but im waiting for wes to stock up at rare fish until i can go get some. i searched through Ebay, and didnt find any pieces that i liked. i use Colorbits by Tetra to feed my fish and i have some ghost shrimp in my tank. (50 gallons and about 40 ghost shrimp left). some of the colorbits sank to the bottom and i think it is rotting there (i overfed once). it looks like a jelly-like tentacle. theres like this transparent jelly substance that is forming on top of the colorbits. it looks transparent like a ghost shrimp, but it is more white. it looks like its moving, or it is swaying from the current in the tank.
eitherway, i'd have vacuumed it out right away, but i let my friend borrow my python.

fishnut, do you suggest something like black diamond?
http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=24375;category_id=1965;pcid1=;pcid2=
i can go pick some up at my LFS if thats a safe solution.

 

[Newt]

Those all look to be easy beginer plants. Crypts, anubus, java fern, and micro swords can all take higher PH levels.

Don't mess with your PH, the plants should adapt.

 

[paOol]

Those all look to be easy beginer plants. Crypts, anubus, java fern, and micro swords can all take higher PH levels.

Don't mess with your PH, the plants should adapt.

will they adapt and lower the PH also?
if so, i think i'll just add the plants and the driftwood.

 

[fishnutham]

add some drift wood and wait a week or two check your ph it will drop a little then add some plants of your choice aquascaping has a lot of trial and error involved theres much more then just ph you have iron ,carbon sources ect so try it and see how it goes could even be your readings on ph are out not hard to go 1.0 out

 

[chewy]

I have lowered ph by putting peatmoss in a old nylon stocking ( from my wife)
and putting it in the back of a whisper filter but it is not real stable as the peat does color the waterand lower the ph but seems to wear out fast and can cause ph fluctuations. it seems some freshwater tanks as they age they naturally drop in ph too so maybe dont be in to much of a rush and just keep a eye on it.