How to lower ph using substrate

[big train]

What kind of material will lower ph for example somebody asked how to raise ph and i told them crushed coral is there somthing that can be added to the tank like substrate or ornaments that will do this? just wondering if there is somthing like that.

 

[fishnutham]

just bog wood that i'm aware of..

 

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

Lowering pH with substrate is not sustainable, since the lowering capacity will soon be exhausted and you need to change the substrate. If that's what you want to do, you can do either one of the following

• use pressed peat boards
• mix peat in your sand

Driftwood might have some effect at first (depending on the individual piece), but is exhaused fairly quick.
Just use some peat in your filter, it is much easier to work with.

BTW: Raising pH with crushed coral is a long-term effect but will not compensate for quick changes in water chemistry, such as water changes.

HarleyK

 

[fishnutham]

Harley is right but having tryed all the methods hes mentioned there are many draw backs there also such as floating in the tank plugged filters ect and the peat plates and peat in the filters has to be changed also creating more mess then it worth imo.
I kept several very low ph cat tanks and had the most luck with the bog wood you buy in bulk by the pound not really expensive but works i would fill a 1/4 of the tanks mass with the wood
and changed once the tea stain started to get weak i would get almost a year out of it .
on that note there is different wood ask for the softest they can get it wll break down consistantly

 

[Dr Joe]

Muratic acid (hydrocloric acid) can be used to lower pH but it's not long term & of course you really have to know what your doing or have alot of fish doing a permantent backstroke.

There's a pad you can use in the filter to do it to, but I can't find it right now.

Dr Joe

.

 

[RadleyMiller]

If you don't mind the color, you could use Black Water extract.

 

[Dr Joe]

Alot of the black water extracts are made with extract of peat. Cheap to make DIY too.

 

[big train]

Muratic acid (hydrocloric acid) can be used to lower pH but it's not long term & of course you really have to know what your doing or have alot of fish doing a permantent backstroke.

There's a pad you can use in the filter to do it to, but I can't find it right now.

Dr Joe

.

That would be a sweet fix pop in a pad and bang i got 7.0 please find that dr.joe My tap water is 7.8 and buying enough bullseye for a 125 gets pricey i think the high ph is what is holding back growth on my jags. They are 4 years old and 10" male and 8" female but on the other hand i got a pair of devils that are normal size and are good spawners in the same water conditions.So i don't know for sure that it is a ph problem that's holding them back but i thought it would be a good thread.

 

[Dr Joe]

That would be a sweet fix pop in a pad and bang i got 7.0 please find that dr.joe My tap water is 7.8 and buying enough bullseye for a 125 gets pricey i think the high ph is what is holding back growth on my jags. They are 4 years old and 10" male and 8" female but on the other hand i got a pair of devils that are normal size and are good spawners in the same water conditions.So i don't know for sure that it is a ph problem that's holding them back but i thought it would be a good thread.

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