Is it possible to lower PH ALOT?

[mattmez]

My tap is coming out at around 8.2-8.4. Which is nothing short of a cringe. What can I do to lower the PH down to 6.2 or below? I though about using oak leaves and oak branches with manzanita, but manzanita won't do a whole lot. Any reccomendations?

Mez

 

[Chefken]

I use Almond leaves to lower my well water from 7.6 to 6.2 or so....The leaves basically disolve....takes 5-10 fresh leaves to make it happen in my 120 gallon. Leaves can be bought cheaply on the BAY.

 

[kno4te]

Get some almond leaves and boil them and add little at a time. I have a tanning product form Boyd that will directly add the tannins. Forgot the name as I’m not at my house right now.

 

[BIG-G]

Depending on location and what’s available to you, you can use other leaves to accomplish the same things. I use mulberry leaves, got a tree growing it the back yard.
You can also go to local home and garden store and pick up some peat moss. Put it in a fine mesh media bag and place it somewhere in the aquarium that has a mild flow.

 

[dan518]

Some good suggestions already posted which will add tannings and lower the pH a bit, but not to the extent your after. For that I think you would need a ro unit and do a 50/50 mixs. Why are you trying to change your pH so much?

 

[mattmez]

dan518 I'm getting some fish in from the Rio Ucayali and the PH there is like 6.0 and my well water PH is wayyyyy higher.

 

[dan518]

dan518 I'm getting some fish in from the Rio Ucayali and the PH there is like 6.0 and my well water PH is wayyyyy higher.

The only way to get a consistent pH which is as important, would be leave the water alone and just add some tannings or an ro unit to reduce the hardness and ph. Some fish from softer water can do well in a higher pH. Some species don't, depends on the fish you're getting.

 

[joe jaskot]

Collect some rainwater. Most rainwater is acidic. Just do water changes with the rainwater and your pH will be lowered.

 

[duanes]

I agree with Joe about adding rain water to dilute the hard tap water.
The thing is, keeping water consistent is more important than trying to soften water, so if you don't experience lots of rain, your parameters will fluctuate.
If I was you(and I did have similar tap water where I lived).
I chose fish that fit into my tap water.
There are plenty of species that prefer pH in the 8s.
All rift lake African species prefer 8 and above.
Most Mexican, Central American, and Australian species also prefer pH in the 8s.
Amazon and certain Asian fish generally do not, and trying to keep them in hard water, is like beating your head against a brick wall, unless you constantly collect barrels of rain water and/or install an expensive RO system, these soft water fish become susceptible to diseases and many chronic health problems.

 

[Rocksor]

dan518 I'm getting some fish in from the Rio Ucayali and the PH there is like 6.0 and my well water PH is wayyyyy higher.

Are you certain you have hard water? There are many places with high PH but soft water. Have you measured KH and GH? You will need a liquid GH & KH test kit as well as a TDS meter if you plan on doing all these. Measure the KH, GH, and TDS of the water that your fish come in.

If you want to have low PH, you need to bring the KH down, otherwise you will need a tremendous amount of leaves, wood, liquid tannin to bring the KH and PH down. For my tap, I need 2 cups of sphagnum peat moss for every 24 cups of water to change KH 8 degrees, GH 22 degrees, and PH 7.8 to KH 4 degrees, GH 11 degrees, PH 6.8.