For some reason the water in my tanks always end up being very acidic. This usually causes problems when I add new fish. I have some leftover of the substrate that is used in African cichlid tanks that raises the pH. I was wondering if I could sprinkle some of that in my tank to get the pH up. Would smaller amounts of the substrate = lower pH raise or would it just take a longer time to reach the 8.0+ range?
Is this a good idea to keep PH up?
- Thread starter Valyrian
- Start date
Fish on Fire;1140435; said:It would be best to just get the ph to 7 or neutral, whatever you wanna call it.
Yes I'm trying to get the pH to 7, but I'm looking for a good way to do that.
I don't think it's wise to recommend a certain pH without knowing what kind of fish are being kept in the water.
What kind of fish are you keeping? Some love acidic water, and some love hard water.
What kind of fish are you keeping? Some love acidic water, and some love hard water.
How big is the tank?
Do you have driftwood in it?
How often do you do water changes?
What is the pH of your tap water?
My tap water is around 6.8-7, but because I have some big pieces of wood in the tank I found it was dropping really low (when I tested it, the water in the test tube turned a bright yellow/gold colour! it was off the scale!) so I've added some pieces of coral in the sump, and after a bit of experimentation it stays fairly contsant now.
Having it stable and not fluctuating is far more important than having it right on 7.0
Do you have driftwood in it?
How often do you do water changes?
What is the pH of your tap water?
My tap water is around 6.8-7, but because I have some big pieces of wood in the tank I found it was dropping really low (when I tested it, the water in the test tube turned a bright yellow/gold colour! it was off the scale!) so I've added some pieces of coral in the sump, and after a bit of experimentation it stays fairly contsant now.
Having it stable and not fluctuating is far more important than having it right on 7.0
Crushed oyster shells are also a great buffer. I think they break down more readily than crushed coral to buffer your water.
It sounds like your problem is water that's not very alkaline. You can have high pH, but relatively soft water. THis causes a crash eventually. If you add a decent buffer, it should help keep your pH stabilized.
For the most part, pH is overrated (within limits), but stability is what's important.
It sounds like your problem is water that's not very alkaline. You can have high pH, but relatively soft water. THis causes a crash eventually. If you add a decent buffer, it should help keep your pH stabilized.
For the most part, pH is overrated (within limits), but stability is what's important.
My tap water is 7.4 out of the tap, most water companies add a buffer so it dont corrode the pipes. Leave that tap water out a day it drops to 5.4 , so becareful of what your putting in the tank. I put some crushed coral in my tank. Helps alot. Ph is about 6.4