pH Problems

[pwmin]

not exactly Cichla-only, but I want to ask here. I can't add any fish to my Cichla tank because the pH is so low. I have driftwood and the pH is below 5.0. I put a little lace rock in my sump and keep putting in baking soda, but it's still below 5. What's the best thing to mitigate the effects of the driftwood naturally? I have ColorQuartz for substrate and I really don't want to switch over to cichlid sand like i have in my polypterus tank. Should I swap out a bunch of the pot scrubbers in the sump for more lace rock or something else? I really don't want to have to keep adding baking soda, but I need to get my pH up to a better level and stable before I add some killer fish next week.

 

[haynchinook334]

I would do away with baking soda, just because it don't last. I would also use crush coral as well as lime stone.


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[pwmin]

I forgot I have a good bit of crushed coral that I took out of an older setup, so I'll just put that in the sump somehow. Will it get enough exposure if I just put it in a container at the bottom of the sump or would I need more water going through it?

 

[Miguel]

As said, crushed coral does the trick, but you need a lot of it, assuming it is a big tank.....

What new fish are you planning on introducing?

 

[bassguy]

I set up a constant drip system and my ph leveled out around 7. Also in the past I used lime stone, but it works slowly.

 

[anarekist]

yeah, i also use crushed coral in my sump to maintain a stable ph level.

 

[Runitis]

another alternative is to change substrate to aragonite.

My fish life is sparked up with Polys

 

[Miguel]

I use crushed cral with aragonite. But even so i ended up taking out all the wood and replacing it with river stones...

 

[tankmasta]

Wow 5.0 would scare me. Crushed coral might work but I would see what the ph is coming out of faucet. I would add ph 7.5. And try too work it up gradually. My dropped in my tank too 6.0 before and my bass were like black. They weren't feeling the low ph.


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[Miguel]

5 is not impossible for amazonian fish. Main thing is no swings.....

I once distracted mysel, had a ank with discus wich had a lot of wood and one sunny day realised my ph was 3... Fish were absolutely fine.