Raising PH -- How much crushed coral woill I need?

[FishSkins]

Do you have a sump? If you do, I would just add a big bag of Crush Coral substrate to it in pantyhose or something. You can also buy slow dissolving alkalinity blocks that look like giant vacation feeders.

i agree

 

[RadleyMiller]

Howdy,

with crushed coral there is one thing to keep in mind: It is not an instantaneous reaction, but more a long-term effect. That means: Each water change with pH 6.2 will cause a crash in total pH. Especially since pH is not linear but logarithmic: A 25% water change will bring down pH from 7.5 to 6.7. In the pH range we are talking about this is serious. And crushed coral will take weeks to bring it back up to normal.

You may be better off using pH plus agents from your LFS ...

HarleyK

Go point, pH is logarithmic so 6 is ten times as acidic as 7. I don't like pH up or pH down, I try to counter everything with buffers and treat water changes accordingly (which is why I don't like using pythons to refill tanks)

 

[TankBuster]

Well the coral would be a buffer after you got the ph where you want it. It will keep you from having to add ph up or another chemical to adjust the ph over time. I notice in my brackish tank, the ph drops quite a bit over a weeks time.

 

[Stab]

Verry good points there. I am aware of a fluctuating PH issue that I will be experiensing. I think that this however will not be a problem. After all I am not keeping any sensitive marine species. Or am I wrong and this can harm my fish? Perhaps I am making a big deal out of it to begin with? I know my PH is very low but who says CA cichlids can not be kept in low PH? At this point I am not even sure if I should bother with trying to alter it at all... Please advise

P. S. f I do go ahead with crushed coral, I would add it slowly. There are two large sailfin pl*cos that will remain in that tank and I wouldn't want to send them into shock by raising PH by 2-3 ppt at once

 

[HarleyK]

I know my PH is very low but who says CA cichlids can not be kept in low PH?

You did in your original post. If you mean Central American cichlids: Don't mess with your tap water.

HarleyK

 

[K C]

I know my PH is very low but who says CA cichlids can not be kept in low PH? At this point I am not even sure if I should bother with trying to alter it at all... Please advise

I wouldn't consider 6.2 as very low. At this level, you won't have have a problem with unionised ammonia

 

[Stab]

Are you guys suggesting that instead of this brain****ery I just let it be and not try to change PH level?