Ways to Raise pH

[Rawrzer]

I'm having a bit of a ph problem in my tank. The pH keeps wanting to stay low and my tap water doesnt help because it has a pH of around 6. I'm shooting for a pH around 7-7.4. Is there any way to raise the pH besides that pH up stuff? because I've never found that this works

 

[CharlieTuna]

Use crushed coral as a substrate. I do not know how much it will raise it, but it will at least buffer it and help keep it higher.

 

[FLESHY]

Crushed coral will work. An airstone will keep your pH up, and can raise it, depending on how much co2 is in the water you are using.

 

[Industrial]

You could buy API proper pH. It comes in a variety of pH values. Just make sure you premix the water or else your fish will be in water that's a pH of 6, then it will jump up suddenly every water change.

 

[rattle72]

i added a aquaclear 70 to my labriden tank put a sponge and a bag of crused coral in there.. its keeping it right around 7.8

 

[Morledzep]

you can use fine crushed coral (like fine sand) that will raise your PH quicker and keep it higher than the larger chunky size. i like the bigger chunks because they don't get sucked into the filter so easy and they will raise the PH, but not as quickly and it won't go as high.

i use RO/DI water (6.0 PH out of the filter) in all of my tanks, crushed coral and river rocks in my substrate. and one piece of driftwood in each tank (more for visual appeal than water treatment, but some of them still leach tannins very well). the PH in my tanks runs from about 7.0 - 7.4 at any given time. highest i've ever seen when i test it is 7.6.

 

[ar0wan]

Why is it that nobody ever suggests bicarbonate
The crushed coral is safe and does work
If you monitor and raise your kH you will fix your pH

GL
HTH

 

[Morledzep]

Why is it that nobody ever suggests bicarbonate

because you have to keep adding the baking soda to keep the PH up, i tried that. you only have to put the crushed coral in the substrate and watch and enjoy.

 

[Rawrzer]

how much crushed coral should i add so that it doesnt go up too much? because cant you use crushed coral to get your ph to like 8?

 

[rattle72]

i use about a cup to a cup and a half in a 55 gallon. keeps mine about 7.8 . i am also using it in a filter, not sure if that would be different then using it in your substrate.