Does Anyone Successfully Adjust Ph?

[Aqua Andy]

Hi,

Do any of you successfully adjust the PH of your tank water?

I'm not to worried about adjusting the PH of my tank as it is stable at 7 and is the same as the water the fish were kept in at the lfs.

I was trying to lower it a tad to around 6 using peat filtration to make it optimum for the fish i keep. I've added almost a whole bag of Fluval peat fibers (in one go) to my external filter and it hasn't changed at all!

I don't wont to use chemicals to adjust the PH. I would only attempt natural methods.

I think I remember posts were people use blackwater extract to lower PH. But if a whole bag of peat fiber didn't lower it at all I don't hold out much hope of anything being able to lower it.

Is this due to the water being extremely "hard"?


Andy

 

[pseud]

Some bogwood always does a good job of lowering my pH... lowers it a little too much in fact...

 

[Mad Duff]

The only thing I have used to lower ph and keep it there is bogwood, it lowers the ph over a period of time and the ph will stay low.

Once you have got the ph to the desired level you can add a small quantity of coral gravel to the tank or filter to stop the ph dropping lower and stabilise the buffering level of the water.

I certainly wouldnt go down the chemical route.

 

[Aqua Andy]

Where do you get "bogwood" from?

I take it it isn't the same as driftwood?

I have a large (in relation to the overall tank size) piece of that in my tank.


Andy

 

[OohFeeshy]

Most people with Mbuna and Marines do, but for most people there's no point whatsoever.

 

[osteoporoosi]

I use Co2 for lowering my ph. For raising the ph and hardening it I use plaster and baking soda.

 

[littleimp]

It's probably because as you said cause your waters hard. I bet if you measured your KH you'll find it's through the roof. Gives the PH a big buffer so when you something acidic like the peat fibres the KH absorbs it before it gets a chance to affect the PH.

If you use a 50/50 mix of your water & RO water it would cure it.

 

[BigC]

To be quite honest I cannot see the need for you to lower a pH7. The only reason is for breeding and then a whole lot of other parameters must be considered, not just pH.
If your fish are healthy and feeding well then dont muck about. There seems to be too many tinkerings going on in the fishkeeping world today and by reading this forum topics a lot of people are killing fish for no reason.
My advice is enjoy you fish, relax and don't respond to every single trend that you've read about. Besides I've used blackwater extract for years and years only as a conditioner not to lower pH, it's not that simple.

 

[Aqua Andy]

I suppose a high KH reading would not necessarily be a bad thing as it would mean the PH would remain stable?

 

[mellowserra]

I suppose a high KH reading would not necessarily be a bad thing as it would mean the PH would remain stable?

That's right, and the advice BigC gave you is excellent. Most fish will thrive at a neutral pH, it is when you start tampering with the water parameters that you may invent problems. If you add RO water and the hardness becomes too low, you may have a situation that will allow wild, unnatural pH swings that will do more harm than good to your fish. Regards.

 

[blue_ram]

I suppose a high KH reading would not necessarily be a bad thing as it would mean the PH would remain stable?

Yes. Unless you're trying to breed fish that prefer soft water, I don't recommend messing with pH.

 

[Aqua Andy]

That's why I use this forum.

I'm definitely a "if it isn't broke don't fix it" kind of person.

Don't worry I won't be tampering with the water chemistry unnecessarily.

I do however look at my tank and think what can I do to improve it. Is this normal?

Are those ferrets in your avatar?

 

[The-Wolf]

Where do you get "bogwood" from?
I take it it isn't the same as driftwood?

Bogwood by definition is found in bogs (not toilets but places where peat is extracted)
Driftwood by definition is any wood that has drifted ashore.
ergo they are not the same thing.

As bogwood has been in peat for thousands of years it has absorbed many humic acids
and will leach these out over time when immersed in water.
this will lower the pH somewhat.
if you use peat in the filter in conjuntion with bog wood you can lower the pH more than just bogwood will on it's own. adding a blackwater extract as well will also lower the pH more.
the addition of CO2 will again lower the pH.

I use all of the above and my blackwater tank runs at a pH of 6.2

 

[mellowserra]

I do however look at my tank and think what can I do to improve it. Is this normal?

Absolutely! If I ever find myself getting bored with mine I rearrange the tank, changing the placement of plants and wood to create more interesting hiding places for my fish. I may add a new plant. And of course there is always the brainstorming of what my next few tanks are going to be

Are those ferrets in your avatar?

Yes.

 

[Aqua Andy]

Is the Mopani decorawood that I see for sale at lfs and on ebay "bogwood"?

Its listed as "bogwood" on ebay?

If not where could I get some from?