Is It Worth Going Ro Water Route?

Nick217 · Dec 18, 2011

So would it be better to lower the ph a little and see what that does to the fish?
Ie down to 6.5ph and go from there?

minnnt · Dec 18, 2011

For the appropriate fish, yes. Your Rummynoses colour should increase dramitically i would have thought if they are being kept in optimal conditions.

eaglesaquarium · Dec 18, 2011

How are you proposing to lower the pH?

fishguy2727 · Dec 18, 2011

Don't mess with the pH or hardness. Keep water quality up (lots of water changes) and they will all thrive. If you were trying to trigger breeding in the rummynose then yes, you may want to move them to their own setup so that you could safely soften the water. But that is not needed at all in this situation, especially with hardwater fish in the tank as well. It is better to keep the water quality up and the chemistry stable by not screwing with it and just doing normal water changes.

minnnt · Dec 18, 2011

Fair enough, but i would still want the Rummy Noses is a more acidic setup personally.

Nick217 · Dec 18, 2011

Okay due to not having a spare tank for the rummy noses they will be staying with the guppy’s as there colour is quite vivid atm and i dont see any harm.
As i will be getting a ph tester tomorrow so will report back on what the true ph is in the tank.
If i could get a small piece of bogwood i could get the ph down that way? But really i don’t want to have anything live ie plants ect but if its for the best so be it.

minnnt · Dec 18, 2011

Bogwood would work, but only slightly. It won't drop it by a massive amount. Mine is 7.2 from the tank but around 6.5 - 6.8 in the tank. Once you have tested your water in your tank you will have a better idea on what you need to address.

DevotedToDiscus · Dec 18, 2011

Are you running external filters? If so you can put filter peat in them. That definitely works for dropping the pH and kH, as I use it and have measured the change. It only stains the water with tannin ever so slightly too(hardly noticeable.