Lowering Ph

[boardy]

Hi,

My 108l tank currently has -

1 x Platy(m)
3 x Guppy (2f 1m)
9 x Neon Tetra
5 x Diamond Tetra
2 x Plec

It's fully planted as of last week with about 105 plants in about 2" TetraPlant Complete substrate on the bottom covered with about 1" B&Q Kiln dried sand. I also have 6 rocks in there as well.

I currently have a Ph level of around 7.8 which is starting to concern me slightly as from all I've been reading the fish are better around 6.6 - 7.0. I've been trying to figure out a way to drop the Ph down but don't really want to use the ProperPh or PhDown stuff I've used in the past on my 60l as it can have adverse effects.

The tank is filtered using a TetraTec EX1200 and has a cheapo Tetra Co2 system, with an APS 50 pump bubbling air in. Has a 36" 30w T8 Tropical tube in the hood with built in reflectors.

Is there anything that I can do or get to lower the Ph to a more suitable level that doesn't cost a silly amount?

Cheers
Adam

 

[Larissa]

The worse thing you can do is mess with your pH. pH down product and chemicals are dangerous because they can cause pH swings that are worse for your fish than a slightly hight pH. All of your fish will be fine in slightly alkaline water - and they are probably adapted to it. So DON'T mess with your pH! If you want to do it naturally you can put a piece of bogwood into your tank or get peat to put in your filter - this will soften your water and lower your pH more safely than chemical products. However, it will also stain your water silghtly tea coloured. Fish actually seem to like this, but you might not. To put it shortly, you don't need to change your pH, but if you do, do it naturally. HTH.
-Larissa

Edit: Spelling. lol.

 

[boardy]

Thanks Larissa I had a feeling I'd get told not to touch the Ph. I may get a little peat to put into the filter as I'd personally feel a little better with the Ph being slightly lower, but I didn't want to use chemicals using peat should mean it goes down naturally.

Thanks for the help
Adam

 

[Larissa]

Just make sure to moniter the pH frequently and change the peat every month to 6 weeks. You can get peat pads that are specifically made for aquariums, but if you go with normal peat make sure it is aquarium safe and I would recomed you put it in a stocking before you put it in your filter or it will make a huge mess. Good luck!
-Larissa

 

[rdd1952]

As mentioned, your pH will be fine for the fish you have. What type rocks are in the tank and what is the pH of your tap water? The rocks could be raising the pH. Also, what type plecos do you have? Common plecs will outgrow your tank and because they are large waste producers, could put a strain on your filter.

On a side note, you have sand covering the larger Tetra Complete substrate. It won't hake long before the sand will begin to filter through the TC leaving you with the larger grained substrate on top. Same happened to me with Eco Complete and sand.

 

[scouse_andy]

I'm in a very similar position to you with my pH. 7.8 from the tap and in all my tanks. I have 3 tanks which are well stocked with perfectly healthy fish. I've not lost a fish in over three months so they are obviously coping, this includes some south american cichlids and a variety of plecs who are more accustomed to soft water.

As previously mentioned, do not chemically change your pH. I would add that my main tank is rammed with big pieces of bogwood and the pH still won't budge one jot. I assume this is due to the hardness of the water and it's buffering capacity. I did test it a while ago, can't remember the figure but it was pretty hard.

Definitely worth checking your tap pH to make sure the pH isn't creeping up because of something in your tank, as already mentioned.

In the long run, I am considering lowering pH by getting hold of an RO unit but only as I am very keen to breed some soft water fishes- mainly plecs and apistos and other SA cichlids.

Even if you are keen to breed there are still options beyond livebearers, I have successfully raised danio and shelldwellers and am keen to try Kribensis next.

Hope this helps.

 

[backtotropical]

Bogwood lowered my pH from 8.0 down to around 7.0, but it takes several weeks. It will also depend how hard your water is to begin with.

I am with the others on this, it is best not to mess with it at all, but if you do, use bogwood or peat. Avoid pH adjusting powders like the plague.

 

[boardy]

Hi thanks for all the replies, if the fish are fine at this Ph I may just leave it alone. I have green rocks (can't remember the name as my fiancee got them), and 2 random ones. The tap water params are 10 Nitrate, 0 Nitrite, 0.25 Ammonia, 7.8ish Ph so I guess it's just my water here.

I need to get a GH test kit at some point but if things are alright at the moment I suppose the statement "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" comes very much into play here.

Thanks for all the advice, if I do decide to lower the Ph I will use either Bogwood or Peat, if they don't work I'll just live with it, but for now I'll leave it alone.

Cheers
Adam

 

[Miss Wiggle]

remember the effects of bogwood do not last forever so that would also need to be replaced, not good if you love that particular piece of bogwood and it fits your aquascape perfectly, might not wanna take it out and replace it.

best to stick with peat IMO if you do decide to change it (although i agree with just about everyone else that you really don't need to)

 

[boardy]

remember the effects of bogwood do not last forever so that would also need to be replaced, not good if you love that particular piece of bogwood and it fits your aquascape perfectly, might not wanna take it out and replace it.

best to stick with peat IMO if you do decide to change it (although i agree with just about everyone else that you really don't need to)

Thanks Miss Wiggle. If I do get some bogwood, does it NEED to be replaced even if the idea behind it isn't to drop the Ph? I've been thinking about adding some to my new 270l tank when I get that in a month or so, just don't want to have to go replacing stuff all the time

Cheers
Adam

 

[Miss Wiggle]

no it doesn't need to be replaced. if you find some you like there's no reason you can't keep it in your tank for a good long while (possibly forever, dunno if it has a life span but we've certainly had some in for 3/4 years and it's still fine so you'd get a good old run anyway!), just the effect is has on the pH is only temporary.

 

[boardy]

Thanks for that Miss Wiggle

I'm planning on going all out on the 270l tank so want to make it look really good, I'm moving in July so I will have a chance to change it around again when I move.

Adam

 

[Behold]

I have hard water and stupidly high PH 8.4......

My fish are fine with it. i just take about 4 hours or so adding my water to break them in slower. i would just not mess.

Bogwood is fine as its constant. peat needs replacing and will cause fluctuation

PS Larissa.... Nice to see another one in the country. my wife is Larissa and I have not ever met another.

 

[Larissa]

PS Larissa.... Nice to see another one in the country. my wife is Larissa and I have not ever met another.

Wow, very neat! What a small world. It's not a very common name at all, but interestingly enough, there is acutally another Larisa in my class! However she spells her name with one S instead of two. I much prefer it with two S's of course. But, besides her, I've never met another Larissa in my life!

 

[Spooky76]

Worth noting, Ph will decrease over time naturally in most tanks too.

Do you know what your Kh reading is in the tank ?