Ph Problems

[Sarahstan]

Hi there I am having trouble keeping my pH at 7, it keeps going back to 7.8 or maybe higher. I have livebearers only at the moment so they seem ok with the higher pH but I wanted it to be a community aquarium. anyway I went to my LFS and they gave me the API pH kit, and then I went back again as it wasn't staying at 7, and she gave me an acidic buffer which worked and brought it down, but it has gone back up again and I am getting really frustrated!! Help please!!

 

[tunagirll]

What pH is the water you use for the tank?
 
If your fish are happy with your normal pH, then it's better to leave it at that. It's pH swings that cause problems, far more than the pH itself.

 

[sawickib]

You can add some driftwood to help lower the pH but i wouldnt mess with the pH unless it goes crazy like 5.8 below or 8.2 above. Messing with pH can be stressful to the fish from fluctuating pH so id just leave it how it is because its very difficult to control pH. It may be something in your aquarium, do you have play sand or pool filter sand, or maybe rocks that are raising the pH?

 

[Sarahstan]

My tap water is about 7.8.  I just have a medium/fine natural gravel and plants in there. And a resin ornament thing. If I leave it how it is will I be able to add other community fish?

Also you do mean driftwood from a LFS don't you? Maybe I will get some next time I go in.

 

[Rak9378]

The pH went back up because of the natural buffering capacity in your water.  Adding an acidic buffer will only temporarily lower your pH because the carbonates in your water (i.e. KH) will absorb the acid and the pH will simply return to its natural levels.  Generally speaking the ph up / ph down products are worthless.  In order to lower the pH you would have to use a combination of acidic buffer and alkaline buffer.  This is a tricky process as one decreases pH while the other increases pH...so it becomes a trial and error process to get the desired pH.  Here are links to two Seachem products....note how they recommend using both for a targeted pH
 
http/www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/AcidBuffer.html
 
http/www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/AlkalineBuffer.html
 
There are also more natural ways for lowering pH that you could look into.  But as the other posters have mentioned why bother changing the pH at all?  With a pH of 7.8 you can keep a wide array of fish.  IMO trying to adjust the pH down is going to be much more of a hassle than it is worth.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

As somebody who alters pH in a couple of tanks i can tell you it is not somple, easy or cheap yto do in a stable way. here is a list of the equipment I have in order to maintain a couple of tanks a 6.0 pH and a TDS level in the low 70s.
 
1. RO/DI unit.
2. Digital monitor to continuously read pH and TDS.
3. Catappa leaves.
4. Alder cones in the filter.
5. Muriatic acid.
 
Lowering pH and keeping it stable is a ton of fowrk. I only do it because i am keeping some wild fish which come from pH 4 or so waters.
 
If you want to get an idea of what you are up against in trying to alter pH, have a read on water chemistry here: http/fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-chem.html#reference
(That is a frame section from this site http/fins.actwin.com/aquariafaq.html)

 

[sawickib]

Driftwood can be bought online or from a LFS, you can read this website on how to prepare it.

http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/driftwood.php

I wouldnt collect your own its not very safe.
But like everyone is saying dont mess with it, many fish can handle 7.8

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Driftwood is not a reliable nor a longer term way to lower pH or soften water. Every time you do a water change you alter the params for one and they take time to drop back. Then once the tannins are exhausted, the wood only looks good and may dissolve over time.

 

[Sarahstan]

Thanks for everyone's help, I will not try and alter it then since the fish seem to be doing ok how they are. Bought some driftwood anyway I figure it is another place for little fry to hide when they arrive and it looks cool. Thanks everyone