Question about lowering PH

[GirlinWayside]

MY Ph is around 7.6-7.8 - I am giving away my common plecos and the guy who is going to take them keeps his tank around 7.0 - I was planning to gradually lower my ph some so the change would not be so hard on them. I added some PH down and tested about 4 hours later. The Ph came down a tad. I tested again this morning and it's back up. Whats the best way to do this without harming the fish?? I dont particulaly like using too many chemicals if I dont have too.

 

[Tolak]

Thisis a perfect example of how ph altering chemicals don't work, & how they cause ph swings. This post http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=108027&hl= shows me that you have hard water, just like mine. Hard water has very stable ph, Chemicals will lower it for a short time, it will return to it's original ph before long.

As an alternative to buying a ro unit, you could put the plecs in a smaller tank, and do daily small water changes with distilled water. This will slowly drop the ph, as well as the hardness.

Tolak

 

[pseud]

Personally, I wouldn't bother

The Plecs can probably handle the pH change without any problems. But still, recommend that your friend acclimitize them slowly. When floating the bags slowly add small amounts of the new tank water to the bag, and letting them get used to it over 5 minutes before adding some more.

 

[GirlinWayside]

Thisis a perfect example of how ph altering chemicals don't work, & how they cause ph swings. This post http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=108027&hl= shows me that you have hard water, just like mine. Hard water has very stable ph, Chemicals will lower it for a short time, it will return to it's original ph before long.

As an alternative to buying a ro unit, you could put the plecs in a smaller tank, and do daily small water changes with distilled water. This will slowly drop the ph, as well as the hardness.

Tolak

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yes, my water is very hard! drives me nuts sometimes and it makes limits my choices of fish thats for sure. I try not to use chemicals if I dont have too - Ive just been choosing fish that can take the higher PH..

 

[GirlinWayside]

Personally, I wouldn't bother

The Plecs can probably handle the pH change without any problems. But still, recommend that your friend acclimitize them slowly. When floating the bags slowly add small amounts of the new tank water to the bag, and letting them get used to it over 5 minutes before adding some more.

[snapback]910149[/snapback]​

thanks for your input - I will keep this in mind.