Water Parameters from Filter Jug

[BanjoFish]

PH. 8
Ammonia. 0
KH. 2
Nitrites. 0.25
Nitrates. 0.5
GH. 9

Which substrate would correct the PH and KH?

Honey Gourami, ember tetras, pygmy corys, nerite snails,cherry and amano shrimp.

 

[GaryE]

No substrate will change the pH and KH, unless you want them higher. What do you mean by "correct"?

 

[BanjoFish]

No substrate will change the pH and KH, unless you want them higher. What do you mean by "correct"?

Figure of speech.

I have Honey gourami, pygmy corys, ember tetras, shrimp and nerite snails.

 

[GaryE]

And the meaning of the figure of speech? I'd like to offer help, but I don't know what you mean by it.

 

[raylove]

I think he's looking for advice on how to correct the parameters to suit his fish.
Sorry, I can't help with that myself although I thought there were some substrates that might lower pH. I used to filter through peat with some success but I eventually tired of the blackwater look. I noticed no difference in the plants or fish after I discontinued doing that.

 

[squirley]

ya i would also like to lower my ph. From info ive gotten says tropical fish like a ph of 7.0 and mine is always around 7.6. I bought some phDown solution but i dont use it because im not sure if it will mix with all the other additives in the water i use for water changes.

 

[Innesfan]

Lowering ph using chemical solutions like phdown is temporary, sudden and not advised. Filtering through aquarium peat is more permanent, gradual and effective. Also adding botanicals--various leaves, alder cones, driftwood etc--are ph-lowering. But what fish are you keeping? 7.6ph isn't all that extreme.

 

[GaryE]

You have to define your targets with a thing like this. If the OP wants to reduce hardness, it has to be an ongoing solution. A one off like pH down will simply stress the fish. Then, since you should do regular water changes, it'll bounce back with the next change.
Either you live with the water you have, including choosing your fish to match your water, or you get a reverse osmosis system and manage things that way.

It's easy to harden water, and murder to soften it consistently.

 

[raylove]

Lowering ph using chemical solutions like phdown is temporary, sudden and not advised. Filtering through aquarium peat is more permanent, gradual and effective. Also adding botanicals--various leaves, alder cones, driftwood etc--are ph-lowering. But what fish are you keeping? 7.6ph isn't all that extreme.

He did list his fish in the original post. They're soft water varieties but as you say, 7.6 isn't particularly extreme. Having said that, the original post also said that pH was 8.0 so I'd have to wonder what's causing swings of that magnitude. Most likely one or other of the readings is erroneous otherwise it could be the substrate raising the value with water changes lowering it periodically. 8.0 would be rather extreme for the fish in the tank.