activated carbon

[kmlong]

Can carbon in your filter change the ph of the water? I'm thinking of taking the carbon out and replacing with pete. I've never used pete but i need to do something to get my ph down, i'm still at 7.6.

 

[Menagerie]

Carbon should not affect the pH. Why are you trying to lower your pH? It's not "bad, " nor is it that high.

 

[cginflorida]

My pH is 7.6 and my fish are fine with it. I have a betta, oto cats, a pictus cat and platys. What kind of fish do you have?

 

[kmlong]

i have 3 red minor tetra's, 3 long finned danio's, 3 rasbora's, 2 oto's, 1 rubberlip pleco, 1 betta. I just thought the ph should be lower in the "ideal range" but i hardly seem to get it there.

 

[Toirtis]

Unless your pH were something ridiculously high, like 9.0, a stable pH is more important than a lower one. 7.6 should be just fine for your fish, and you can lower it a bit, and fairly consistantly, by putting in a piece or two of aquarium bogwood.

 

[Menagerie]

Your pH is just fine. If your fish are healthy and doing well, don't change what's not broken Ideal ranges are just that--ideal. More than likely most of your fish were bred locally and in the same water conditions they are in now. I see nothing to worry about!

 

[TankGirl]

I often overhear the LFS folks telling customers that they need to get their pH neutral, and it annoys me, since there is enough to worry about keeping water quality under control, illness, etc. Trying to manipulate it often causes more problems than just keeping it like it is out of the tap, just to reiterate what was already stated

 

[tetrin]

you probably have a high kH, which is a measure of the buffering capacity of your tank's water. this makes it very difficult to lower the ph, and you end up getting frustated...so just stop worrying about ph and enjoy the show...

 

[TankGirl]

so just stop worrying about ph and enjoy the show...

I love that!