Changing PH

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Mayanearth

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
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178
What are different ways I can raise and lower PH?

Thank you for your answers.
 
SeaChem makes pH buffers. Running CO2 into tanks can lower pH. Leaving driftwood that hasn't released all the tannins can lower pH. Uhhhhh that's all I can think of off the top of my head!
 
Normally PH shouldn't be messed with; it can cause more harm than good. Most fish will adapt to your PH (there are some exceptions like Discus but most fish would be fine with whatever your PH is). Stability is key with PH; just keep it stable and you should be fine. What is your PH and why do you think you should change it?
 
librarygirl said:
Normally PH shouldn't be messed with; it can cause more harm than good. Most fish will adapt to your PH (there are some exceptions like Discus but most fish would be fine with whatever your PH is). Stability is key with PH; just keep it stable and you should be fine. What is your PH and why do you think you should change it?

+1...forgot the golden rule. Always ask some questions about details before answering! Good catch librarygirl!
 
+1 librarygirl.

Unless you're keeping very finicky fish, stable levels are a lot more important than the actual values (avoiding extremes of course, like below 5 or above 10, I personally would not go much above 8 or below 6 for most fish)

In the past, I have kept cardinal tetras which ideally need soft acidic water in hard slightly alkaline water without any problems. If you are getting your fish from the LFS, chances are they use the same tap water as you so pH and alkalinity are likely to be similar anyway (unless you have really soft water).

The punch line and as a chemist I can't stress this enough:

Stay away from the pH up/down stuff! There are always some buffers in your water, soft water has less and hard water has more. The buffers, like their name suggests, "buffer" against changes in pH. If you were to use these pH up/down products you would first have to exhaust your buffer and then you'll see a pH change (how much product you use would depend on your water hard/softness but regardless once the buffer is exhausted the change would be sudden - like you could add 10 drops a bunch of times and see no change and suddenly 10 drop might cause way too big of a change). At this point your tank is really vulnerable to pH swings. I wish they wouldn't even sell these products!

That being said if you are still set on changing your pH, the buffers products you were considering would be the way to go. Have in mind that this will become yet another parameter you need to match when adding tap water during a PWC.

So tell us what your pH is and what fish you have and we're likely to tell you to leave it alone ;)
 
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