I have tried everything!!! I've sumberged my lava rock in a container of tap water and pH after 24 hours shows a slight increase in pH but I think it is my tap water. Tested right out of the tap it's 7.4 after 24 hours with lava rock it jumped to 7.8. So I actually have one more test to do. I would like to test just my tap water after it sits for 24 hours. After it sits for a given length of time the pH rises. So here's my question. How can I get my pH down without using chemicals? Thanks in advance.
How to naturally bring down pH
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Aquarium1
Aquarium Advice Addict
Driftwood is one way
Peat works but it also usually colors your water. Why are you trying to bring down your ph? I have found it is harder to keep the ph stable once you start messing with it and it causes stress on the fish. Most freshwater fish will adapt to the ph within reason.
mgamer20o0
Aquarium Advice Addict
like i said in your other thread first its to figure out how its going from 7.4 to 8.6. you really need to get a cup of water let it sit out and then test it. there are gasses in the water that will effect the water ph. once it gasses out you can find the true ph of the water.
BigJim
Aquarium Advice Addict
First, are you sure your testing equipment is accurate? I'm not saying it isn't, but it's a good place to start. You could get a water sample tested at your LFS to confirm your results.
Second, IMO, ph is the least important test I perform. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates can be dangerous to fish. ph isn't really an issue until you reach the ends of the scale. The fish adapt.
That said, you need to figure out what's going on after you add the water to the tank. Put some dechlorinated tap water in two cups and add a little bit of your substrate to one of the cups, leaving the other as a control. Let them sit overnight and test. If the cup with the substrate has significantly higher ph, I'd look at changing your substrate. If there's no difference, repeat the tests with the ornaments, rocks, etc. from the tank until you find the culprit. You could also test tank objects by pouring some white vinegar on them. (Outside the tank of course.) If the vinegar foams, that object shouldn't be in the tank.
Once you eliminate the source of the ph rise, driftwood or peat will naturally lower and buffer your ph. My tap ph is about 7.4, so I added a small chunk of driftwood to my 29g, and now the ph hangs around 6.6-6.8 with weekly water changes.
Second, IMO, ph is the least important test I perform. Ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates can be dangerous to fish. ph isn't really an issue until you reach the ends of the scale. The fish adapt.
That said, you need to figure out what's going on after you add the water to the tank. Put some dechlorinated tap water in two cups and add a little bit of your substrate to one of the cups, leaving the other as a control. Let them sit overnight and test. If the cup with the substrate has significantly higher ph, I'd look at changing your substrate. If there's no difference, repeat the tests with the ornaments, rocks, etc. from the tank until you find the culprit. You could also test tank objects by pouring some white vinegar on them. (Outside the tank of course.) If the vinegar foams, that object shouldn't be in the tank.
Once you eliminate the source of the ph rise, driftwood or peat will naturally lower and buffer your ph. My tap ph is about 7.4, so I added a small chunk of driftwood to my 29g, and now the ph hangs around 6.6-6.8 with weekly water changes.
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