Media to lower pH?

[Guest]

For some reason my pH is always a little over 7. Should I be concerned? Is there media that will lower it?

 

[Fishyfanatic]

What is your pH to be exact? I'm not aware of any media that will lower the pH, except for peat. If it's not higher than 7.4 I wouldn't be concerned about lowering it.

 

[bzbee]

Check with your local water works and ask to see your local tap water parameters (mine are actually available online). My water is ~pH 8 straight out of the tap. I've asked LFS folks and they don't usually bother to adjust pH for anything but very exotic species. The consensus that I've heard has been that it's more feasible to maintain a stable pH than to keep adjusting pH with chemicals like pH Up and pH Down. Usually, you can tell by what your local LFS stocks what kind of fish do well in your water. I get mostly cichlids around here Driftwood will gradually decrease pH as well. Are you concerned about your neons? I would think that messing around with pH is probably more risky than leaving things be, but I've never kept neons before.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Tony- didn't you add driftwood to your tank? I may be thinking of someone else, but if you did add the driftwood, has your pH lowered since you put it in the tank? I wouldn't use any chemicals (as mentioned before by bzbee). As long as it's stable, that's the most important. EXCEPT when you have a pH in the 8's. When you are that high, you'll have success with Africans. But, you don't have it that high, so it won't be an issue. If you want something more permanent, just add another piece of driftwood.

 

[mattrox]

I believe there is much ado about pH and a lot of it is generated by LFS's wanting to sell product.

Check this info out. It is specifically about Discus, a "low pH fish", but I am sure it applies across the board.

http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38487

 

[Lepomis]

I am getting ready to start using chemicals to lower my pH in my tank slowly. Hopefully with the water changes and slowly adding pH down I can get there safely with out stressing the fish. I set my tank up 2.5 weeks ago and am testing @ between 8.6 and 8.8. Tap water is @ 7.2.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Lepomis- I wouldn't use the chemicals. All they do is make your pH swing. What type of decor do you have in your tank? What type of rocks? You should try using driftwood or peat first. It is a more natural way of lower the pH and won't cause swings.

 

[Guest]

thanks for all the tips, it soulnds like I'm fine with the pH I have.

 

[Lepomis]

Driftwood presently along with river gravel. The gravel is from previous tanks. Artificial plants and one live plant.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Do you know the type of river gravel?

 

[Lepomis]

Collected from, most likely highland regions of the Tennesee River drainage.