Ph issue

[DiverDown]

We just moved to Alabama, where the Ph from my tap is about 7.8. I was used to perfect 7.0 water, and now I'm having the devil to pay to try to get my Ph to stay at 7.2 or lower.

Any advice on products that will buffer my water, I've used several with no luck whatsoever.

 

[physicsdude]

What kind of fish do you keep?

 

[rich311k]

Dont fight the PH. A stable PH is much more important than perfect.

 

[JohnPaul]

Why do you want to lower it? Most of the tropical fish commonly used in the hobby will be just as happy at 7.8 as they are at 7.2. What they won't be happy with is massive pH swings that are a result of attempting to use chemicals to alter your pH.

If you feel you absolutely must lower the pH, probably your best bet would be to use an acidic substrate, something along the lines of ADA aqua soil (Amazon soil), an "artificial" soil for acidic water tanks manufactured with peat. I've never used it myself but have seen it recommended on the discussion forums at petshrimp.com for those who are keeping acidic-water-loving shrimp species.

But basically, there's no good way to do what you're asking to do.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

I agree with Rich and John. Don't try to alter the pH. Stable is better than perfect.

 

[Voodoo Chilli]

I agree: 7.8 is perfectly fine for the vast majority of store bought tropicals. Take it straight from the tap and don't worry about trying to "fix" it.

 

[Jchillin]

Any advice on products that will buffer my water, I've used several with no luck whatsoever.

You are looking for the complete opposite. With that level of ph, you should have plenty of buffers. What you wanted to ask was: "What will remove my buffers"?

It is far easier to raise your ph than to lower it. The only suggestion I would have is to use some real driftwood. As mentioned, keeping your ph stable is far better than trying to adjust it.

Of course, unless you are looking to do something specific that requires acidic water?

 

[DepotFish]

There aren't even that many fish that do better in acidic water. Loaches, tetras, angelfish do fine in 7.8 pH. Going from 7.2-7.8 is not a drastic raise, so long as the new water is stable. You are more likely to stress or kill your fish by messing with the pH than if you leave it at 7.8

 

[bs6749]

edit

 

[JohnPaul]

No, it is an increase closer to six-fold, not sixty-fold.

pH is logarithmic, so every 1 pH unit represents a 10-fold increase. Thus pH 8 water is ten times more basic than pH 7 water. The difference between pH 7.8 and 7.2 is less extreme than that.

Anyways, the main point here is most tropical fish are fine at 7.8, but most tropicall fish will find it very difficult to deal with a fluctuating pH. Stability is the key.