any other ideas on getting pH down?

[woodsplace1]

ok...how can I get my pH to go down...I can't get it below 8, is this a problem. It comes out of my tap at 8.4, my fish seem to be adjusting...any ideas on how to either lower it or is it ok for it to be this high? Thanks

 

[Viperboy]

I have pretty hard water and my PH on my tap comes out at about 8.6 or higher ... and my tank PH is just about 8.2 ..... but ive heard that adding driftwood to your tank can lower the PH by releasing tannins into the water ... so ive added a piece to my 29 gal and the PH has started to come down some ..... if you try this be sure to soak the driftwood for a while in a tub of water till it stops turning the water dark yellow.

Maybe someone with a little more experience will chime in but thats what i know ... also try not to use any chemicals like PH down .... HTH

Ray

 

[Elmware2000]

Man that is high. Don't you have any acid or Ph down solution at your lfs?

I once had readings of 8.7 out of my tap, but then I discovered that the test kit was lying when I bought a new one. It was more like 6.5 with the new test kit.

 

[shawmutt]

The best thing to do is get hardy fish that can tolerate a wide range of pH levels or fish that prefer a high pH like African cichlids. A steady pH is always far more desireable than the "perfect pH" for a fish. Here's the catch--once you start messing around with water parameters, you have to do it with every water change.

I have tried peat moss, driftwood, and chemicals. The only way I have been able to effectively lower the pH in water is to use distilled or RO water. I still use it; I buy 10 gallons a week from Walmart (the only place with a water machine in my area), and mix in trace minerals before I use it.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Do NOT use the chemicals such as pH down. All it will do is cause your level to fluctuate and in the end it will not work. Peat moss can be tricky to figure out at first and the results are instant. Driftwood doesn't really have that much of an effect on the pH. For an easier method, try 50/50 with RO water as Mike suggested.

 

[Billsgate]

I wouldn't try chemicals either, they are not stable solutions.
One thing that I have found to be very effective is to add peat (grains) to a filter compartiment. The downside to this method is that it releases tanins into your water. I don't mind though, in nature water isn't sparkling clear either.
Depending on the hardness of your water, peat can lower your pH quite a bit. With me it dropped from 8.1 to 7.6. I'd change it every 2-3 weeks if I wanted to keep it that low, but I mostly use it if I want to induce spawning with my fish. An hour after I add fresh peat most of my fish are mating

HTH!

 

[woodsplace1]

I thought the pH down was a joke as well, especially when I am doing 50% water changes weekly...makes no sense...I guess I ought to just chalk that up to money lost ehe? Someone mentioned they thought that is why my molly hadn't delivered her fry because of the high pH. They seem to be doing ok, stable with the pH I have now so my guess is if it's not broke don't fix it?! Thanks for all the advice and help...

Ging

 

[kaz]

from my understanding it isnt so much high or low ph just a consistant ph will do.

 

[studmaster]

Mollies like higher PH, around 7.8 is great for them, but in the end having a consistant PH is much better than the perfect PH. I would say 8 would be fine for mollies.

 

[Acer]

try some almond leaves, they are used alot by betta breeders, same concept as peat moss, releases tanis,lowers ph, i just recently ordered some to try out..