helping a friend

[michael15]

I'm helping my friend getting his 20 gallon high setup. He has a low tech planted tank with dwarf sag, Java fern, and Anubis. Right now we're working on getting his Ph from 8.2 to about 6.8 since it was a former shell dweller tank. He wants 2 German rams, 8 von rio tetras, 8 black neon tetras, 1 banjo catfish(or Sa bumblebee catfish). He also wants a vampire shrimp....Really Really bad, I don't know why but he just does.I thought that I should run this by you guys first to be on the safe side.

 

[michael15]

what is the best way to lower Ph?

 

[Delapool]

Skipping everything else, is the substrate neutral? If the substrates contain carbonates (eg old shells) it will naturally fight lowering the ph.

Next one would to check ph and kh of change water. I'd definitely recommend a kh test kit. If the tap water is very hard, you might need an RO kit.

I've never worried really as the fish shop uses the same tap water I do and I don't breed fish.