How to lower pH?

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maxwellag

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I am getting a bigger tank soon and plan to put german blue rams and angels in it. My tap water's ph is around 8. How can I lower it?
 
Drift wood and peat moss. Pick your favorite. I like drift wood myself.
 
if you have the room and it doesn't slow it down i would guess that is an option.
 
Depending on how low you want to go (below 7)? With a ph of 8.0 using driftwood and peat, you just might be "spitting in the wind". R/O is the sure fire method just like the previous poster suggested. Are your Angels wild caught?

Lionel

I am getting a bigger tank soon and plan to put german blue rams and angels in it. My tap water's ph is around 8. How can I lower it?
 
Bigpoecilia said:
Depending on how low you want to go (below 7)? With a ph of 8.0 using driftwood and peat, you just might be "spitting in the wind". R/O is the sure fire method just like the previous poster suggested. Are your Angels wild caught?

Lionel

I don't have them yet but they will be from the lfs. I can't find driftwood anywhere...
 
Co2 lowers pH, but pH isn't what matters. The pH can jump all over the place, but if the TDS stays the same, the fish don't notice it. Your best bet is to buy the fish locally and not mess with it. You've been around here long enough to see that lowering the pH is not something that's necessary.
 
Co2 lowers pH, but pH isn't what matters. The pH can jump all over the place, but if the TDS stays the same, the fish don't notice it. Your best bet is to buy the fish locally and not mess with it. You've been around here long enough to see that lowering the pH is not something that's necessary.
OK, I will buy fish locally. The only thing I can think of that might make a difference is that my LFS uses RO/DI water. Will that effect the fish? I'm thinking that if I drip acclimate them for long enough that it will work...
Oh, and what about buying inverts online? I can't find anything other than ghost shrimp and wild crayfish here. Would ordering them online be OK?
 
If your pH is around 8, then your KH is probably ridiculously high. Tannins probably aren't going to make a significant impact.

That being said, good stock and proper acclimation will generally trump conditions assuming you're not doing something too ambitious (discus, fancy gouramis, etc).



Online is fine for shrimp. There are plenty of reputable sellers on this very forum.
 
If your pH is around 8, then your KH is probably ridiculously high. Tannins probably aren't going to make a significant impact.

That being said, good stock and proper acclimation will generally trump conditions assuming you're not doing something too ambitious (discus, fancy gouramis, etc).



Online is fine for shrimp. There are plenty of reputable sellers on this very forum.
I am definitely not going to have discus or fancy gouramis for at least unti lI am out of college... I don't have the money. LOL Usually I drip acclimate for an hour before adding anything (fish or invert) accept plants. But I have not ever gotten fish from my favorite LFS is Des Moines yet because I just found it a while ago. SO when I get my fish from there I will drip acclimate for at least two hours. DO you think that's long enough?
 
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