Jackwilliams01
Aquarium Advice Newbie
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- Apr 10, 2015
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How can I lower my ph permanently?
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Sent from my iPod touch using Aquarium Advice
Ph level
- Thread starter Jackwilliams01
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Clayman
Aquarium Advice Freak
What is your ph and why do you want to lower it?
ImACoolguy
Aquarium Advice Addict
Driftwood doesn't lower pH much. It's the tannins it releases that does.
Peat moss is a good way to lower pH.
unless your pH is an outrageous level there's no reason to really change it though.
Caleb
Reefer James
Aquarium Advice Freak
You're talking about permanent change. The above mentioned methods will lower your pH for sure...
Let's start off with, why do you want lower pH? What pH are you working with?
If all you're doing to lower pH is providing driftwood or peat moss you're just lowering pH overtime... and in no way stabilizing it.. (Frankly the addition of live plants could be so much that it'd consume the CO2 in the tank that existed already and raise the pH from the acid being removed.)
You need to change your base water. Raising pH, or even neutralizing it is much much easier than lowering it permanently. A buffer would typically consist of Acid and Alkalinity. The Alkalinity would consume the acid as a CO2 supply and overtime deplenishying the acid supply raising the pH. A need for a water change with the exact same amount of buffer.. And technically in order for it to be stable, or permanent you'd need to figure out the rate of consumption and perform a water change with that buffer on an exact schedule.. A small daily water change would give you the most stable results with this type of buffer method. If you do not grow live plants you can use a Phosphate based buffer that is MUCH MUCH more stable... You may experience more algae growth but your buffer would be very stable with strong supply of carbonates and bicarbonates with little ability to move pH primarily through diurnal CO2 exchange between surface, live plants, and fish gills. pH does move throughout the day and will change depending on time of day you test it.
The most effective method at lowering pH would be to dilute your tap source water with Reverse Osmosis (and Deionized) water with the ratio you need. I typically find 1:1 easy. The benefit of using tap is it provides you with your minerals (GH) such as trace, calcium, magnesium, and some carbonates (kH). IF you use all RO/DI you are forced to supplement Minerals and Carbonates.. The benefit of this is you are God and can likely grow many many many more plants and house some more of the sensitive freshwater species.
In summary, to stabilize your pH at lower levels around diurnal changes, use reverse osmosis water. As without it any water change with just driftwood/peat as primary means of pH control will raise your pH for you are removing the water that has been lowered... It begins to make the hobbyist not perform necessary water changes at fear of pH raising.... This should never be the case when an easy scenario exists to stabilize lower pH exists.
Let's start off with, why do you want lower pH? What pH are you working with?
If all you're doing to lower pH is providing driftwood or peat moss you're just lowering pH overtime... and in no way stabilizing it.. (Frankly the addition of live plants could be so much that it'd consume the CO2 in the tank that existed already and raise the pH from the acid being removed.)
You need to change your base water. Raising pH, or even neutralizing it is much much easier than lowering it permanently. A buffer would typically consist of Acid and Alkalinity. The Alkalinity would consume the acid as a CO2 supply and overtime deplenishying the acid supply raising the pH. A need for a water change with the exact same amount of buffer.. And technically in order for it to be stable, or permanent you'd need to figure out the rate of consumption and perform a water change with that buffer on an exact schedule.. A small daily water change would give you the most stable results with this type of buffer method. If you do not grow live plants you can use a Phosphate based buffer that is MUCH MUCH more stable... You may experience more algae growth but your buffer would be very stable with strong supply of carbonates and bicarbonates with little ability to move pH primarily through diurnal CO2 exchange between surface, live plants, and fish gills. pH does move throughout the day and will change depending on time of day you test it.
The most effective method at lowering pH would be to dilute your tap source water with Reverse Osmosis (and Deionized) water with the ratio you need. I typically find 1:1 easy. The benefit of using tap is it provides you with your minerals (GH) such as trace, calcium, magnesium, and some carbonates (kH). IF you use all RO/DI you are forced to supplement Minerals and Carbonates.. The benefit of this is you are God and can likely grow many many many more plants and house some more of the sensitive freshwater species.
In summary, to stabilize your pH at lower levels around diurnal changes, use reverse osmosis water. As without it any water change with just driftwood/peat as primary means of pH control will raise your pH for you are removing the water that has been lowered... It begins to make the hobbyist not perform necessary water changes at fear of pH raising.... This should never be the case when an easy scenario exists to stabilize lower pH exists.
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