Driftwood...can it drop you pH

[woodsplace1]

I have hunted and hunted for a way to not chemically drop my pH which has been about 8.2-8.4. My fish have adapted quite well. I just did a 50% water change and right before the change I tested the water again. I had just put in a nice peice of driftwood for my clown pleco about a week ago. My pH is now down to 8, closer to 7.8. The only change is the driftwood. Can driftwood drop pH?

 

[Andos99]

Not that much.....there seems to another factor here. Test your tap. As water quality deteriorates, the pH will drop as well.

 

[woodsplace1]

I did test my tap...the pH is 8.2 right out of the tap...that is what is so weird. All the other levels are norm. 0 nitrites, 0 ammonia, 20 nitrate, now pH 7.8-8...oh well, we'll see! Thanks for the help!

 

[shawmutt]

I have hunted and hunted for a way to not chemically drop my pH

The only way I've been able to successfully drop the pH in my tank is by using ro water bought from a water machine.

 

[maxwell1295]

My pH dropped from 6.6 to 6.0 by adding 1 large piece of driftwood to my 30 gal tank. The drop was big enough to shock one of my German Rams to its death.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Driftwood will not drop a pH level much. The effects of it are slow, nothing sudden. I would suspect that something else caused the death of the GBR.

 

[maxwell1295]

At the time my kH was 1 (using the AP kit).....so I assume the driftwood caused a severe pH crash. They were doing fine up until that point...

 

[rich311k]

Woodsplace check your PH and KH after letting your water sit out. The driftwood may lower your PH a little but not quickly.

Maxwell with a KH of 1 your PH is going to be very unstable. Any little thing could cause a change like that.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

My tap ph is 7.6 and adding 2 pieces of driftwood keeps my ph at 7.0-7.2 in my 26G and 55G.

 

[tropicfishman]

I never would have thought driftwood could do that, good question

 

[maxwell1295]

Woodsplace check your PH and KH after letting your water sit out. The driftwood may lower your PH a little but not quickly.

Maxwell with a KH of 1 your PH is going to be very unstable. Any little thing could cause a change like that.

Yeah, I learned that the hard way! I now use baking soda to get the KH up around 6 or so. I was keeping it it around 3dKH until I started adding some DIY CO2 to the tank. Now it's up in the 6-7dKH with a staedy pH of 7.0

Things are a lot more stable now...

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Driftwood lowers the ph over time, not instantly. It was a couple weeks for mine to settle where it is.

 

[maxwell1295]

I guess the fact that I had zero buffering had something to do with that drop. My pH from the tap has been a steady 6.6, but it was the KH (or lack thereof) that caused me problems. Using the AP kit, 1 drop would turn the water yellow as opposed to the 6-7 drops it takes now. ..

 

[DepotFish]

Try some almonds in the filter or in the tank.

 

[maxwell1295]

I read that thread about almond earlier. Looks like it could be interesting. I've got to baking soda dosage down to a science though. 1 tsp per 5 gals of PWC water works out perfectly.

 

[woodsplace1]

baking soda brings down the pH or the KH? What's up with the almond?

 

[TomK2]

Baking soda raises KH and elevates pH.

Crushed coral in the filter or in the substrate will also dissolve carbonate into the water to keep KH higher. Might not be as controllable as baking soda (ie: hitting an exact pH level), but it sure will be stable long term.

 

[woodsplace1]

Well, I don't need that for sure..my pH is high but is coming down which is the purpose for this thread...the driftwood was the only difference in my tank so I thought itmight have brought it down some. I'll check again next week and see what the levels are...weird

 

[TomK2]

I have heard that peat moss in a filter compartment lowers the pH and softens the water gradually? Anyone with experience with this?

 

[woodsplace1]

peat moss huh? I'll have to check that out....I'll keep an eye out on this thread and do some investigating...thanks