Changing water PH

[sam w]

Hey guys,

I have an 8x2x2 tank so about 1000l, my tap water here comes out at about 7.6. My tank ph is currently about 7.8. As I have aamericans I think this is a little high. I have ph down but I have no idea how much to use. Any ideas? A table spoon a day/week?

I have no idea of the magnitude of change to expect and don't want to send it plummeting down

Thanks in advance

[Foti]

i would leave it where it is

dont bother with cemicals (tends to shock them)

you need to look at means of creating the right enviroment with a stable ph!

driftwood is great in lowering ph remove any and all buffers in the tank like coral ect

when you do water changes use water you prefilled in a barrel you can treat that and test it or you can let it age with some drift or other to lower ph once its ready use for water change!

[cpfc]

I agree with Foti. Do you have driftwood and what is your KH? With a high KH you will see little difference. With a low KH you will get a drop, do a water change and get an increase. Stability is much more important. I have also seen acid buffers but I do not know how well they work nor do I know if there is a side affect. I understand some neutral buffers leach phosphate and have the potential to cause algae.

[killiguy]

Ive tended to breed a group of fish that like extemely soft acid water:Bettas of the Asian peat swamp, Dwarf cichlids and tetras.

Ive made this point before but the fish are much more attuned to conductivity(ie the total ions that will carry current)than the absolute pH.Adding pH down when your water is naturally alkaline and hard will only increase conductivity and bounce back(if you KH is high as has been stated)best to use RO water or rainwater mixed with a little tapwater if it a real concern

I agree with foti and cpfc leave the water alone and concentrate on frequent large water changes and not worry too much about the pH.If you have black water cichlids (there are not many large ones about) then invest in a RO unit.

Im sure your aware central american cichlids come from naturally hard alkaline water and many of the South Americans come from white or clear water and are quite adaptable to pH

[dobbin4]

Are your fish happy at that PH -KH etc?

If so I tend not to change it to much.

I have Malawi & Americans together at that ph.

They do fine.

Agree with Foti, & cpfc comments.

If your going to drop Ph then do it slowly over a couple of weeks.You should have instructions on bottle.

[sam w]

So in summary if I check my KH and its good then I can leaVe the tank as is?

The tank is holding geophagus tapajos/rio branco and will in time haVe some others including and oscar and a red bay snook.

[dobbin4]

Thats what i would do.

But hey man have you checked what the Oscar & Red bay snook grow too, not to mention the agro . Your Geo's will not complete with more aggressive fish like these.Not a good choose in my option.

[killiguy]

Ive not had Rio Branco but Ive had Rio Tapajos and they are quite shy and timid fish.Id be getting some more Geos.Acarichthys heckelii are quite tolerant of pH and are lovely and need a big tank;Red humps,brasilliensis etc.

Severums,Festivums are also quite peaceful and pH tolerant

Id avoid the oscar and the snook(esp)

[sam w]

Well that has thrown a spanner in the works I was planning on getting my oscar and snook sent up from tassie, maybe just the oscar then... he is actually very timid currentyl lives with a jewel which would be about the same size as the orange heads.

Also looking to put red forest jewel, green severum, gold spot pleco, and a bumble bee cat fish in the tank do they all seem ok