ph levels and maintaining

[mrairportjunke]

ok. if i have the ph buffer 6.5 that will keep ph at that level.  so when i add water just dose with it and ph should never change right?

second question, when lowering a fishes ph, how much to do and how fast or long should i take to do so?

[mrairportjunke]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

one more question,  im using the proper ph 6.5.  made by aqua pharmaceuticals.  it says that it neutralizes chlorine, detoxifies heavy metals.  so do i have to use my amquel plus also or not from straight tap water??

[eklikewhoa]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

If you plan on playing with the pH I would age the water outside the tank....add you chemicals to that and let it sit for about 48hrs.....that way it will have time to stabilize before putting the fish through the shock of unstable pH.

For lowering the tank warter do it through water changes.....do like a few 30% water changes with the water you made over a course of a week or so.


If you don't mind for what sp. fish are you trying to lower water for? IMO those chemicals don't work to well if you're trying to do it with tap water from houston.

[mrairportjunke]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

well i have a 24g that i lowered the ph with pretty good.  im keepin it at like 6.5 amd have done water changes too. worked good.  
the fish i am doing are apistogramma cacatoides.  they are already at 6.5 but i want to put them in my 75g with some kuhlis, and some cory's.  i read and they can take the ph no problems so i wanna lower them to the same ph my apistos are at so i can mix them all in the 75

[Zulaab]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

I dont remember where it was I read this but I read somewhere you want to lower the pH no more than 0.333 each session.  Water changes are going to be your best way of doing it like EK suggested.
Houston water (I live in Katy and its the same) its hard to lower your pH.  Why..  we have a high amount of calcium carbonate in the water which raises the GH and KH which is what you will need to over come or remove to lower your pH and for it to stay stable.  This is what is known as buffering.  RO water will assist you because RO has no calcium carbonate and a lower pH.

I recommend strongly to read http://fins.actwin.com/mirror/begin-chem.html to learn more about how pH/dH/GH/KH works in your tank and how to lower the waters pH value.   Note the part about how pH-Down adds Phosphor to your tank which means algae growth and how Nitrates increases in lower pH water, which is why its important to have a planted tank in lower pH waters because they naturally use up the extra nitrates.

[mrairportjunke]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

i didnt know about the nitrate thing.  but the kh here is super high. it is hard to get the ph to come down.  i have to use the acid buffer to drop it.  i kept my 24 stable at 6.5.  i was just curious if it was gonna be harder in the 75g.    if i get a ro filter.  all i need is the ro filter and no chemicals right?  for the chlorine stuff.  i know i need some chem for the ph.

[Zulaab]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

RO water will lower your pH without needing to add any chemicals.  There is enough carbonate in the water out here that you will not have to worry to much about re-buffering your water once you blend it.  Remember you cannot use 100% RO water but you can use a significant amount.

You are correct you dont have to use Prime or Amquel Plus to treat the water coming from a RO Filter.

If you add RO water PLEASE do NOT add chemicals at the same time to lower your pH..  Wait a week before you make any chemical changes to the water after a water change with RO.

Another thing go out and get a Freshwater Master Test Kit.

See http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...fm?c=3578+4345  -- the second product from the top (at least on my search) is the one I use.  Its much more accurate than strips and they dont expire the moment they hit the South Texas Humidity.

[mrairportjunke]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

yeah i have a test kit.  i use it to figure this ph out and keep it the same in my 24.

[fishlady]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

just remember.....fishies can take  changing to an environment with a higher ph alot easier than they handle being introduced into a lower ph atmosphere...if it were me i would be very careful and eventually just acclimate them to the higher ph over time instead of running the risk of hurting them trying to get the tank adapted to the lower side of the ph spectrum...but that's just my 2 cents ......

[High-PH]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

I decided several years ago, after one last ditch attempt at serious PH-lowering, that any fish I keep are safer trying to live in my water as it is than trying to survive my attempts at chemistry !

Polly

[mrairportjunke]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

thanks.  i have some apistogramma cacatoides that i am going to put in the tank wtih them.  i was gonna lower the ph on the others to get them same as my apistos.  i did alot of readin late last night and talked to the person i got my apistos from and im gonna bring my apistos up to a higher ph.

[blacksmith37]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

Did you ever notice how suprised black mollies look when you put them in pH8.5 salt water or back in pH6.8 fresh water ? I don't think they can read ,so don't know about their limited pH change tolerance.
Here in the country . nature provides free distilled water, we call it rain. With non-calcarous gravel pH  an aquarium will stay around 6; I add lime stone to get to about 6.8 (and 7.5+ in the african cichlid tank).
I have never seen the need for any purchased water "additives" in 60 yr with aquariums; then again I don't sell supplies either.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: ph levels and maintaining

The most of us aren't in the country.....