PH & Texas Holey Rock

[cope]

Just curious,  I have been informed that the Texas Holey rock leaches minerals that cause the PH of the water to raise. I have central american cichlids and I believe the PH should be somewhere around   6.5 - 7    and my Ph at current is around  7.8     I also understand that by adding PH down will not nessesarly lower the PH if the cause of the PH increase is not removed... The holey rock acts as a buffer to raise the PH...

is the PH of 7.8 all that critical to the life of the fish?  I am just wondering if anyone has had this issue or concern? and what did you do to reduce the PH.... I really like the holey rock...... but if needed, I will remove all of it...

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: PH & Texas Holey Rock

You want to try to match the pH of your aquarium to whatever pH the fish is acclimated too.  Dont think that just because in the wild a certain fish lives in X-pH that X-pH in your aquarium is going to make him happy.  Some fish types are so far breed deep past the bloodlines, that they are nothing like their wild origins.

Limestone Holey Rock will not breakdown until about a pH of 5-6.  A guy on this site namned Chris (souljaa) is a geologist and he said only Limestone sand or particles would breakdown, not boulders or large rocks in any given time we would notice or impact the water condition.

What makes pH important is that it helps the fish expel toxins and get oxygen into the blood stream thru its gill operation. Every fish type is different in its pH requirements.

The have pH buffers for acidic aquariums, my best bet for you would be to start with RO water, then adjut the pH with chemicals, then buffer it using a acid buffer.

Hope this helps...

Geoff

[nacra99]

Re: PH & Texas Holey Rock

I haven't have enough experience with holey rock to give an in depth discourse, but i know that my aerated tapwater is around pH 7.8. When i added holey rock to one of my shrimp tanks, the pH gradually increased over a month and stabilized at around 8.4 - 8.4. Apart from the addition of holey rock, nothing else changed.

So i'm going to say Yes... holey rock does have an impact on raising and buffering pH above 8.

I personally don't think it's wise to keep fish in a pH that is not suited to their natural environment. Their bodily systems have evolved to be perfectly suited to their current pH. Any changes might mess them up. Although some fish can tolerate changes, but it may not be optimum for their growth and well being.

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: PH & Texas Holey Rock

Given each type of tank setup may be different, but in my cichlid tanks I have to add buffer to get it above 7.8 and my tanks are stacked full of Limestone Rock.

I have seen pH in my tanks drop to less than 7.0 before, and I have some limestone rocks for 10 years and they have no signs of dissolving.

In other aquarium setups where the water is differnt, things could happen where the pH went up like that, but I never seen it do it.

Geoff

[eklikewhoa]

Re: PH & Texas Holey Rock

What is the pH of the tap water cope?

[cope]

Re: PH & Texas Holey Rock

out of the tap... around  7.0-7.2

[cope]

Re: PH & Texas Holey Rock

http://www.firsttankguide.net/ph.php    a  good friend and fish guy e-mailed me this link.... good reading