Water Hardness, pH and alkalanity question

[mredman]

Fascinating information. I have been to South America but have never visited the river tributaries.

Mike

Mike I like your response about hatchet fish.
Having been to Peru and collected hatchet fish. The really strange thing I found is. One stream feeding into the Amazon will have only Silvers. The next stream less than a mile away will have only Marbles. You figure.
The temps were never that warm.

[fishman13218]

Your missing pure beauty. In Brazil collecting, fishing for peacock bass and hunting.

[blaciarmd]

Wood, leaves, and Peat will not lower the PH of tap water. It will only lower the PH of RODI. Nelsons Water Garden in Katy sells large bags of pure peat from Europe. This is the brown Peat from Peat Bogs in Europe. Sera has some peat granuals that can be used easily in filters which I find better than other peat granuals on the market. Peat can drop PH drastically in RO water, but has a short lifespan as opposed to leaves. Leaves are the best all around way to lower PH and keeps a stable PH even with water changes. Wood does not pack a lot of punch when it comes to PH, but it does leach out acidic tannins and creates a more natural biotope for SA species. I have an Atabapo biotope with Altums, Panda Uaru, Geophagus from the region, corys, Oscars, tetras, and PH is 4.5 - 5.5 with pure RODI. I also keep Apistos that more easily breed in soft acidic water. No luck with my West Africans dwarf cichlids because the males keep killing the females in a 55gallon tank with dithers and and plenty of hiding places. I use leaves collected from outside, Indian almond leaves, palm leaves, banana leaves, and a few others and Wood. I have cut back on Peat use. I have been experimenting for over a year. I prefer to use leaves that I collect outside in the fall and winter and I use the leaves I paid for during the summer months.