Best way to slowly raise PH?

SOBERKITTY · Post by **SOBERKITTY** » 28 Mar 2008, 13:33

The tap water in my area is 7.0 but my tank water can't seem to get above 6.0.

I am wanting to put a few pieces of driftwood in the tank soon, and I know that may lower the PH. I have heard there are various ways to get the PH raised, but I thought I'd take a small journey through the forum and see what are the favorite ways of Planet Catfish members. Also after my move and everyone gets settled in I will be adding a new Pleco. After doing research I've decided this little guy is the best fit for my Tank (it is also one of the few smaller plecos available in my area w/o having to special order or get too expensive) .

worton[pl] · Post by **worton[pl]** » 28 Mar 2008, 14:42

Hey,

Ph is connected with hardness of water (well let's avoid all this chemical crap

. So higher hardness usually means higher Ph, higher hardness will also give water some buffering features so your Ph won't drop drastically after adding driftwood.

I usually use limestones, coral sand, coral pebbles and crushed shells but in Tanganyikan tanks. I'm not sure how they will react in acid water, they may raise ph a little bit too high.

Regards.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 28 Mar 2008, 14:43

You need to add a pH buffer - your LFS should have something in that area. How much you need to add depends on how acidic your water goes [the water company apparently add some short-term buffer, hence the tap water is pH 7, but once it's settled in your tank it goes down to pH 6].

I also, personally, think P. maccus would be fine at pH 6.0, even if the Cat-eLog shows a higher value.

--
Mats

Mike_Noren · Post by **Mike_Noren** » 28 Mar 2008, 15:02

First of all I'd get a second pH test and verify the reading. Any pH reading below 6.5 or above 8.3 are automatically suspect, as they're outside the normal pH range of bicarbonate buffered water. Basically it's hard to get there without serious fiddling with water chemistry (CO2 injection, oak extract, phosphate buffer...).

Secondly: if pH really does turn out to be too low, add some calcium carbonate to your tank. Limestone, seashells, pieces of coral... Anything except marble (reacts too slowly). The calcium carbonate will dissolve, raising your carbonate hardness and thereby your pH, quite gently, to about 7.5, and lock it there.

hfjacinto · Post by **hfjacinto** » 28 Mar 2008, 15:13

Why do you want to raise or lower PH?

My experience is that most fish are adaptable to whatever PH the water is if extremes are avoided. I believe the reason your PH is so low compared to the tap water is that you have a lot of carbon dioxide in your tank. Water mixes with carbon dioxide making carbonic acid, reducing PH. I would do larger water and if you don’t have plants add a couple of hardy ones like Anubias or java moss.

The other option is to add an airstone.

When you start mixing chemicals to try and adjust the properties of your water you will be doing this all the time and eventually set yourself up for failure as the week your on vacation the PH can fluctuate rapidly and cause a massive fish die off.

MatsP · Post by **MatsP** » 28 Mar 2008, 20:21

hfjacinto, you are quite right. "Messing" with the pH should be done only if you absolutely know what you are doing.

But my suggestion of a pH-buffer is still sound. Although a natural buffer in the form of limestone will of course also work.

--
Mats

SOBERKITTY · Post by **SOBERKITTY** » 29 Mar 2008, 01:13

I have a ton of sea shells. But my thought is even though the shells are almost 15-20 years old isn't it possible that they could have some sort of contaminates in them or organisims that could hurt the fish?

The first thing I'll do is get an independant reading. The PH reading seems to stay the same both before and after a water change. I read before and then after. RIght now there is nothing organic in the tank except for the fish, gravel, and the existing biological filter in the tank itself.

But the real concern is the drift wood I'll be adding and possibly lowering the PH. I will be adding some plants to "root" to the driftwood. So that will help with the oxygen content. I will not be adding massive amounts of plants though b/c I don't have the means (read no money)

to deal w/ CO2 injection or other additions that would be needed.

Bas Pels · Post by **Bas Pels** » 29 Mar 2008, 09:32

SOBERKITTY wrote:I will not be adding massive amounts of plants though b/c I don't have the means (read no money) to deal w/ CO2 injection or other additions that would be needed.

Plants don't need CO2 additions in a well populated tank.

Let's assume the above given solution (high CO2content) is true - than your tank even has too much of the stuff.

Your fish produce it, and the plants will consume it. Thus, the amount of planst should balance the amount of fishes. Believe me, it does

I have a lot of tanks with Hyrophylia polysperma (twigs with leaves) in which I raise little fish. Why did I add the plants? In order to cionsume the CO2 - and other wastes the fish produce. They grow BTW very well, in fact too well. I have 29 tanks (soon 30) of which 15 are planten. None receives CO2

However, 'massive'amounts will not be required, needed or even advised. Massive amounts would mean filling the whole tank. Your catfish will not like that

SOBERKITTY · Post by **SOBERKITTY** » 29 Mar 2008, 14:28

Well I have read that while the plants will give off oxygen during the day they can start using oxygen at night due to the lack of light so I don't want to deal w/ that, hence there will not be a lot of plants. When I learn more about how all this works there will probably be more additions. But for now my rule is one change at a time, which i know is the general rule anyway. So of course the first thing will be moving everyone and adding some sand or very tiny gravel in half of the tank. Then getting them settled back in. The next thing will be then testing everything to make sure it's all good. Then adding the driftwood and plants,ect, well you can follow the logic here. So anyone have an answer about the shells.

I have a ton of sea shells. But my thought is even though the shells are almost 15-20 years old isn't it possible that they could have some sort of contaminates in them or organisims that could hurt the fish?

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 29 Mar 2008, 15:06

I agree that it is best to let the fish adapt to your water than mess with it. What are your other fish, and what size tank is it? Your nice acid water should be great for keeping South American fish.

I also second Mike Noren about the second opinion on the test kits.

Soberkitty, do you have a KH/GH or TDS/conductivity reading for your tapwater? That may help us get to the bottom of the problem.

Well I have read that while the plants will give off oxygen during the day they can start using oxygen at night due to the lack of light so I don't want to deal w/ that, hence there will not be a lot of plants.

This is absolutely no problem in all but the most finely tuned hi-tech planted tanks. Just make sure the water is well circulated with airstones at night.

Unless you are recreating a specific biotope, a tank with plants is ALWAYS superior to one without. They are nature's filter.

Have a read of this Shane's World article and you should understand water chemistry a bit better.

http://planetcatfish.com/shanesworld/sh ... cle_id=332

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 29 Mar 2008, 15:07

What are your other fish, and what size tank is it?

Just noticed your sig. I assume it is the 29g?

Also, how frequent are your water changes?

SOBERKITTY · Post by **SOBERKITTY** » 29 Mar 2008, 15:46

racoll wrote:
What are your other fish, and what size tank is it?
Just noticed your sig. I assume it is the 29g?

Also, how frequent are your water changes?

It is the 29 gallon. The bala sharks are leaving today, but everything else stays the same. Water changes were up to 2 x's a week while I was batteling a fungus outbreak last month. But we are back to 1x a week now at about 33%. (the 2 gallon still gets 2x's a week.)

As for the gh and kh readings I've decided to go to the store and just get every reading I need on both my Tap and Tank water. I'm begining to think the strips may have been contaminated at some point. I'll let you know when I get back.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 29 Mar 2008, 16:19

As for the gh and kh readings I've decided to go to the store and just get every reading I need on both my Tap and Tank water

Good plan.

I'm sure you will, but make sure you get the values of the results, rather than the LFS people to just say "that's fine".

Write them down too, along with the measurement scale (i.e. was the hardness measured in mg/l or degrees or ppm etc).

Best way to slowly raise PH?

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