Good way to keep my PH up?

[PunkRock050]

Im trying to keep my PH around 8.0, what are some tips? Where could I get some bicarbonate of soda or whatever its called? Should I use salt even though I have plants? It says wood will lower the PH. Ive got a really nice peice of driftwood for the tank, is there any way I can keep the PH up with it in there? Thanks for any info.

 

[Humbug]

You can get bicarbonate of soda at any shop over in the uk in the cakes and bits section.
I would seriously think about some limestone to higher the Ph just a small rock or some coral sand/gravel that should do the trick. Having the bogwood in there will give you some problems though especially if its new.
Definately dont add salt though unless you are going brackish, all it does is increase the salinity of the water not the Ph.

 

[Davy Reynolds]

Are you keeping africans??

 

[WhiskeyDawg]

go buy some oysters, eat the meat, clean the shells real good, crush em up, put em in some cheese cloth, put it in your filter.

 

[PunkRock050]

I already had a couple peices of limestone in the tank, and now I just added some crushed coral. Maybe that will help

 

[WhiskeyDawg]

big pieces of limestone won't affect your Ph that much. It has to be crushed up. teh coral should would work

 

[hollywoodH]

what about just using a premade Buffer ??? Like proper ph 8.2??

 

[firetank]

best off going for a natural buffer...

proper ph will work, but only till the next water change, when the tank'll revert closer to the natural tap ph.....


crushed coral is a good idea, go for crushed as you want the largest surface area to be in contact with the water./....

 

[PunkRock050]

Yeah Im keeping Africans, and I have used the crushed coral. Its been in there for a couple days and the PH hasnt changed much. How long is it supposed to take? And on the bogwood, it must be pretty old because I put in in a bucket of really hot water and then left it for about a week. Then when I poured the water out, it was still clear with no tannen in it. I guess its all leaked out?

 

[kev h]

just got some proper ph .. for rift fish... says don't add til you've put salt in...any one else seen this?

 

[hollywoodH]

i use proper ph 8.2 in mine but with my local water being quite hard and alakaline anyway i was advised not to use to salt in my tank so i didnt and its worked. Although i do have to add when i do a water change