What Does Everyone Use To Balance Their Ph

[shellz2008]

on water changes what do you add to your water to get your ph right, i have been using 6.5 buffer waterlife, but always seem to have trouble disolving it even though i disolve in warm water as were in hard water area. tried tetra aqua one instead today and it seems to worked ok so far. just wondering what you all use?

 

[JenCliBee]

is there any particular reason for needing to balance your PH? wot is your ph from the tap? also wot fish do you keep to need to entertain altering your ph ?

 

[drobbyb]

In my case I have to use crushed coral in my filters. My KH and GH out of the tap is so low that I get wild pH swings. From what I have heard, I am the exception to the rule however. Usually it's the other way around.

 

[Tolak]

If you are trying to adjust the pH of hard tap water you are fighting a loosing battle, and probably doing your fish more harm than good. Unless you are keeping or breeding a particularly sensitive species the pH from your tap is probably just fine.

 

[Bignose]

If you are trying to adjust the pH of hard tap water you are fighting a loosing battle, and probably doing your fish more harm than good. Unless you are keeping or breeding a particularly sensitive species the pH from your tap is probably just fine.

Truer words have never been written. To the OP, I use nothing! The water's pH is what it is.

 

[murphyk32]

i have crushed coral as my substrate., but my ph is fine anyways. ive never had an issue or added anything

 

[agutt]

http/www.rexgrigg.com/waterchem.htm

pay extra special attention to the "advice" section at the bottom of the article!

 

[drobbyb]

I used to use magnesuim sulfate and baking soda. The crushed coral does fine and is less work.

 

[mike os]

waterchanges....

 

[raptorrex]

nothing at all.

 

[Corleone]

Nothing here either, aside from water changes. pH out of my tap is 7.8-8.0, tanks are around 7.6, and I successfully keep angelfish, a plec, corys, and keyhole cichlids, all of which generally prefer softer water.

 

[drobbyb]

Honestly you are looking for stability. Fish can adapt quite well.

 

[ILuvTropicalFish]

Since you actually asked what we use to adjust PH, I use Aquarium Pharmeceuticals Proper PH. My tap water comes out at 7.5 or more and I have a discus tank. They require a PH lower than 7.0 so I have to buffer my water with the 6.5 product. I also use the 8.2 buffer for my marine tanks. I agree that the PH Up/Down products do not work, but these products do work and they do keep the water stable. And the PH does not creep back to something else. I will agree with some of the others here regarding the average community tank. I have never buffered the water in those tanks. What comes out of the tank is what the fish get. And I have good success with the health of my fish. I hope this info helps.

 

[Tolak]

I hang out with some discus breeders, the pH of the water for adults or growing juvies is fine out of the tap here, pH 7.7, harder water. The reason softer water with a lower pH is often needed for discus breeding has to do with the osmosis effect on the outside skin of the eggs. Harder water, having a higher mineral content, is actually better for growing healthy young discus.

Hardness stabilizes pH, most often water with a higher pH is also harder. Without knowing the hardness you may have luck with chemicals & tap water, it may come back to bite you.

Before even considering adjusting the pH of tap water you have to know as much as possible about your supply. Where does it originate from, what are the reasons for any changing of additives, do changes in seasons, agricultural practices, or weather have anything to do with these changes, a whole lot of questions. One of the best things you can do is contact your water supplier, get on a first name basis with someone knowledgeable who doesn't mind talking, and gather as much info as you can.

 

[drobbyb]

My conditions are unique. I live right beside the Appalachian mountains. The mountains are made of granite which dosen't leach anything into the waters. My local supply is from a lake made by damming one of those rivers. There are lots of plants in the lake (specificailly the dead plant material) and driftwood which softens the water. My pH out of the tap is 6.6 with a KH of <1 and a GH of <1. Really really soft.