the ph in my fish tank is below 6.0 - i want it at 7.0, do i need a ph increaser or decreaser ?

Answer 1

The first thing that you need to know is, what is the pH of the water you use to fill the tank after a water change. If your tap water is neutral(7.0) Then you are not keeping the tank clean enough! The lowered pH is due to crap in the water and gravel. Also, if this is the case the pH must be corrected slowly,just a little at a time,or the result will be dead fish. Change the water 10% at a time,while siphoning the dirt out of the gravel,and then wait a day and do it again. After a couple of weeks of 10% water changes check the pH,it will be at what ever pH your tap water is. If you must raise the pH after the two weeks,then use crushed coral as a substrate. The pH up or pH down chemicals will change the pH,but they won't stabilize it, and your fish will be subject to constant stress and eventually be killed. It's better to keep fish that will do well in the water you have than to try to modify the water to suit a fish that will probably not thrive.-----Hope this helps.---PeeTee

Answer 2

The question is what your PH honestly is in the present day. you need to be round a 7. the first component you want to do is bypass on your community puppy keep and get a strong PH testing equipment. What you want to do is degree the PH of your tap water Vs the PH of the water contained in the aquarium. The question you want to be sure, is the PH of your tap water causing your PH to be intense, or is it some exteranal component contained in the tank. If its merely the tap water causing the challenge, that is a few thing which will be easily fastened, if its some thing contained in the aquarium then you surely want to verify the reason earlier you try to fix it. The pills do artwork, do not assume to work out it bypass from an 8 to a 7 in one day. Its going to take some weeks to get each and every thing astounding. second of all, the fish will adapt to the PH contained in the tank already, notwithstanding the PH would no longer be ideal for them, do not change it in one day. when I had my aquarum my PH turned right into a 6, via actuality I had alot of un-eaten foot sitting on the bottom. I placed an finished bottle of Ph as a lot as astounding it and glued the challenge yet I did it too quick and the fish all started demise to the unexpected change. often speaking, Salts and lifeless coral decorations will improve your PH aspect. Un-eaten food, lifeless fish, and a grimy aquarium will decrease the PH. If the challenge is popping out of your tap water, and relying on what your installation your tank, you would merely no longer want to rigidity about the PH in any respect surprisingly once you've some thing innexpensive like Gold Fish. If the tap water is the challenge, the challenge is that whenever you do a water change, or sparkling your tank your going to ought to operate that PH ballance stuff earlier you may placed the water on your aquarium

Answer 3

Why do you need to raise it? Ph of 6 is fine for most any fish. Chemicals are only temporary solutions anyway. The Ph will be constantly going up and down, which is very harmful to the fish.

The difference between a Ph of 6 and a Ph of 7 is like the difference between jumping out of an airplane at cruising altitude with no parachute and jumping off the empire state building. Different numbers, same result.

Answer 4

pH up/down are only temporary solutions. You need to find the source of the problem. It could be that your tap water is coming out at that pH so get that tested. Tell us what decorations are in your tank, (plants/gravel/shells) these can affect your pH as well. Changing your pH is more harmful than leaving at a "bad" one.

Answer 5

i know people who would kill for a low PH like that!
where are you in the world? here in London the pH is 7.6-8.0, rock hard. swap?

as others have said, before you go trying to increase it, you need to look at why it's so low, have you done a test straight from the tap? what's in your tank already? things like sea shells and crushed coral raise the pH, not by a huge amount though.

maybe you could look into having fish suited to such a low pH?

Answer 6

If I could I'd give a thumbs up to Peetee. check your water source first! Test your regular tap water... If it has a ph below 6 on its own I'd consider getting crushed coral substrate and maybe limerock. Ph increasers can cause very unstable ph levels and your fish can get sick sick sick...and die.

Answer 7

Increaser.

Answer 8

duh...to increase means to add.