2007-07-19 03:59:42 · 9 answers · asked by Enjoi Skater 3 in Pets ➔ Fish
Unless the fish you have or plan to have are coming straight from the wild (wild caught) there is no need to adjust the pH in your tank. Most fish sold in the US today are spawned and raised in local water that is, or very close to, neutral in pH.
If it is an absolute necessity that it must be done, a ball of peat moss in the filter is the easiest way. Michigan peat is the best. Change it out every week or so because it degrades and allows the water pH to rebound. Plus, your weekly partial (30%) water changes (a must to keep your fish healthy) will keep adding buffers and increasing the pH.
My fish are combinations of South American and African cichlids that come from opposite pH's. The SA's come from low pH, around 6.5 and the Africans come from anywhere from 7.5 to 8.5.
My tap water is 7.4 out of the faucet and I do not adjust it for any of them. They all spawn for me and produce healthy viable fry so I guess the pH is not a problem for them.
Just be sure to ask when you buy a fish what the pH is that they are used to (in the store) and acclimate them to your tank accordingly. Never buy fish that have just arrived in the dealer's tanks, they are not yet used to his water and pH shock may kill them over the next couple days.
I have taken up to 3 hours acclimating fish to my water because there was a .5 difference in pH from their water to mine.
Proper acclimating is done by adding 1/2 cup of your tank water to the bag water every 15 minutes for AT LEAST an hour and a half, more if there is a big difference in the two pH's.
2007-07-19 04:16:38 · answer #1 · answered by 8 In the corner 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Is there a special reason you want to do this? Unless you are breeding fish I would not bother. Once you add chemicals to bring the pH down natural buffers in the water will tend to push it back up. You'll add more chemicals to lower pH and it will climb back up. It will be a never ending cycle. This seesawing up and down of pH will be very stressful to your fish. Worse than having the so called "wrong" pH. Most freshwater fish are pretty adaptable to pH so unless you are breeding it will probably be better to stick with what you have and just aim for stability. Is this a freshwater or saltwater tank? What fish are in there? Are you attempting to breed them?
2007-07-19 05:17:04 · answer #2 · answered by Rags to Riches 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like 8 in the Corner said, peat moss is the best natural buffer. It will also be much more consistent and much less stressful than using chemicals that are very inconsistent.
Nosoop4u
2007-07-19 06:03:03 · answer #3 · answered by nosoop4u246 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
8 in the corner, theres something wrong with your thesis. not all tap waters have the same ph levels, for example, myn tap ph is 8.2. and i breed discus and now angelfish and i know that is to hard of water to raise them in. what i use is acid buffer. it works wounders.
2007-07-19 05:40:18 · answer #4 · answered by kdogg91 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you can use a product called pH down but it is an irritant to the fish. Fish can be sensitive to a pH change of about 0.2 and will be stressed out from such a vast change in pH. with fish in the tank the waste from the fish and amonia build up will naturally lower your pH over time.
2007-07-19 04:05:54 · answer #5 · answered by craig 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
first change your water, you need to change out 1/3 of the water every week. why are u having probs, get your tank cleaned up and you won't have these problems. Go to your local pet store and get the proper chems for your probs or you will lose your fish
2007-07-19 04:11:02 · answer #6 · answered by victoria c 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
Add sea salt.
2007-07-22 13:13:49 · answer #7 · answered by Klingon 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
remove charcoal filter its trapping your chemicals
2016-04-01 01:46:25 · answer #8 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get some acid inhancer.
2007-07-19 04:09:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋