How to effectively lower my ph for good, driftwood, or java moss?

Question

I have a 75 gallon tank cycling with river rock bottom and several tall fake plants, I don't like to keep real plants. I need to lower my ph from 7.5 to 6.5 because I will be keeping discus. Would a large piece of driftwood lower my ph, and by how much.? Also If I added java moss would that lower my ph, and by how much? I dont like to use chemicals so rule that out. Thanks!

Answer 1

I would use driftwood or peat moss (in a mesh bag inside your filter). Neither is a "permanent" change, since you'll be doing water changes - as you add new water (pH of 7.5) it will raise slightly with each change. You may want to do smaller, more frequent changes so the chemistry doesn't change as much each time.

I would suggest against live Java moss, since it will undergo photosynthesis - the process of photosynthesis uses carbon dioxide from the water, and this will actually raise the pH a little when the lights are on, but will allow it to lower when the lights are off (plants not actively photosynthesizing).

Another possibility is to use some reverse osmosis water rather than your tap water for the changes. The reverse osmosis process removes the minerals that relate to hard water, and this helps lower the pH more easily.

Without knowing anything about your hardness or alkalinity (two things related to the pH), there's no accurate way to predict how much of either you'll need.

You may also be surprised that unless your discus are wild-caught, they may be more adaptable to your water chemistry than you might think. If you're buying them locally, they may be living in what you already have without adjustments. Before you start doing a lot of experimenting with your water chemistry, you may want to contact your supplier and find out in what conditions they've been raised.

Answer 2

driftwood and java moss wont really, but the tannins released by uncured driftwood will help, it will also turn your water brown to mimic natural discus conditions.

Adding peat moss to the filter will lower your ph as well.

Answer 3

Try putting in a peat filter or add some drift/bog wood to the set up, the natural tanic acids from the wood should help.

Answer 4

nothing lowers it for good but get some peat mass that will do it and so will the dridt wood even if it turnns the water brown