What can i add to my tank to help stabilize PH levels, soften the water and average my to PH 6.5-7.0?

Question

Tank is 75 Gal. i need to use hard water (on tap) and stabilize it with API Tap Water Conditioner and when i do it causes PH swings and freaks my fishy friends out. i need stability without too many chemicals at a low/average PH level.

Answer 1

Chances are, you don't need to do anything unless you're keeping very sensitive (discus) or wild-caught fish.

Fish don't have to have a "perfect" 7.0 pH - there's usually a range of pH levels they can adapt to, and most fish are comfortable from 6.0-8.5. The important thing isn't the exact level, but how quickly any change happens. To prevent rapid large swings, you should only change 25% or less of the water at one time.

Since you're having a problem with water hardness, do you have anything in the tank that raises the pH? Seashells, coral, cichlid or marine substrates, or carbonate rocks? If you aren't sure, check by removing items and sripping a little vinegar on them - if it fizzes, this indicates the presence of carbonates which raise the pH.

If you ave naturally hard water and the fish aren't adaptable to the pH you have, even with a longer acclimation time, add a little peat moss in a mesh bag to your filter or some driftwood which will naturally neutralize some of the alkalinity. Just be aware that any time you change your water's natural characteristics, every time you do a water change, it will cause the pH to fluctuate again. Trying to use chemicals (pH down) is the worst way to try and stabilize it. Not only does this get expensive for you to buy the chemicals, this is something you will need to do for every water change for the life of your fish. And if the the store where you buy the fish is on the same water supply as you, there's a good possibility that they've already adapted to your conditions.

Answer 2

don't get in to adjusting the ph. i'm assuming they are goldfish he gained? maximum fish will tolerate any ph point, as long because it is a great point-one which does not selection. With those ph up/down products, you besides could could desire to make certain the kh and gh are suited, and extra beneficial than probable the ph will purely crash and rigidity/kill the fish. What chemical factors did you upload that decreased the ph? placed some faucet water in a tumbler/cup, and in the present day attempt the ph. Wait a pair of hours, then retest that cup/cup of water and notice if the ph adjustments. If it does exchange, then once you do your water adjustments, enable the water take a seat out awhile in the previous including it. And, 10 gallon tank is a lot too small for 3 or 4 goldfish. make certain you do fairly some water adjustments, ammonia stages are going to skyrocket.