ph question

[Jobu28]

Just wondering what everyone uses to lower their pH. My tap is around 8.0.

[John_Nicholson]

Why lower it? There is no need.

-john

[Duskfire Discus]

Just wondering what everyone uses to lower their pH. My tap is around 8.0.

RO water is the most common and safest lowering method. However, keep in mind that discus prefer stability over ideal conditions. In all honesty ph doesn't play that high of a roll in anything discus related, unless you're trying to get wild heckles to breed. Discus would much prefer consistently 8 ph water, then spikes caused by chemical treating, tannis seapage, co2 injection, or other means. If you really feel it needs to be lowered, most distilled water is around 6.5 and RO is around 6.

[BODYDUB]

Why lower it? There is no need.

-john

+1


Just keep your PH steady................

[Jobu28]

Ok good to know. So as long as new purchases are acclimated properly pH shouldn't be an issue?

[John_Nicholson]

As long as it is stable it is fine. The main purpose of an RO unit is to lower the hardness of the water, not to lower the ph. Soft water will often have a lower ph but that is because it lacks the buffering capacity to maintain the higher ph.

-john

[Jobu28]

Ok thanks guys. I have a very large frontosa tank that I only WC with ro. But I don't do them as much as I plan on doing them in my discus tank. I am fearing phosphates and algae with tap. Should I only stick with one type of WC due to stability?

[John_Nicholson]

I would say make it easy on yourself and the fish will adapt as long as you keep the water clean and warm.

-john

[Cabe]

+1


I would say make it easy on yourself and the fish will adapt as long as you keep the water clean and warm.

-john

[CShanks]

I use ro and co2. You need to keep checking you ph if you go low (6.4). The kh will be 3. Not a lot of buffer for you ph.

[DC Discus]

I find RO/DI's pH too unstable, so I use Seachem's neutral regulator or the discus buffer, doesn't take much to keep my water between 6.8-7.2.

http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/NeutralRegulator.html

Cheers,
DC