Do You Lower PH or Use Special Treatments for Your Water Outside of Meds?

[DISCUS STU]

Years ago I read about lowering Ph when treating with meds. I've done it at times, other times I can be little lazy and don't want to bother. What water prep. procedures do some of you use when treating in a dedicated hospital tank?

[DonMD]

I don't change temp or parameters in the QT tank. The only time I did was when treating for ich, I didn't add any meds, only raised the temp to 93 degrees F, killed all the ich.

[timmy82]

It is always best if medicating to be around neutral as above it increases the potientcy and bellow in acidic lessens the med. There is a formular I just can't find it but if your PH is above 7.4 or bellow 6.6 I would adjust the meds to suit. I wouldn't go chasing PH up or down as that causes too much stress and you will be for ever chasing it.....

[nc0gnet0]

Never. While there are a few meds that are effected by ph, most are not. Just pick the right medication. If the fish are sick, they are already under enough stress, subjecting them to different water conditions then they are used to is the last thing they need.

That being said, there is a case to be made for keeping your fish in lower PH water as it will retard bacterial growth, but for most of us the costs and trouble with consistency outweigh the benefits.

[DISCUS STU]

The point made from the reading I saw years ago was in regard to lower PH acting as a bactericide. I use an electronic Ph meter (Hanna) but it's important to make sure it's calibrated.