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Thread: lowering ph

  1. #16
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Pat didn't suggest the tea, I did. I don't know why it works in my water, but it does. My pH isn't high. It's just 72. I figure the tea must have some effect of buffering the water. But like I said, all I know is that it works for me.
    Mama Bear

  2. #17
    Administrator and MVP Dec.2015 Second Hand Pat's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Agreed Liz and it is a cheap experiment compared with messing with RO water

    Regarding ph, Al's wilds successfully had wigglers in his well water which I know has a ph above 8.0.
    Pat
    Last edited by Second Hand Pat; 06-13-2019 at 10:39 AM.
    Your discus are talking to you....are you listening


  3. #18
    Registered Member slicksta's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Quote Originally Posted by LizStreithorst View Post
    Pat didn't suggest the tea, I did. I don't know why it works in my water, but it does. My pH isn't high. It's just 72. I figure the tea must have some effect of buffering the water. But like I said, all I know is that it works for me.
    I stand corrected... Yeah Liz!... Sorry Pat!
    And we're back to the everyone's water is different.
    Funny thing is that we don't even know if his goal is to breed :-D

  4. #19
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    My tap water in Vancouver, Canada is opposite of you guys. Both GH and KH are <10 ppm. The water is super soft and acidic I have to bring up the KH to about 50 ppm or the PH will crash if I don't pay attention about it.

  5. #20
    Registered Member 14Discus's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    PH stability is THE key. Trying to change PH wo knowing abt and monitoring KH is like shooting in the dark. My water is a constant 7.8 PH w GH and KH hovering between 3 to 8......usually around 4-5. I have concluded that in my particular scenario, a mixture of 5 parts RO to 1 part tap uniformly produces the constant water parameters I desire. Unless one has a very specific reason for wanting to change PH, don’t do it.......problems easily arise. Knowing how KH and PH so closely operate is essential whether one is going for stability or changing PH levels.

    The initial poster did not say what his PH was, hasn’t answered other posts abt KH testing, and has not indicated whether breeding is the goal. We need more data.....answers to posts, KH, PH, and GH levels, aging barrel, nitrogen levels(NH3, NO2, NO3)before much can be suggested. IMHO, leave your PH and test your KH and GH before even thinking abt messing w changing PH.

  6. #21
    Registered Member slicksta's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Quote Originally Posted by 14Discus View Post
    PH stability is THE key. Trying to change PH wo knowing abt and monitoring KH is like shooting in the dark. My water is a constant 7.8 PH w GH and KH hovering between 3 to 8......usually around 4-5. I have concluded that in my particular scenario, a mixture of 5 parts RO to 1 part tap uniformly produces the constant water parameters I desire. Unless one has a very specific reason for wanting to change PH, don’t do it.......problems easily arise. Knowing how KH and PH so closely operate is essential whether one is going for stability or changing PH levels.

    The initial poster did not say what his PH was, hasn’t answered other posts abt KH testing, and has not indicated whether breeding is the goal. We need more data.....answers to posts, KH, PH, and GH levels, aging barrel, nitrogen levels(NH3, NO2, NO3)before much can be suggested. IMHO, leave your PH and test your KH and GH before even thinking abt messing w changing PH.
    I concur

  7. #22
    Moderator Team LizStreithorst's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Me too.
    Mama Bear

  8. #23
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Me three

  9. #24
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    The PH of my tap water is 7.6

  10. #25
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    I did use peat moss at first, make a big bucket of peat water and put an airstone in, that is what the internet said, I change less than 15% of the water and the whole tank turn brown, I can hardly see my Discus, after a day, the peat sink to the bottom and the filter filtered up a lot of them brown stuff, and it looks better, but I give up because I do not want to see the tank turn completely brown each day, so I throw about the big bucket of peat water and brought jug of RO water, and also the Discus Buffer, thinking it might be better. So now the question is when you put peat in ladies stocking and put in the filter, does it lower the PH and GH gradually, and how long do you think it can lower 7.6 to 6.5 ? Does you tank turn all brown or just gradually turn brown because there is charcoal in the filter ? I still got lots of peat, I might try your method!

  11. #26
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    I am all confuse now with all the answers, somebody did said my pair might not be mature enough. I know my female mature enough, but since the male take 3 to 6 months longer to mature to fertilize the eggs properly, so I think I will leave them alone for a while and see what happen. I was so happy to get a pair out of the 5 I bought, so I do not want them to die. thumb_DSC04055_1024.jpg

  12. #27
    Registered Member bluelagoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Quote Originally Posted by LizStreithorst View Post
    I've used it and it took a lot longer than 24 hrs.
    I agree, the peat moss takes longer to soften the water than a day or so to lower ph. I tried it , don't work well;takes too long. Frequent WC's doesn't give it time enough to lower ph.

  13. #28
    Registered Member slicksta's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Quote Originally Posted by bluelagoon View Post
    I agree, the peat moss takes longer to soften the water than a day or so to lower ph. I tried it , don't work well;takes too long. Frequent WC's doesn't give it time enough to lower ph.
    That's too bad that it doesn't work for you as it is an economical solution and I feel the tannins released provide other benefits.
    It seems to induce breeding better than tequila with my water/fish :-D

    @ Crystal
    Don't alway take the internet as an authority. You should take all advice provided and make your own conclusions and do some experimenting. The method you used is not what I would do. Depending on your filtration system I've done it several different ways. Put it in a canister surrounded by floss so it doesn't release fines. Similarly added a pump in my sump that drew water through a peat chamber created out of 3 inch pvc. And lastly just made a giant tea bag that I rinsed off the outside before placing it in my overflow.

  14. #29
    Registered Member bluelagoon's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Quote Originally Posted by slicksta View Post
    That's too bad that it doesn't work for you as it is an economical solution and I feel the tannins released provide other benefits.
    It seems to induce breeding better than tequila with my water/fish :-D

    @ Crystal
    Don't alway take the internet as an authority. You should take all advice provided and make your own conclusions and do some experimenting. The method you used is not what I would do. Depending on your filtration system I've done it several different ways. Put it in a canister surrounded by floss so it doesn't release fines. Similarly added a pump in my sump that drew water through a peat chamber created out of 3 inch pvc. And lastly just made a giant tea bag that I rinsed off the outside before placing it in my overflow.
    And my water is just above neutral to begin with. It looks nice and the tannins do seem have benefits; I did it for just that reason, but don't expect it to lower ph right away. It takes time. That was my conclusion on peat moss, when I tried it.

  15. #30
    Registered Member slicksta's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering ph

    Quote Originally Posted by bluelagoon View Post
    And my water is just above neutral to begin with. It looks nice and the tannins do seem have benefits; I did it for just that reason, but don't expect it to lower ph right away. It takes time. That was my conclusion on peat moss, when I tried it.
    Yeah water chemistry can be fickle especially if you are not well versed, which I am definitely not... I guess I just got lucky.
    I never bothered to take readings on a regular schedule but there are a few variables such as quantity and method of introduction that also come into play.
    Peats not everyones cup of tea :-D

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