Cheap way to lower PH???

[billeagan]

I have a couple of 55 gal drums I'm storing my tap water to use in my grow out tanks.

I have lake Michigain water from the tap which is very stubborn... It takes a ton of neutral regulator and discus buffer to get the PH down to 7.0 from 7.8...

What else can I use to get it down -- cheaper/better products available?

[jdellman]

Billeagan,

I don't think it is cheaper, but a R/O filter will get the PH down. I know people also use Peat, but I have not tried that and do not know the costs. If you are using a lot of water, the R/O may not be expensive in the long run.
HTH

Jim

[Doug A]

Don't worry about changing the ph for growing out. From what I have read on this forum stable water conditions are most important !!!!!!! The ph in my grow out tank is 8 - 8.2 and they are growing well. If you are trying to breed then an RO or DI unit is the way to go.

Doug

[Tad]

billeagan,
Stable water is much better than manipulating the PH..Your grow outs will do just fine in the 7.8 Michigan water IMO...Just do plenty of WCs and your fish will be happy :)

regards,
Tad

[jimmyhat]

uhmmm i just chucked in 2 pieces of wood from the pet store after a day of soaking and still my water is sitting at 5.0ph Never been at this ph before wondering of this is bad? :confused:

[Carol_Roberts]

Bill:
My water is 7.8. I use RO for breeders and the rest swim in 7.8pH.

Jimmy:
A pH of 5.0 can crash very easily. You should add buffers (epsom salt is one of the three minerals commonly used to stabilize low pH. You'll need a mix of epsom salt, gypsom and I forget the third mineral?)

[billeagan]

Great! I won't change my water parameters at all for the grow outs.

I was more worried about when I sold them. I figured a PH around 7.0 would avoid PH shock on the buyers side.

If I let my PH stay at 7.8 in the grow out tanks how long should I acclimate new fry going into them?

Are the fry more sensitive to the PH changes?

[Carol_Roberts]

Just do water changes with the 7.8 pH water on the fry for a couple of days prior to moving them. That way they will be swimming in 7.8 pH water prior to the move.

[Tiptoptank]

uhmmm i just chucked in 2 pieces of wood from the pet store after a day of soaking and still my water is sitting at 5.0ph Never been at this ph before wondering of this is bad? :confused:


If this is true then you should set up a planted tank. With a Co2 level that high you would barely have to inject co 2 at all. Maybe 1 bubble every two seconds. What is your KH? I think that might be your problem. Your water probly had a Kh around 3-4 and the driftwood soaked alittle of it up leaveing you with a very low unstabe KH, Which in turn increases Co2 and decreases PH.

Get back to me on What your Kh is. If I presumed correct and your KH is low(1-4) then you could add alittle crushed coral to your filter. Do you have any araition? That would certenly lower Co2 levels and bring up the pH. If you still have this PH with airiation then, I think bakeing soda will bring the Ph up. I think.

[Carol_Roberts]

JimmyHat has very little KH in his Vancouver BC water - probably less than 2. I think he has been having problems with pH crashes.