My tanks run about a 7.8-8 ph because that is what comes out of the tap. Plus I have hard water out of the tap too. Been doing some research and am thinking about buying some of the fluval peat pellets to add to my hob filters. But also read that if you do frequent water changes(I do 50% once a week) then your ph will jump up and down a lot and that's obviously bad. What is your guys opinion on that? I'm really trying to find a way to get softer lower ph water for my tanks. Maybe that seachem 7.0 neutral regulator would be better?
Fluval peat moss
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I have hard water also and ph about where you are.I can grow a lot of plants and when I get one that wont adapt to my water conditions I just find one that will.This is just my opinion but I try not to mess with ph that's what causes a lot of problems fish do not like big swings in ph.
I can agree on ph. But I would still like to soften the water up some.
Hard water is easier for most plants.
Soft water plant species adapt to hard water conditions better than vice versa. However, just because your water is "hard" doesn't mean it has sufficient quantities of all nutrients necessary to grow plants.
Do you have a "water softener", by chance?
Soft water plant species adapt to hard water conditions better than vice versa. However, just because your water is "hard" doesn't mean it has sufficient quantities of all nutrients necessary to grow plants.
Do you have a "water softener", by chance?
I've been in your position only a couple of months ago, and my advice is that you need to get a handle on what the function of KH is before you'll understand how to interpret or modify pH. What's your current KH? Without knowing that I'd really suggest not even going down this path.
pH is not a stand alone value. The various minerals in the tank and other things control the pH.
For you to control the pH, the first step is to control the minerals in the tank.
1) What kind of fish are you keeping? What is their preferred GH range?
2) What is the GH and KH of the tap water?
Get a gallon of distilled or reverse osmosis water.
Make some tests blending RO + tap. See what the GH, KH, pH (and tds if you have a meter) do with the different blends.
try 25% RO + 75% tap
50/50
75% RO + 25% tap.
If you are keeping black water fish, then add peat moss to the recipe that brings the GH and KH closest to what the fish want.
Once you have figured out the recipe there are 2 things to do.
The first is to switch the tank over to that kind of water. Do not do this all in one day. Do small water changes more frequently so the change is gradual. It may take a month, but that is the safe way to do this.
Example: first week do 2 water changes of 10%.
second week do 2 water changes of 25%.
and so on.
After the tank is running with the mineral levels the fish want, you will always have to prep the water ahead of time, using the recipe you worked out.
I would run the RO and tap water (+ dechlor) into a garbage can (Rubbermaid Brute, on wheels) and add a knee-hi stocking of peat moss. Add a fountain pump to circulate the water overnight, and an aquarium heater to warm the water. Next day, do the water change.
For you to control the pH, the first step is to control the minerals in the tank.
1) What kind of fish are you keeping? What is their preferred GH range?
2) What is the GH and KH of the tap water?
Get a gallon of distilled or reverse osmosis water.
Make some tests blending RO + tap. See what the GH, KH, pH (and tds if you have a meter) do with the different blends.
try 25% RO + 75% tap
50/50
75% RO + 25% tap.
If you are keeping black water fish, then add peat moss to the recipe that brings the GH and KH closest to what the fish want.
Once you have figured out the recipe there are 2 things to do.
The first is to switch the tank over to that kind of water. Do not do this all in one day. Do small water changes more frequently so the change is gradual. It may take a month, but that is the safe way to do this.
Example: first week do 2 water changes of 10%.
second week do 2 water changes of 25%.
and so on.
After the tank is running with the mineral levels the fish want, you will always have to prep the water ahead of time, using the recipe you worked out.
I would run the RO and tap water (+ dechlor) into a garbage can (Rubbermaid Brute, on wheels) and add a knee-hi stocking of peat moss. Add a fountain pump to circulate the water overnight, and an aquarium heater to warm the water. Next day, do the water change.
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