# how to lower ph? to 6.5, in the 6 range?



## TheeMon (May 11, 2004)

whats the best way to keep your ph low, and stay low. i know theres stuff you can keep in your tank to keep the ph low, i just dont know what. *** always had to worry about keeping it higher


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## mithesaint (Oct 31, 2006)

What fish are you planning on keeping?

I prefer to buy fish locally, as they are usually already acclimated to local water parameters, and then you don't have to worry about keeping a specific pH. Consistency in pH is better than trying to hit exact natural parameters.


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## Cook.MN (Mar 11, 2008)

Here are things I have done to lower my PH with no luck...but they're suppose to work.

Driftwood
Peat Moss
DI Water
RO Water

Good luck


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

RO water should lower your ph. If it didn't, you didn't add enough. If you have really hard water, then you need more ro.

Many people who want low ph start with ro and buffer it up.


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## TheeMon (May 11, 2004)

how does r/o water lower ph? and how do you get r/o water?


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

mithesaint said:


> What fish are you planning on keeping?
> 
> I prefer to buy fish locally, as they are usually already acclimated to local water parameters, and then you don't have to worry about keeping a specific pH. Consistency in pH is better than trying to hit exact natural parameters.


Excellent question. I always think it's good to find out the motivation so that the advice can be thorough and keep the goals of the originator in mind.

As for R/O water, it does not lower pH in all cases... it lowers the KH and GH of the water which can lend itself to lowering the pH. 
An R/O filter plus driftwood or black water extract might be one way you could go... it depends on your answers to mithesaint though.


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## TheeMon (May 11, 2004)

very soon im getting some delicate shrimp and they require the ph around 6.5, and i dont particually want to keep adding chemicals to keep it there...

all my experience has been geared tward keeping it high, not purposfully lowering it, so i asked


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

what species of shrimp? and these aren't tank bred yet? These things matter


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## TheeMon (May 11, 2004)

man are you kidding me? just answer my questions......

look there blue tiger shrimp, and im following the breeders directions, he has his tanks setup like this and i will too.


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## Number6 (Mar 13, 2003)

It matters a great deal what animal and what species you are dealing with when you attempt to lower pH and what methods work well...

E.g. Crystal Reds vs your blue tigers...

but you don't seem interested in this info... suggest you go ask the breeder how they do it as you've burned your bridges here on this thread.

"No soup for you!" :roll:


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## TheeMon (May 11, 2004)

why u gotta be like that? it would have taken 30seconds to type my answer, or if you didnt know just left it be. then after u gave me my answer you could have instructed me on the shrimp, i still am new to the shrimp game so i wouldnt mind the extra advice, but this is a fish forum that deals with water params alot, thats why i asked here. i have other forums for shrimp/invert help, but ill take good advice from anyone...

btw your no soup nazis


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## under_control (Jan 9, 2008)

TheeMon said:


> why u gotta be like that? it would have taken 30seconds to type my answer, or if you didnt know just left it be. then after u gave me my answer you could have instructed me on the shrimp, i still am new to the shrimp game so i wouldnt mind the extra advice, but this is a fish forum that deals with water params alot, thats why i asked here. i have other forums for shrimp/invert help, but ill take good advice from anyone...
> 
> btw your no soup nazis


Keep talking. You're digging a hole next to the bridge you just burned.

We ask questions like this because the methods of doing things are important. If your breeder already does this why not ask him HOW he does it.

Rocket science.


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## Laurel (Jun 17, 2007)

I don't really understand the rationale behind people asking people for help then getting upset (and subsequently insulting them) when they need more information before dispensing advise.

I ran into this all the time working at an auto parts store and I see it on cichlid forum a lot. Some of the replies in this forum remind me of ethug.txt :lol:


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## Cook.MN (Mar 11, 2008)

What am I? Chop Liver? I answered correctly! Do I get a cookie?


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

I'm with theemon, some people come off pretty high and mighty thinking they can solve any problem with their years of experiance by probing into the deepest depth of one's soul. Rather a particular species can be kept in different water parameters is pretty irrelevant, the question was how to lower pH, not what pH is appropriate. The OP has already done some research to determine the necessary pH, why do we feel the need to confound the answer with more questions. No bridges were burnt by theemon, but certain responses have been a little immature and to a point condescending.

To get low pH start with soft water, reverse osmosis (RO) is one way of removing all dissolved solids from the water. To get RO water you either need to buy a reverse osmosis filter or buy bottled water that has been filtered by reverse osmosis. Distilled water would be another option, it's obtained by boiling water, because different molecules will have different boiling points at exactly 100C only H2O molecules will evaporate, catching those molecules in a still you can then condense pure water, distilling water usually takes more energy and time than RO which is why RO is the most common recommendation. Water with zero hardness has very little buffering capacity so when you add peat to the filter, or black water extract or vinegar, or muriatic acid for that matter the pH will drop proportionate to the amount of hydrogen ions you added. You do want some buffer in the water (either from tap water or by using salts) because as fish waste accumulates it will drop the pH as well, slightly buffering the water will keep the water parameters more consistant between water changes. As far as I'm aware any of the chemicals marketed for the aquarium trade to lower pH are safe for any fish or invertibrate, pick whatever you're most comfortable with or have the easiest access to.

There's an article in the library about water parameters that probably explains pH better than I have, I'd suggest reading that.


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## TheeMon (May 11, 2004)

kornphlake said:


> I'm with theemon, some people come off pretty high and mighty thinking they can solve any problem with their years of experiance by probing into the deepest depth of one's soul. Rather a particular species can be kept in different water parameters is pretty irrelevant, the question was how to lower pH, not what pH is appropriate. The OP has already done some research to determine the necessary pH, why do we feel the need to confound the answer with more questions. No bridges were burnt by theemon, but certain responses have been a little immature and to a point condescending.


thank you, my point exactly, i need help with a general problem, why and how i use it isnt that important.

and thx for the advice, both of you.

how much is a r/o filter? you mean one for my sink right? not the tank


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## Barbie (Feb 13, 2003)

If you're starting at the point of understanding nothing about water chemistry and how it works, lowering your pH to 6.5 is probably a terrible idea. That's why you're getting so much flack from people. Trying to figure out the solution to the problem in some way that will allow you to keep everything stable is always going to be a better idea than running off with half the information needed and potentially killing stuff.

Basically, the softer your water is, the less ability there is to maintain a stable pH. kH is your alkalinity, or your waters method of keeping the pH from fluctuating. Without enough buffering capacity, the pH will be more affected by even slight amounts of acids (peat, driftwood tannins, or even fish waste). RO/DI water is a method of starting with water with 0 hardness (or close to it anyway) and adding back in just what you need to stay stable.

Most fish or inverts can adapt to a pH that's quite a ways outside their natural range, if it's done slowly and if you keep in mind that fish from naturally acidic water have little to no tolerance to ammonia. They aren't exposed to it in their natural environment. Below a pH of 6 ammonia converts to ammonium.

People attempting to get enough information to truly help you solve your problem should be something you value, not insult, btw . Anyone can give you any old answer and you could potentially believe it, since you're asking in the first place.

Barbie


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## TheeMon (May 11, 2004)

really? i didnt know r/o water did that. he told me r/o water was a must, and *** been in the process of figuring out why, now alot more of it makes sence.


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## kornphlake (Feb 12, 2004)

Theemon did you read the article in the library on chemistry? Really that should be the starting point, it's very well written.


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