I bought a 90 gallon used last week and it has a few african cichlids in it that the guy I bought it from through in. I want to put American cichlids in it, and because of this, I need to lower my PH. Right now it is 7.6-7.8, and I believe it needs to be lowered to about 6.8-7.2. Any sugestions on how I should do this, or products that I'll need? Also I am going to be doing my first water change today and was wondering if this might lower my PH. Thanks.
Need Help Lowering PH
- Thread starter GT3050
- Start date
First you want to remove any carbonate based stone from the tank. African cichlids can handle the harder water, American cichlids can not. Look for quartz based gravels.
Check what pH the American cichlids are in at your store. Sometimes it may be difficult to lower pH depending upon what the water chemistries are out of the tap. If you have very high hardness levels, you could attempt to lower the pH all you want and you're not gonna have very good results.
Most American cichlids can handle a wide range of pH values and still be healthy. You may not get breeding though. Certain breeding behaviors need exacting pH. Some don't. Convict Cichlids are reputed to breed in anything.
Most chemical pH lowering solutions use hydrochloric acid to drop pH (HCl). This is not good stuff. Another method is using black-water extracts, which are plant tannins. This will turn your tank a tea color.
What is the pH and hardness of the water you use to do your water changes?
~~Colesea
Check what pH the American cichlids are in at your store. Sometimes it may be difficult to lower pH depending upon what the water chemistries are out of the tap. If you have very high hardness levels, you could attempt to lower the pH all you want and you're not gonna have very good results.
Most American cichlids can handle a wide range of pH values and still be healthy. You may not get breeding though. Certain breeding behaviors need exacting pH. Some don't. Convict Cichlids are reputed to breed in anything.
Most chemical pH lowering solutions use hydrochloric acid to drop pH (HCl). This is not good stuff. Another method is using black-water extracts, which are plant tannins. This will turn your tank a tea color.
What is the pH and hardness of the water you use to do your water changes?
~~Colesea
As hinted to previously, try to adjust your fish to your tap water instead of adjusting your tap water to your fish. Its a pain in the arse to adjust ph (been there). Fish require steady water parameters. This is easily achieved using 'age' tap water (heated/aerated for 24 hours). Even 'fragile' S. American cichlids are fine in my tap water at a ph of 7.8 (a lot of fish are raised in tap water to begin with).
If you are attempting to breed, hardness, as opposed to ph, actually play a better bigger role. The best way is to use RO water mixed with tap.
Plz read this link:
http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=6312
If you are attempting to breed, hardness, as opposed to ph, actually play a better bigger role. The best way is to use RO water mixed with tap.
Plz read this link:
http://www.simplydiscus.com/forum/index.php?board=5;action=display;threadid=6312
You could also add peat and driftwood as a way of lowering your pH. Personally i use proper pH 6.5 powder as it is way easy to use and doesnt harm the fish. Of cours you will have to keep adding product as you do water changes. If you do a 25% water change per week then test every 2 weeks and add product if neseccery. peat will also soften your water so check that after as well.
Driftwood will work. The pH in my tank remained around 7.0 until I added one piece of driftwood. After that it immediately dropped to 6.0 and has remained stable around that range. I would suggest the driftwood as a good natural way to lower the pH of your tank.
I would also agree with previous posts that fish will accclimate to pH and it is easier to let the tank remain in a stable pH rather than constantly fighting to keep it a the level desired by adding chemicals.
Good Luck
I would also agree with previous posts that fish will accclimate to pH and it is easier to let the tank remain in a stable pH rather than constantly fighting to keep it a the level desired by adding chemicals.
Good Luck