# How to lower pH?



## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

Plain and simple. How do I lower my pH without r/o? I know driftwood/leaves work, but I kinda want plants and the leaves cover the foreground. What about pH down?


Thanks!


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## thechibi (Jan 20, 2012)

I think peat moss would do it and certain substrates too.


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## kribkeeper888 (Oct 8, 2011)

How about co2? I mean even a good DIY can make a world of difference in my tanks, I find that ph down doesnt usually do much for me because of the Kh buffer


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## TWA (Jan 30, 2012)

Friends of mine from the local fish club use the acid you can buy at the pool supply stores. Mix carefully though. A little goes a long way. It's fairly cheap and will last you forever, look into it yup


http://www.kcfishclub.org/forum/21-cichlids/45621-apistogramma-agassizi-blue.html

Little more than halfway down.


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## rezco (Jan 25, 2012)

Has anyone tried vinegar? Another weak acid is citrate but its hard to get it in pure form as household item.


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## rezco (Jan 25, 2012)

kribkeeper888 said:


> How about co2? I mean even a good DIY can make a world of difference in my tanks, I find that ph down doesnt usually do much for me because of the Kh buffer


I agree. But its only useful at low KH (8 or less). If its hard alkaline water you have then to get to lower ph levels dissolved co2 concontration will be too high. Not good for inverts and fish.


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## m00se (Jan 8, 2011)

TWA said:


> Friends of mine from the local fish club use the acid you can buy at the pool supply stores.


Muriatic acid at Lowes/Home Depot = $8/gal. Same thing. Hydrochloric Acid 20 mol. Dunno what they charge for the pool version. This stuff is in the cleaner isle with acetone and paint thinners etc. Useful for deglossing concrete. 



rezco said:


> Has anyone tried vinegar? Another weak acid is citrate but its hard to get it in pure form as household item.


Organic acids - not good in aquariums. Acetic acid also combines with certain chemicals and makes big bangs. Not likely, but if you use potassium permanganate...



rezco said:


> I agree. But its only useful at low KH (8 or less). If its hard alkaline water you have then to get to lower ph levels dissolved co2 concontration will be too high. Not good for inverts and fish.


I'm not sure where this comes from, but 30 ppm CO2 is good for at least 1 degree drop in pH. Phosphoric acid.

Winner so far is peat moss. Works and lots of people use it. Google it.


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## Da Plant Man (Apr 7, 2010)

Looks like im just going to have to buy an r/o unit as none of these seem practical. Peat might, but I just have no way for it to work. I am using a sponge filter so I can't use it in the filter. Maybe i can use it like a teabag.

Thanks guys!


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## Mike Hawk (Mar 9, 2012)

A friend of mine uses Peat balls in his shrimp tank. Just put one in the back of your tank and squeeze it 3-4 times (Amount of Squeezes depends on your tap waters ph level and the size of your tank) after a water change to lower the pH. You will need activated charcoal in your filters to get the the brown color out of your water after you squeeze it but they don't make your tank brown if let alone. Each ball lasts him over 5 months so they are a rather good deal. He orders from tynevalleyaquatics on Ebay, he has never had a problem with them.
Hope i helped, good luck.

Edit: If you get these don't squeeze to hard as you can brake the ball and create a huge mess.


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## markusdowny (Mar 8, 2012)

CO2 and peat moss. Any other additives do not really work that well coz you have to add them everyday and it's not really that easy to control dosage.



kribkeeper888 said:


> How about co2? I mean even a good DIY can make a world of difference in my tanks, I find that ph down doesnt usually do much for me because of the Kh buffer


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

To lower the pH start by removing whatever is keeping it too high. In aquariums this is usually the carbonates. If the KH is high, then no matter what you do the pH will keep returning to the higher level.
Most of the plants and animals we keep are more interested that the minerals in the water being in the right range, the pH is less important. 

I would start by making the GH right for whatever you are keeping. 
Then make the KH match that within a degree or two. 
Let the pH do whatever it wants. 
If you still want to play around with the pH, then you can lower it after you have adjusted the mineral levels. 

Anyway, here is another way to lower it:
Use Soil Master Select or similar product as a substrate. I know SMS is not available any more, but Turface may still be, or there may be other things like them. Get some and try it. These products will remove the KH from the water, and this allows the pH to drop.


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## markusdowny (Mar 8, 2012)

In fact, there really is no need to alter pH. Most fish nowadays can withstand higher pH because many of them were not caught in the wild. Slow and careful acclimation will help a lot. 

The thing about low pH is that toxic substances such as ammonia is less toxic to fish when water is more acidic. But as long as you can keep ammonia, nitrite and intrate low, pH really shouldn't be a big problem.


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## m00se (Jan 8, 2011)

Da Plant Man said:


> Looks like im just going to have to buy an r/o unit as none of these seem practical. Peat might, but I just have no way for it to work. I am using a sponge filter so I can't use it in the filter. Maybe i can use it like a teabag.
> 
> Thanks guys!


You're in Washington state? Are you east of the Cascades? The rainy side has VERY soft water! Ex-pat from Portland here.


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