# Low tech pH and kH



## Nubster (Aug 9, 2011)

RO water, remineralize with GH booster, and use a buffering substrate. That should get your pH below 7.


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## AZvol (Dec 9, 2017)

Thanks! Seachem's products adequate? Looks like Seachem's Equilibrium for GH, the acid buffer and alkaline buffer for the pH? 

Anyone have experience with these?


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## AZvol (Dec 9, 2017)

Oh, and for better or worse, I already have the EcoComplete substrate in the tank.


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## tamsin (Jan 12, 2011)

Get the Gh/Kh right and forget ph. The kh will keep the tank stable. With an appropriate gh/kh you should have a reasonable TDS as well if you are using part RO. I end up with a high ph too, but it doesn't seem to bother the tetras and no point chasing a value that means faffing about with the water to the point everything else is out of whack.


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## AZvol (Dec 9, 2017)

Thanks. What KH and GH values should I aim for? Say, 4 and 8? Something like that? What about TDS target?


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## paulbert (Jan 22, 2017)

AZvol said:


> Quite frustrating at the contradicting information everywhere.


Agreed. I have a low tech tank and the pH is sitting at 8.4. I used to have neon tetras in there, but I moved them to my high tech tank. The pH in the high tech is 7.5 before the CO2 comes on and it gets down to 6.5 during the day. Same tetras and same tap water going into both tanks. My KH is 9.


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