pH for AC's

[DuPont]

I've got a 75g with a few pieces of slate and limestone, river rock substrate and two pieces of driftwood. The problem is, the pH is still going down. I had it around 8.2, now it's down to the 7.4-7.6 range. I know that's toward the low end for ACs, so I was wondering if I should try to raise it up some with baking soda (or whatever else) and risk "shocking" the fish with a pH change? Or just leave well enough alone, since they seem fine with the low pH?

parameters
temp-76
GH 180
KH 160-180
nitrite 0
nitrate 20

[JoeCreature]

If they seem to be ok I would let it ride. Most fishes can handle derivations from their target ranges if it is not rapid or constantly fluxing. If it is stable at 7.5 and the fishes are not affected then tinkering may do more harm than good. Just keep an eye on it, if it keeps going lower then maybe it is time to try something else.

[DuPont]

Cool, thanks Joe.

[JoeCreature]

That's just me. There is someone that will probably tell you that 7.5 will kill them but as long as they stay stable IMO you are good.

[rjb0317]

That pH is still pretty neutral and I can tell you that it is not necessarily unhealthy for the fish because my tank is currently running around 7.6 and they are doing fine. I have read that driftwood can release acid into the water and cause your pH to drop. It's not really recommended to have real drift wood in an AC tank. Try taking that out and replacing it with an alternative decoration and see if that helps your pH stabalize.

If you are set on raising the pH with a chemical, I have used API Buffer Max Marine to hold the pH around 8.2. It worked great and I did not see any negative side effects. I dissovled 2 capfuls in about 20 ounces of water and add it to the tank once a month during a water change. Other's I know use a baking soda formula but I do not know the formula or proper ratios for mixing.

Reason I let my pH drop recently is because I had a small ammonia spike and I did not want my pH making that worse. Let me know if this helps or if I have not made sense on anything!

-JOE

[Sarah88]

yeah its most likely the driftwood that is overriding the hardening effects of your limestone, if you take out the drift wood it should even out, i would also leave pH alone as long as its staying stable, especially if your ACs are captive bred pH isnt that big of a deal, a stable lower pH is better than tinkering with it with chemicals to make it harder and having the pH constantly fluctuate

[DuPont]

Thanks Joe and Sarah, didn't realize that the driftwood could be the culprit. I'd hate to take it though (looks pretty cool), but I'll monitor the pH more closely over the next few weeks and see if it continues to drop. If so, I'll give that API Buffer Max a shot first.

[JoeCreature]

Driftwood can leech tannic and humeric acids into the water which will drive pH down. That is why driftwood is ideal for amazon systems where the target pH is around 6.5.

[fiupntballr]

Yep
I also use additive (for simplicity and peace of mind I use SeaChem Tang Buffer) I find the fish tend to have a bit more vibrant colors and activity at a higher pH.

[gerald]

I would leave the driftwood in if you and the fish like it. The acids released are minor and can be easily neutralized with SeaChem Rift Lake or marine buffers. Also put some crushed coral or aragonite in your filter, which will help keep pH up AND add Ca and Mg that fish need.