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Ph of 5.8 crude !

(Whoops! 6.2 or so in the tank typoe)
Alright I've had this Ph problem for awhile crushed seashells help but not enough I have like 6 Ph now,I'd like to raise it with the
Kh any suggestions ? My smaller slower growing aquatic plants are suffering so I'd like to get it up higher since I think the Ph is making the mad.
I would like to get this under control since acclimation of fish to the tank Ph is a pain in the bumb(no aclimation like drip=s death).
I'd love to get this fixed and close the chapter for now on FW since I"m going into(well I'm broke from it already) reefing.
When I get more room or my dad lets me sometime I'll do a 55-100 gallon FW community tank until then well my dad lets me(Or I move to my own house/apartment)
I forgot :crazy:
My water specs :
Ph below the chart of 6.2
Nitrites o
Nitrates 20(lowering it down,I'm feeding too much)
Hardness like medium from the seashells(maybe it's making the plants mad?)
My source water is like ULTRA soft and low Ph(last time like 5.8) the shells condition it a little.
 
Baking soda, or add more shell, or crush the shell to give it more surface area so it buffers more. "Medium" hardness doesn't mean anything. What are the numbers?
 
Alright I tested it again ...
NO3 20
NO2 0
GH 80
KH 30 or so
Ph it is under 6.2
Now for my tap :
No3 0
NO2 0
GH 75
KH almost 0
PH waaay below 6.2
If I can raise the hardness up more with what you suggested, then add baking soda, I should have enough KH and GH to sustain the PH without it crashing.
Right ? I can buy some really fine shell grit then pop that into my power filter;instead of the courser stuff I'm using.
 
Sounds like you're gearing up for Discus or other Amazon River Basin fish.
 
Its much easier to keep fish that are happy in your tap water,
rather than try to change your water to suit the fish you want to keep! ;)

with the former, you just do regular water changes with tap water and everyone is happy..
with the latter, you are fiddiling constantly with the water, which ends up never really being stable because you constantly have to "adjust" it..

people with very hard tap water, for example, enjoy the Africian "Rift valley" Cichlids..
which are very happy swimming in liquid rock..

just something to consider..

Scot
 
The fish are doing great but if I add anymore I'll try tetras since they love soft water. Discus are expensive and need space :) I can't get another tank but sometime I'll do a 55 or 100 thats planted with lots of low PH soft water loving fish. I know that fish can be very versatile since (I'm going to try) you can acclimate guppies into your marine tank and they'll be better than ever.
 
Were your KH and GH measurements in ppm? I assume they are considering your water would be almost a rock if that was in dKH. Those numbers are pretty low if they are in ppm. I would say follow Clint's advice and crush up the shell. It should set up a buffer better than just using baking soda alone.
 
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