Lowering PH naturally

[weird]

OK I am abit confused, I took it for granted the ph of my tap water is roughly 7.8. Also I thought , and maybe I am wrong that airating water lowers the ph ??? But it certainly does not raise it. So for the first time I tried airating water, to naturally lower ph.

For 3 days, I have had 2 x 40 litres covered, each with a airstone, heater, and 1 ml of prime in a plastic container, also 2 mls of a water ager 1 n 3 months old I brought from Pets Paradise when I first got into fish (maybe this is the reason ? I should really toss this). One of the containers, has peat extract.

Accordinging to my ph measure, both show a ph over 8 ? How can this be ?

[Proteus]

I would be thinking there is something wrong with the test kit.

with Sydneys water levels as they are, the water is getting quite soft, and just letting it sit for 24-48 hours should have it sitting at 6.6-6.8.

The aerating will also help, and will ensure along with the dechlor that all the nasties are removed via chemical transition, or degassing.

[Mattzilla]

hmmmmm......

does sound a little odd. what ph tester are you using? is it old. some ph solutions become in accurate over time.

try just heating airating and 1 ml of prime and see what reading you get. that's exactly what i do. my tap water is about 7.5ph and after 24hrs or airation is still at about 7.2 in my water storage barrel. my tank sits around 6.8 - 7 which is fine with me

[weird]

I guess I loose all credibility once I say I am using my new DSE ph tester ...

But I don't think it is off as I am manually doing it with chemical tester as well to comparing colour.

I can't retest the water as I have already added ph down, cause I need it ready for tomorrow ... but the DES tester shows the water in chatswood sydney to be 7.9, if anyone in the same water system maybe they can compare and showing 7 on the 7 ph buffer.

[Proteus]

The water pretty much sydney wide from the tap is 7.5-7.8, so 7.9 seems reasonable.

When you are aging the water is it being heated??? (that helps break down the nasties in combination with the dechlor agent and aerating)

The water you tested, was that in water that was moving (being aerated, or in a glass where it is still)?

I know this may sound silly, but are you in a newer or older home/unit etc??? I ask this as occasionally the pipes leech minerals into the water and I have heard that some of the old concrete/terracotta type water pipes actually increase the hardness and pH slightly... just a wild shot but worth asking.

[weird]

Yes I am heating the water, and was testing it while the water was moving a bit from the air stone.

When I tested the water from the tap that was in a glass.

It is a old house,

I am really scratching my head. I dunno, I am adding ph down to it at the moment, and guess I will continue doing this until it reaches the required ph, and then will use this a required amount for each water change.

I tried "proper PH" but was told that phosphate kills plants. Off the web - Phosphate buffers interfere with the metabolism of trace elements such as zinc and iron.* This causes aquatic plants to yellow and die from trace element deficiencies.

So is this also true for 'ph down' which contains sodium mono-phosphate ?

[Proteus]

if possible try and stay away from buffers, especially when Sydney water is so unstable, as it may just spike in a day or two reacting with the buffers.

next time aftre the water has aged, put some water in a glass, then test it, that will be accurate, moving water sends your readings all over the place as you are getting disturbances from the air molecules in the water from the aeration if that makes sense.

[weird]

This is the first time I have looked at this type of method, but RO looks like a good but perhaps expensive way of lowering ph.

PROBE R/O 4000
REVERSE OSMOSIS – 5 STAGE: R/O 5000
http://www.waterpeople.com.au/counter_top.htm#ProbeRO4

[Proteus]

thanks for that link...

I am currently looking at getting an RO unit...

[weird]

One that you could attach to a garden hose, and fills into a small tank would be cool.

These guys are in Sydney

http://www.waterfilters.com.au

[lesley]

I would expect that water would increase in pH after ageing, or if you have not aged it, after putting in in tank. Water under pressure would often have a lower ph because in the co2, but after agitation the co2 should offgas (I think that's the correct term?) and pH should rise?

Have you considered adding co2 to drop your pH? (assuming you have planted tank, don't know how this would go in bb).

peat will also lower pH

Lesley

[weird]

wow, co2. I have found this excellent website, which I have only skimmed http://www.qsl.net/w2wdx/aquaria/diyco2.html

Also concerning peat, I have been following the peat post ... I have a few questions about peat but I will direct them in that post to keep the forums tidy. Thanks. =)

[sunshinediscus]

Excellent answer Lesley, imo you are correct.

Rod

[Proteus]

I have never ever encountered a pH rise when aging water (Sydney Water that is)

From the tap it is 7.6-7.8, and with conditioner and aeration, it sits on about 6.8-7.2 after 24-48hrs. Sometimes it drops through the basemant and goes to 6.2 or lower (4.2 is my record :wink: ).

But I have not seen it rise, in almost 10yrs... (blame our water I would say)

[kalebjarrod]

diy co2 brewers are good but they can from time to time drop some yeast into your tank and this makes an awful mess. just always do regular checks because they do run out then you can end up rasieing your pH than lowering it then rasieing it etc etc.

on the plus side they are very very cheap and anyone even a monkey on vodka could still make one :wink:

[Dee]

Hi All :D

just my two cents worth ....

I have always had a large amount of driftwood in my tanks, this tends to "naturally" lower my PH through leeching of tannins. My PH out of the tap is about 6.5ish and is very soft, so i have to keep an eye on my PH when using driftwood in my tanks.

Cheers

D

[weird]

I think this might be causing too low of a ph in my community tank , I tested it today it as 5.4 ! I don't want to remove the driftwoods cause I think it is really beautiful ...

[flukes]

Only one solution......water changes :lol: You knew that was coming..

[kalebjarrod]

water changes are a fun fun thing......................not

but it will fix your pH prob