how do you control ph down?

[mitcore]

i am just wondering how everyone controls their ph and hardness

i use a powder ph down to control mine and add hardness salt to my water then test it with a testing solution

it was one of the 1st things i got taught to do

how do you control it????????????

[cocoa_pleco]

i dont. I shop in city so their PH and hardness are the same as my tanks so PH adjustment is not needed

[mitcore]

i didnt know you could do that cocoa
how do you keep it down while doing a water change
surely you would have to add something?

[Fishguy2727]

When I was altering pH I used Proper pH. It is a powdered buffer that will bring the pH to and hold it there for an exteneded period of time. It is better to use a buffer rather than a directional adjuster because they can overshoot the desired pH and will not hold it there, causing fluctuations which are usually much worse than the 'wrong' pH that you had to begin with.

One major issue is that most fish are very adaptable and a stable pH is more important than the exact pH some book says they should be at. My tap holds at about 7.8-8.0. I no longer alter the pH in any of my tanks, including the discus in the 150. If I wanted to breed them I would need to, or at least be more successful if I did, but short of some very extreme extremes most people should not need to alter their pH. For example: freshwater stingrays will thrive and even breed in high pHs, even though their natural waters are that of discus, VERY soft and acidic.

[mitcore]

i have fish that require a 7.0 ph and have to use the powdered ph down after every tank change
my tap water is above 8.0
i did know that the ph requirements were different from fish to fish
i am just curious on what you all do

[cocoa_pleco]

my FW tanks have driftwood which lowers my PH (and my tapwater is 7), but the change is so little that the tapwater addition after water changes does no harm. usually going 2 points like a PH of 5 to 7 or 8 to 6 will do some harm

however, if its a sensitive fish like a cardinal tetra, drip acclimation is needed

[mitcore]

wow
i really had no idea that drift wood can control ph
i have drift wood in my tanks and it doesnt seem to make much of a difference
you have great tap water it must be great not to have to work so hard on the ph

[Fishguy2727]

What is the actual pH?
None of your fish should have problems with it (depending on how high it actually is) except maybe the breeding angels.

[lasm]

I don't bother at all with the ph and the hardness.

After realizing that my tap water was very basic (over 8.0) and really hard, I decided just to keep fish that would be O.K. on that conditions.

[~Erik3.8.07~]

i have never done anything to control my ph and have never had a problem, it's just not really needed, your fish will adapt. The only thing you may have to do is acclimate new fish unless ur ph is at the extremes

[mitcore]

my sharks are ph sensitive if it is not at 7.0 they will die
i have learnt that the hard way as are my angels
and for the hardness it is exactly the same if it is not spot on i lose all my fish

[Incredulous_Ed]

Interesting. I keep neon tetras in 7.8 ph and hard water and they do great. I aslo keep glowlights in there, and they lay eggs every so often.

[Fishguy2727]

Usually if all is well in the tank they are fine. If other things are wrong and the pH is in addition, then things go bad. I am not saying this is what happened, but it is not usual for them to be that sensitive.