Four quick questions...

[MeAirlinePilot]

Hi everybody, I have four simple questions...
How can you soften hard water without using chemicals?
How can you harden soft water without using chemicals?
How can you raise the pH without using chemicals?
How can you lower the pH without using chemicals?
Thanks a lot everyone!!! :)

[longer]

someone told me once that putting oyster shells in your tank is a natural way to raise the PH, but dont quote me on that. i just thought id say something to give you a reply....

longer

[SnakeIce]

depends on what you mean by chemicals... you can distill or use a reverse osmosis membrane to both reduce hardness and probably by doing so bring the ph of water closer to neutral.
you can use peat moss to bind some of that hardness and release tanic acid to lower the ph... oak leaves also can give off an slight acid if soaked long enough

any molusk shell, calcium containing rock or hard coral skeleton will make the water harder and thus buffering the water to a higher ph

but whether the acid or calcium buffer is from a 'natural' source or not it still has the same effect

[TwoTankAmin]

To lower pH, and to soften water somewhat, use peat.

To raise kh some use a small amount of crushed coral in a bag in your filter. To raise pH use a larger amount of crushed coral. This will, of course, also raise kh.


Hardness and softness are a function of chemicals/minerals in the water, so chemistry is needed to change these without changing pH.