ph problems

[Random13]

I'm having trouble keeping my ph down. It's been sitting about 7.6 - 7.8. I've tried using proper PH 7.0 and that works for about a day and then it shoot right back up there.

I'm running a 10 gal tank with a whisper filter. My little buddies currently include 2 mollies, 3 cherry barbs, and a had full of ghost shrim.

Any suggestions on how to keep the ph down?

[TKOS]

Why do you want it down. Mollies love higher pH and barbs do dine and so do ghost shrimp. No need to lower it at all. The magic 7.0 is a stupid invention by the peopel that sell fish products.

Your problem sounds like your water has a high kh and gh. The proper pH starts to eat teh buffer to drop the ph of your water but then once it gets used up the buffer in the water shoots the ph right back up.

The constant up and down will do a lot of harm to your fish. I have tetras in ph7.4 and they have been doing fine for 3 years.

It is really the hardness of the water that make ghost shrimp and mollies more at home and not the actual ph, thouhg the 2 usually go hand in hand.

[JSchmidt]

Trying to lower pH is generally a losing proposition. Your fish should be OK with your water, and they'll probably appreciate a break from all the phosphates you're putting in the water via the Proper pH.

I'd phase out that stuff and go with your water as-is.

Jim

[Random13]

Very good. I knew the mollies were alright with it but I thought my barbs liked it at 7.0

Thanks for the help!