Water Softener/PH lowerer/raiser/balancer safe for plants and fish?

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aquafan1885

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Dec 31, 2003
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I wasn't really sure where to put this post, because it had to do with two topics...so, I figured I'd just stick it here...anyway, becuase of the recent problems I've had with my tank, I thought I'd try softening the water some and lowering the ph to a lower level...about 6.5 or so...to make the aquarium more like the natural environment of tetras. Anyway...I've heard that I shouldn't use Proper PH because it adds something to the water that isn't good for the plants...my question is, what should I use? Is there something to lower the PH that is safe for the plants...the same for the water softener...is there a particular type of water softener I should avoid or one that works better than the others...also, how would I go about testing the softness of my water? I would really appreciate some incite on these things...if it helps, the plants I have in the tank right now are some foxtail, anubias nana, Rotala Magent, Anacharis, and red krinkle...again, I'd really appreciate some help. I'm not entirely sure that it's Rotala Magent, though...I've got a picture of it, but...I can't post it for some reason...it's got fairly bright pink and green leaves...and looks like it's about to bloom...the leaves are fairly small...and rather than the softer stems like other plants, these are a bit tougher/harder...more like twigs...I suppose it may be Rotala, but I'm still not sure.
 
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Right now, I have a neutral pH, 7.0, and as for the GH and KH...those were both somewhat high the last time I tested...don't remember what the exact test results, but I do remember them being a little higher than a norm...but, from my understanding, tetras do a lot better in softer, more acidic water...which is definitely something I don't have...still, like I said, the GH and KH weren't off the scale or anything...they were still safe levels...but I'd like to get them down for a softer water...
 
With a pH of 7.0 and probably relatively low hardness, I would search for your problems with your tetras somewhere else. I've been keeping tetras for years in pH 8.2 water with GH and KH around 15dKh...and know many others with similar experiences.

If you try to chemically modify your hardness or your pH you're going to get yourself involved in a never ending battle of pH swings and chemicals...and odds are you'll do more harm than good to your fish.

What sort of problems are you having with your fish? Is there another thread addressing those?
 
Stability is the best thing. 7pH is perfectly fine for tetras unless you are planning on breeding them. I keep silver tip tetras in 7.4 ph water as that is what comes out of my tap.

My goal is that if I ever have to do a major water change for some reason, that the ph should not swing more than 0.2 degrees in any direction. Much more can be stressful on many varieties of fish.

Plus you will be spending a lot of money.
 
I agree w/morleyz - soft acid water is only required for Tetras and such fish if you are breeding them. Plants do fine in harder water- the extremely soft acid blackwater areas of the Amazon largely lack submerse plants.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
 
Originally posted by RTR

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Click to expand...

<------ That quote is probably the best in all this thread. Why alter the chemical balence (or chemisty) of your aquarium if everything checks out ok? Unless you are an expert who has fish which DEMAND a certain water chemistry, you really dont need to change things.
 
Those LFS people can get really good at selling those perfect pH products. Iwent in with a problem and had my water tested. Wehn it came up as 7.4 (I already knew that). The guy spent 10 minutes telling me why I had to use perfect 7.0 ph adjusters. Of course he never even asked me what type of fish I had. The only chemical that is important for everyday use is a dechlorinator unless you are really trying to create something special.
 
Alright...so...if it's not broke, don't fix it...got it...although, I do plan on breeding the little buggers, so I'll probably go ahead with it anyway...but...still...I have yet to narrow down my problem...I started out about...a month to two months ago...setting up my tank, I first added two julii cory cats...waited about 2 weeks...then added about 6 neon tetras...2 of those died, and I replaced those...then those 2 and 2 more died, so now I'm down to 2, which are still doing fairly well...well, after about 2 weeks, we got a new shipment at the store, which contained some cardinal tetras...something we RARELY get in...so, I decided to jump at the chance and got 6 of those...one died the first night, I went and had it replaced, and then over the next...day or so, that one died as well as the rest. I still haven't figured out what happened...I know for one thing, one of the cardinals had "the whirling disease"...which, if I remember right, someone told me was also called the neon and cardinal tetra disease? It kept swimming around, and as it swam, it would spin...the others I could find no sign of anything being wrong...which was essentially what also happened with the neons...I couldn't find any signs of anything being visibly wrong with them, and they really didn't show the slightest signs of internal problems...so, as it stands, I have no idea what may have happened...I was told, though, that cardinals do much better in "calm" water...water that's left fairly undisturbed...no major currents or disturbances in the water...I've got 2 airstones running in the tank, and I wondered if that may have had something to do with the cardinals' deaths...anyway...I don't know what's wrong...does anyone have any kind of idea? Like I've mentioned before, all of my tests of the water test out fine...

Oh, and here's the link to the other post about this problem:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22032
 
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I can't say much about your disease problem, but as for water softening and lowering pH, using peat in your filter is relatively cheap, easy and safe. It also may benefit your plants and fish with some added natural tannins and humic acids.

I use cheap baled garden peat, stuffed in a nylon stocking and placed in my filter, but you can also buy peat at the pet store. They will charge you about $15 for two handfulls, which is what I pay for 4ft2 of compressed peat at the garden center. Mind you, I think the petstore stuff IS actually a bit more consistant and refined.

I get a mild pH lowering and softening effect on my very hard, alkaline well water/ rainwater mix.

Here is a pretty good discussion of softening water, scroll down about 2/3 to get to peat:

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/filtration/softening.shtml

Keegan
 
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