I just recently got a pair of apistos, and i want to lower the pH to about 6. i have a piece of driftwood in there, but it isn't leaking any tanins. i added pH lowerer, and it dropped it to about 6.8. i added some more, and the next day i checked and it was at about 7.4 nothing i do is lowering the pH. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to lower it.
lowering pH
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A drastic option is muratic acid but that really should be used on large tanks or premixed.
Why not CO2?
Make sure not to use any more pH chemicals. They only work for a day and are probably phosphate based, meaning your in for algae problems. You don't need to lower the pH unless you want to breed them. Fish live and adapt just fine to a wide range of parameters.
You also have the option of peat. Muratic acid (HCl - Hydrochloric acid) can do it, but rarely used. You should be experienced with this as you can easily crash the pH extremely low.
Make sure not to use any more pH chemicals. They only work for a day and are probably phosphate based, meaning your in for algae problems. You don't need to lower the pH unless you want to breed them. Fish live and adapt just fine to a wide range of parameters.
You also have the option of peat. Muratic acid (HCl - Hydrochloric acid) can do it, but rarely used. You should be experienced with this as you can easily crash the pH extremely low.
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I agree, it's much harder on the fish to have it bouncing around. Apisto's are very adaptable and they will do fine in a pH of 7.4 or even more.
You can make a peat tea which keeps it fairly stable, but it's a PITA. Some also use crushed up oak leaves scattered on the substrate to lower it a bit if you want to breed them.
I have C02 in 2 out of 3 Apisto tanks, but the one without C02 runs a steady pH of almost 8 and they do just fine. They're even showing signs of wanting to spawn.
You can make a peat tea which keeps it fairly stable, but it's a PITA. Some also use crushed up oak leaves scattered on the substrate to lower it a bit if you want to breed them.
I have C02 in 2 out of 3 Apisto tanks, but the one without C02 runs a steady pH of almost 8 and they do just fine. They're even showing signs of wanting to spawn.
They're Apistogramma Agassizi's. I am trying to breed them, so that's why i want to lower the pH (except i think the female might actually be a male, so lower pH wouldn't make them breed anyway). I still don't have a KH test kit (I know, I know, extremely irresponsible, but I'm going to make an order soon, so I'll get one then), so I don't know what the KH is. however, since the CO2 isn't lowering it, I have a feeling that it's higher than it should be. If that's the case, what should I get to lower the KH?
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Do a KH of 2,
CO2 at 30ppm
Feed lots of live foods and well rounded din din.
Food, rather than pH will induce breeding in most all fish.
Hardness can be knocked down, but peat, low pH's, not that important with many SA fishes. Adding some peat may help with Apisto's, wild ones namely.
Regards,
Tom Barr
CO2 at 30ppm
Feed lots of live foods and well rounded din din.
Food, rather than pH will induce breeding in most all fish.
Hardness can be knocked down, but peat, low pH's, not that important with many SA fishes. Adding some peat may help with Apisto's, wild ones namely.
Regards,
Tom Barr
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