sarah Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 My 20 gallon long fish tank has a pH of 7.8. The KH is 2, and GH is 5. I use tapwater for water changes. I would like to slowly get that pH to 7 if I can. Can this be done with fluval granulated peat in the HOB filter? How much? And will this have any effect on the KH? I would like to raise that a bit if I can. Tank currently houses: 7 black neon tetras, 2 cory catfish, 2 african dwarf frogs, 2 amano shrimp. JosephKex and MableBile 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 Fluval peat will lower KH and pH. sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted July 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 Darn - I had I feeling that would be the case. OK, so how do I lower pH and raise KH? Peat for pH and something else for KH? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RyeGuy411 Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 CO2 is the only way I know of to lower pH and not kh. sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyana Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 I have zero kh in my tank without any problems, the fish are beautiful. I have ottos, blue rams, neon tetras and danios. in my experience with peat in my 5 gallon it didn't lower kh or ph much at all. sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenteam Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 What's wrong with the parameters? Honestly you will end up causing more harm when you try to mess with chemicals/products that lower/raise specific things. If the tank is stable I would leave it alone. sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted July 29, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 What's wrong with the parameters? I have a sick black neon tetra. It has started swimming in clockwise circles quite a bit, and it is slightly bent. I can't figure out what's causing it, so all I can think is that the water is not in its ideal pH or KH range. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chibikaie Posted July 29, 2015 Report Share Posted July 29, 2015 That's more likely to be disease related than parameters not being ideal. You will cause more stress to the fish by changing things and forcing him to compensate for a change while he is already sick. sarah and gillznglass 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35ppt Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 That's more likely to be disease related than parameters not being ideal. You will cause more stress to the fish by changing things and forcing him to compensate for a change while he is already sick. I tend to agree with this. I've got bloodfin tetras and they ALL develop a bend in the spine and eventually perish. (not all at once) my pH is 7.0 to 7.6ish sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 I tend to agree with this. I've got bloodfin tetras and they ALL develop a bend in the spine and eventually perish. (not all at once) my pH is 7.0 to 7.6ish Interesting. Do they exhibit any other symptoms? Approx how long does it take for them to succumb after you notice the bend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
35ppt Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Interesting. Do they exhibit any other symptoms? Approx how long does it take for them to succumb after you notice the bend? Oh shoot, I really don't keep track, actually. Weeks to maybe a few months. I'd also guess that the bend gets worse with time. They also don't feed as actively (probably depends on how bent they are) and generally don't swim around the tank as much as other bloodfins. Sad to watch, of course. Yours not swimming straight is not a good sign.(sorry) sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted July 30, 2015 Author Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Oh shoot, I really don't keep track, actually. Weeks to maybe a few months. I'd also guess that the bend gets worse with time. They also don't feed as actively (probably depends on how bent they are) and generally don't swim around the tank as much as other bloodfins. Sad to watch, of course. Yours not swimming straight is not a good sign.(sorry) I know - it's heartbreaking I have done 30% water changes 2 days in a row since I read somewhere it might be nitrate-related. Just grasping at straws right now. I still think I'd like to bring down that pH a bit since everything in the tank has a slightly acidic preference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyana Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 I tend to agree with this. I've got bloodfin tetras and they ALL develop a bend in the spine and eventually perish. (not all at once) my pH is 7.0 to 7.6ish Weird, I keep getting neon Tetras doing the same thing with a ph of 6.5 (I inject co2) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chibikaie Posted August 7, 2015 Report Share Posted August 7, 2015 Okay, definitely does not sound like it's related to pH, then. Time to start digging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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