Acid water

[fidhw]

I have a community tank run as a low (below 7) pH tank for red Rams and tetras, the tank has been stable at pH 6.8 for months but has gone slightly cloudy and the pH is dropping to 6.4-6.6 over the last 2 weeks. I have upped my water changes to 30% every 3 days to try and bring it back (isn't working), and changed one of the artificial rocks for a limestone one to buffer the water a little. Nitrite, nitrate, ammonia all 0, hardness undetectable. The domestic supply comes in pH 7.0, nitrate 0, hardness 0.
Why is my tank going acid? Can I fix it without adding piles of chemical? I don't want to increase the hardness or salts content if I can avoid it because the Rams won't appreciate it, so suggestions would be gratefully received.

[Billy]

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"fidhw" > wrote in message
...
|
| I have a community tank run as a low (below 7) pH tank for red Rams
and


Draw a bucket of water and let it sit overnight. Test the ph.
Also, got any large pieces of bogwood?

[NetMax]

"fidhw" > wrote in message
...
>
> I have a community tank run as a low (below 7) pH tank for red Rams and
> tetras, the tank has been stable at pH 6.8 for months but has gone
> slightly cloudy and the pH is dropping to 6.4-6.6 over the last 2
> weeks. I have upped my water changes to 30% every 3 days to try and
> bring it back (isn't working), and changed one of the artificial rocks
> for a limestone one to buffer the water a little. Nitrite, nitrate,
> ammonia all 0, hardness undetectable. The domestic supply comes in pH
> 7.0, nitrate 0, hardness 0.
> Why is my tank going acid? Can I fix it without adding piles of
> chemical? I don't want to increase the hardness or salts content if I
> can avoid it because the Rams won't appreciate it, so suggestions would
> be gratefully received.
>
>
> --
> fidhw

Gravel vacuum to remove any excess detritus which is consuming your
buffer (kH). Clean your filters and any other sources of decaying
organic matter. You do not need to add calcium carbonates (gH) to harden
the water, but you do need to increase your water's buffering ability
somewhat. Measure to compare your tap and tank water's alkalinity (kH or
in dkH). Ideally you should be above 4dkH, though I expect your tank is
at 1-2dkH and your tap under 5. Baking powder will temporarily boost kH
without affecting gH, but the effect is lost when you do water changes.
Natural buffers are calcium-rich rockwork such as coral, tufa, dolomite,
limestone, marble etc (the last 2 work very slowly). At one time it was
suggested to me that there are low-pH buffers found in some natural
materials (types of driftwood?) but I never researched it further to
substantiate it. hth
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