Newbie: Does it help removing charcoal filter...

Hi,

The ph on my water is on the high side and I got ph adjust down to
bring it down to more acceptable levels.

I was told that removing the charcoal filter helps alot because I would
need to use less chemical.

Does it really make a difference?

wrote:
Hi,

The ph on my water is on the high side and I got ph adjust down to
bring it down to more acceptable levels.

I was told that removing the charcoal filter helps alot because I would
need to use less chemical.

Does it really make a difference?

Why are you trying to lower the pH? Pretty much all fish that are
suited to beginners will adjust fine to pH 8. Others have told you the
same. Most pH adjusters are phosphoric acid, which can cause algae
blooms and won't hold the tank's pH stable anyway.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

Thusly " Spake Unto All:

The ph on my water is on the high side and I got ph adjust down to
bring it down to more acceptable levels.

I was told that removing the charcoal filter helps alot because I would
need to use less chemical.

Does it really make a difference?

1) What is your pH now?
2) What fish do you keep?
3) Do you intend to BREED those fish?
4) What were you going to use to change the pH?

The short version is that if your pH is stable and in the range 6.5 to
8.5 you don't need to adjust it, regardless of what fish you have,
unless you intend to breed the fish.
Charcoal doesn't affect pH (much), but it will remove large organic
molecules from suspension, and if you were going to use tannins (e.g.
"oak bark extract") to lower the pH, then conceivably the charcoal
might fight it.

On Fri, 11 Mar 2005 02:23:15 GMT, Elaine T
wrote:

wrote:
Hi,

The ph on my water is on the high side and I got ph adjust down to
bring it down to more acceptable levels.

I was told that removing the charcoal filter helps alot because I would
need to use less chemical.

Does it really make a difference?

Why are you trying to lower the pH? Pretty much all fish that are
suited to beginners will adjust fine to pH 8. Others have told you the
same. Most pH adjusters are phosphoric acid, which can cause algae
blooms and won't hold the tank's pH stable anyway.

I agree why add chemicals? You become a slave to your chemistry and
risk far more problems from unplanned variations due to your adding
chemicals. I lost several fish one day while adjusting pH in a 75
gallon tank. It went acid and I couldn't syphon and replentish fast
enough. No more do I take that risk. I am too unreliable.

My local water has a pH of 7.8. For over a year I have left well
enough alone. My 5 tanks contain about 16 species plus live plants
and snails (of course).

I have removed all charcoal from my power filters. I found the
cartridges impossible to clean with the charcoal inside. I could
never get the water to flow through the dirty charcoal. By opening
one side of the filter media, I removed the charcoal. Water pressure
keeps the slit closed and I can easily clean the media.

I believe the least intervention in tank chemistry is best. It is too
easy to skip something when time is short. Simply removing water and
replacing it with a Python Gravel Vac or with a bucket for the smaller
tanks is quick and easy and gets done twice weekly.

dick

Thanks for the replies guys.

According to the LFS and one of those ph test kits from hagen my ph is
on the 8.0 scale.

I am using the ph adjust (down arrow) to bring to a 7.2.

Right now I don't have a specific plan for fish, don't plan on breeding
for now anyway.

I just want to be able to have the most choice of fish and not be too
limited because of the water quality.
I also want to provide the best environment possible for the fish.

I am glad that my water is good enough to have fish.
I will go do some fishing this saturday.

"Elaine T" wrote in message
om...
wrote:
Hi,

The ph on my water is on the high side and I got ph adjust down to
bring it down to more acceptable levels.

I was told that removing the charcoal filter helps alot because I would
need to use less chemical.

Does it really make a difference?

Why are you trying to lower the pH? Pretty much all fish that are
suited to beginners will adjust fine to pH 8. Others have told you the
same. Most pH adjusters are phosphoric acid, which can cause algae
blooms and won't hold the tank's pH stable anyway.

--
__ Elaine T __
__' http://eethomp.com/fish.html '__

Just to give you some ideas - as I said in a different thread the pH here is
between 7.5 and 8 - my tanks are usually somewhere between the two - the two
lfs I use have the same pH as me. We keep (not in the same tank I hasten to
add):-

Pearl Gouramis
Blue 3 Spot Gouramis
Clown Loaches
Guppies
Platys
Pl*co
Neon Tetras
Glowlight Tetras
Rosy Barbs
Harlequins
Betta
Mollies
Yellow Labs

and this is just a list of what we have. I know of other people locally who
keep different fish to me. The only fish I've really had a problem with are
Gold Rams which I understand do prefer a lower pH.

I use tap water for my water changes with Aqua Plus as a conditioner. Not
sure I could cope with the added complication of changing the pH.....

Hope this gives you some ideas of what fish can cope with a pH at the level
we both seem to share.