How to keep pH down and stable with Hard Water?

I currently have a 20 gallon cycling, I have convinved my mother that is is a hospital tank necessary for keeping fish. I personally want to put a Blue Ram in it. I don't mind it being a species tank, and I have all the time in the world to care for it. I don't want to rush anything because I am planning to make this happen over a period of a few months. The problem is that the tap water at my house is fairly hard, rams need acidic water, like ph 6 and up I think. So basically what I'm asking is there a safe way to keep ph down and stable?

I know how dangerous messing with Ph is so don't school me on that please.

 

My ram does JUST fine in my hard well water. I would not worry about it. Ask the store what there Ph is in the ram tank. It more than likely going to be what there water is out of right out of the tap.

Just when you get the Ram just acclimate him to the tank do it VERY slowly. I float the bag for 30 min then open it and then add about a 4 Tbs of tank water in the bag ever 10 min.

 

Hi!

Ram should be fine if you acclimatize very slowly. Float him in his bag for 30mins, then add about 30ml every 30 mins. You should float his bag for 2 hours. And keep the light switched of until the next day!

 

What about them needing acidic water? I've been told that they need perfect water conditions to thrive in a tank, and one of their requirements was in fact an acidic level of Ph.

 

You are correct, GBRs are sensitive and thrive in the PH that is meant for them. They are a low PH soft water fish. Tho some have them in a higher PH, they normally prefer a low PH to only a slightly alkaline water. They do best in a mature established tank as well, and not really in a new tank. Since they are so sensitive and great little fish, I would personally put them only in the conditions that are best suited for them.

~ kate

 

now I don't know if they'll even survive in my water? I would still love to own some though, I guess that's one price of living in northern Georgia, a little more south though and I would have sulfur in my tap water, atleast I escaped that.

 

I can understand wanting a fish that just is not suited for your PH. Without using chemicals to lower or raise your PH, which I would never do, for mysef, I limit the fish I buy to what is best suited for my PH level. That leaves my love of A.Cichlids out of the question. I'm just not going to chance it, and I want the optimum conditions for my fish. BTW what is your PH level in your tank?
IF its not too high, I'm sure you can try the GBRs.

~ kate
edit: I see your PH is at 7.2 in your other tanks. If that is the PH, I'm sure that your GBRs would be fine. ;D

 

Well it is still just an idea but I definitely won't try them unless I'm completely sure that they will be completely happy in my care, so even if the Ph is fine I do believe that my tap water has a pretty high alkalinity, so this raises the question, how lenient are rams when it comes alkalinity?

 

For keeping, it should not be a problem with the water in our area.

For breeding, our water may be too hard.

 

Hi!

Rams should be totally happy in a pH of 7.2!

 

Which is not hard water, it is barely above neutral.

 

When you say its not hard I wonder, I know the water has a ton of mineral content,because around the cutout in the back of the hood there is a definite powdery layer of a rock sediment, somehow this stuff is evaporating up with the water from the tank and collecting on the top of my hood. Its almost like a thin layer of limestone, just a white powdery mineral substance. this also raises the question that if I don't remove enough water during changes will the Ph rise in the tank over time?

 

When you say its not hard I wonder, I know the water has a ton of mineral content,because around the cutout in the back of the hood there is a definite powdery layer of a rock sediment, somehow this stuff is evaporating up with the water from the tank and collecting on the top of my hood. Its almost like a thin layer of limestone, just a white powdery mineral substance. this also raises the question that if I don't remove enough water during changes will the Ph rise in the tank over time?

Hi!

Well, when you don't change the water the pH generally tends to lower!

 

That's weird about the Ph, it seems that the Ph would rise as the mineral content concentrates when water evaporates from the tank. Maybe I should experiment?

 

That's weird about the Ph, it seems that the Ph would rise as the mineral content concentrates when water evaporates from the tank. Maybe I should experiment?[/quote

I believe you are correct on that Narcicius..
I found some great info on this for you to check out! ;D




~ kate

 

Now I'm a little worried that Ph in the tank I have running will slowly climb until all my fish die? What to do? a little advice would be great.

 

I doubt it will get to that point.
After dealing with pretty much the same water you have for decades, I really can't say I have lost a fish to raising pH.

If you are concerned, try mixing rain water ot pure deionized water to keep the hardness down.

But, I think you are placing too much concern on a non issue.

 

Now I'm a little worried that Ph in the tank I have running will slowly climb until all my fish die? What to do? a little advice would be great.

Did you read the information in the link that I posted for you? It tells all about hard water, PH etc.. and there are about 3-4 pages worth of information. From raising your PH to lowering your PH.. naturally and otherwise.

~ kate

 

I agree that this probably isn't too big of an issue.
If you lived in my area, you'd have a bigger issue. My pH runs near 8, and I have extremely hard water (the two almost always run hand-in-hand, of course). I'm thinking of getting a rain barrel in order to be able to lower the pH in one of my tanks a bit, since I can't afford an RO unit.

 

Rain barrel? isn't wat is sounds like is it?

 

We use 1500 gallon cattle watering troughs to collect rainwater here.

Narcicius, I am located in McMinn county Tennessee, just 50 miles north of you.

 

so using rainwater is actually a good idea? I thought maybe an acid rain factor might make that dangerous.

 

The rain stays above 6.0 around our area.

The really extreme areas such as upper New York (where pollution from NYC blows into the area) get down into the 5s

 

I might need to look into it, you know collect a little and test it. Although won't adding a lower Ph water during changes cause stress to my fish?

 

Not if it is mixed with your tap water so that the pH is only lowered a small amount each change.

 

Cool I'll set out a milk jug or two next time it rains and test that water. Sad that it hasnt rained in a while where I live. Although it snowed a little earlier this week.

 

Hi!

I don't like to use rainwater for fear of changing my pH levels. They're 7.5 right now - which is fine for my fish.

 

I don't like to use rainwater for fear of changing my pH levels. They're 7.5 right now - which is fine for my fish.

That's precisely what we're talking about. Those of us who have hard water but want to keep acidic/softwater fish sometimes need a way to help our fish out. Rainwater would be excellent (at least during the spring and summer) to help soften water and bring it to a more neutral pH.

 

well I'll definitely see what the rainwater at my house is like, but from the sound of it I'll have to do something about my water as the Ph will most likely climb over time.