# How to lower ph in crs tank



## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

I've been trying to figure out why my shrimplets haven't been surviving in my tank lately. I realized my temp was too high so thats been fixed now, thanks to everyone who helped me out. I just tested the ph in my tank and its 7.4-7.5 and i was informed that its probably the reason why i'm not having too many babies surviving. 

I want to lower my ph, and i know most people are using ada to do it but my the eco complete in my tank is fairly new and i don't want to have to redo the entire tank right now and spend more money to change out the substrate. I'm thinking about using peat moss in a mesh bag in my filter, but before i do so, i wanted to see if anyone else had any better ideas or suggestions about this. Thanks.


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## arc (Mar 11, 2010)

Peat moss/almond leaves/driftwood/black alder cone are items that have been reported to reduce ph and add tannins to your tank. However it depends on what your KH is like. I've got a reading of 7-8KH and have tried all the items listed above with little change to my ph because the water is too well buffered. 

Also there is no standard method to measure and control the fluctuations so you will be doing trial and error to get the right ph. In the long run, the amount of work and effort from re-adjusting ph after water changes makes the items above ineffective. 

Just my 2 cents here. I'll be trying RO water mixed with tap water before trying the ada stuff.


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## ThyrosineChoi (Apr 6, 2010)

i have almond leaves and peat filter
but they only lower like 0.2 pH.
i recommend you get substrate that lowers to 6.8 
or u can add almond leaves + peat filter + co2
that may lower to 7pH


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## Beijing08 (Jul 19, 2010)

To be honest, CRS are able to tolerate up to pH of 7.7. (they're hardier than you expect)
Many people have had success breeding them in this water, especially A - S grades.

In my opinion, it is better to keep the water stable rather than fiddle around for the "right" pH.

Of course lower is good, but having a stable parameter is far more significant than striving for the proper pH while one tries to adjust it diligently through many of the methods mentioned above. If you could do it in one shot, then go for it; if not, then it's better to leave it as it is.

Like choii317 said, try to do it so that the buffering capacity is low, i.e. lower it permanently through a suitable substrate.

Or take Arc's advice, go RO water mixed with tap, that'll decrease pH.


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## CrystalMethShrimp (Apr 27, 2010)

Been where you are.

The items listed above will turn your water yellow with little to no effect on your ph.

My water stayed at 7.5ph for the longest time even with all those things and a kh of 3.

Here's a list in priority of what will lower your ph the most.

1-Co2 will hold my water at 6.5ph
2-R/O water. I buy mine at those Culligan water refill stations at walmart.
$3 for 20 liters!! Make sure the ratio is around 

3-ADA aqua Soil.


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## camboy012406 (Jun 11, 2010)

Beijing08 said:


> To be honest, CRS are able to tolerate up to pH of 7.7. (they're hardier than you expect)
> Many people have had success breeding them in this water, especially A - S grades.
> 
> In my opinion, it is better to keep the water stable rather than fiddle around for the "right" pH.
> ...


but the survival rate is slow.


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

I appreciate all the responses, i'm gonna give peat pellets a try since they're easier to measure as the pellets are all uniform. I wish i had used ada in my tank but it wasn't available when i was setting it up. If all fails, i think i'll just cave in and pick up some ada and slowly add it into my tank. Thanks for all the help, now i just gotta find a store to pick up some peat pellets from.


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## ThyrosineChoi (Apr 6, 2010)

you can get Filter PEAT from steels bigals for 18.99 i think.


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

Yep, i was just checking it online, thanks


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## ThyrosineChoi (Apr 6, 2010)

i guess iw as a bit late,
i bought it there 
BEST option is to get ADA soil 


my water was 7.6 pH and 6KH 8GH 
with peat filter in the filter for a day 
made my water to
7.6 5KH 7Gh
about 3~4 days later it became
7.4pH 3kH 6gH



with ada soil 
within a day
your water para would be
6.6pH 1kH 5gH


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

Did you have to entirely swap out your substrate? cuz i know ada needs to cycle a bit. I guess paying $20 for the peat, i could just add another $30 and pick up the ada. If i could just add say a handful into my tank and achieve teh same results without having to redo it, i wouldn't mind. I could use the ada in another future tank lol.


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## ThyrosineChoi (Apr 6, 2010)

i have no clue
but im guessing it wouldn't help that much


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

Before i make a decision on what to do about the ph in my tank, i wanted to see if anyone's ever used Seachem's Acid Buffer (http://www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/AcidBuffer.html) in their tanks with shrimp? Its an acidic buffer thats supposed to help lower the ph. I've just emailed the seachem reps to ask whether it is shrimp and plant safe but getting some advice from you guys would probably prove to be more beneficial than what the seachem reps would be able to provide.

I know most people don't like to use chemicals with their shirmp, i don't either but i've been trying to figure out what makes ADA amazonia work. No one seems to be able to explain how ada lowers ph - they just know that it does. The only "natural" way that i know of to reduce ph is with the use of peat, but ada aquasoil doesn't contain any peat so it leads me to think that the aquasoil may just be infused with some sort of acidic buffer? I may be completely wrong, and please let me know if i am. It's just that i've been doing a bit of research and haven't been able to figure it out.


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## jon021 (May 19, 2009)

nvm  i did a bit more reading into using buffers and its just a waste of money. After alot of thought, i've narrowed it down to 2 main options. Lower ph with peat or driftwood, or just let things be. I'm leaning towards just leaving the ph at 7.5, it just seems like too much of a hassle to fiddle around with the water chemistry and potentially kill off all my crs in the process.


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