Lowering PH and stabilising

Everything you ever wanted to say about "Zebra luvin", but didn't because you thought everyone would take the mickey! Plus general topics for discussion including everything from what you feed them to your personal experiences.

Post Reply
Rich
Newbie
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Sep 14, 2012 3:16 pm
Location: Oxford, England

Lowering PH and stabilising

Post by Rich »

Hi Guys,

Just got myself 4 new zebra Juve's :).

I had a group of 6 zebs about 5 years ago but sadly had to sell them on when i went to college. I was living away from home and could no longer care for them during the week.

I picked up 4 x 10 month old zebs yesterday and was presented with a bit of an issue when the seller told me that he the parameters he was keeping them in. He had only been using dechlorinated tap water which had a PH of 8.3!

In anticipation of getting a small group of zebs i had set up my new tank with 80% RO and 20% tap water (the tap water in my area is super hard and has a ppm of over 380, so pretty unsuitable for these guys). The PH in my tank was steady at 6.7 on the day i was collecting the zebs, which i was happy with. I met the seller i found out he was keeping his zebs in pure tap and the PH was around 8.3!!. I decided that rather than acclimate my fish into such a drastically different PH water, i would do a 1/3 water change with tap water to get my PH closer to the 8.3 of the water the zebs had been kept in. After the water change and given a little time to mix the PH was stable at 7.8 so i started the slow acclimation process. My intention now is to slowly lower the PH over the next month or by doing water changes with RO water and a small amount of peat treated RO until the PH gets to around 6.5.

My questions are...Firstly, do you think i was right to increase the PH pretty drastically or should have i just very slowly acclimated the zebs into my tank as it was with a PH difference of 1.6??

Secondly, when i do eventually get my PH back down to around 6.5 by reducing the KH and water changing with softer water, what is the best way to stabilise the PH? I have read about some people using bicarbonate of soda to increase the KH/buffering capacity but would this not raise my PH too??

Thanks in anticipation

ps...its feels great to be back on the Zebra train!! :D :D :D :loldude:
Post Reply