Aquasoil and PH???

[sherrymitchell]

My little nano (2.5 gallon) has the ADA Aquasoil and I noticed that the pH was way low when I tested it last week. Our pH out of the tap here is always high -- like 7.8+, so I was surprised by the low pH reading. Is it the aquasoil? I seem to remember someone saying that it would lower the pH, but I didn't realize it would go that low.

I did a big water change and two of the plants melted down. I guess they didn't like the pH swing. Darn, the little tank was beginning to really look good too. Luckily there are no fish in that tank yet. I wanted to put in endlers, but will they do badly in 6.0 water???

What should I do?

Also another question. In a 20 long, where I would like the pH to go lower from the 7.8 out of my tap, could I mix in Aquasoil with the Ecocomplete, and would that lower the pH a little -- say to 7.0 range??? I'm trying to breed gouramis in that tank and would like the pH to go lower. Right now I'm filtering through peat, but it's only lowered the pH to 7.6. The gouramis will need it lower to breed.

I have good buffering capacity with the tap water. It takes like 8 drops to turn the solution blue on the test kit. I believe that's like a buffering of 150, if I remember the literature correctly.

Help, please.

[Aaron]

The Aquasoil is supposed to lower the pH to be very low. The buffering capacity will lessen over time. Most plants won't melt in those conditions and will thrive. If they're melting frequent water changes should be done for the first several weeks.

[RTRJR]

It is not the pH causing the melt, it is the osmotic change. Monitor the ph or the KH (pH is easier to check) and do more frequent, possibly smaller, patials to keep it more stable.

[Ghazanfar Ghori]

Good to hear from you Robert - you've been MIA.

[RTRJR]

LOL! Old age issues have kept me occupied. and off the streets.. but the tanks are not too bad, sorting out and reducing numbers but not total volume. It may be time to semi-automate. If I do, Judith will take pictures. imagine the tank room with even more PVC...

Anf thanks for noticing!

[sherrymitchell]

Thanks everyone. So how long does that acidic thing happen with the ADA soil? Can I use it to lower pH in a breeding tank, or does it go away in a few weeks? I really need to get the pH down for these gouramis. I'm already filtering through peat, but will not go the RO route, and rainwater is not collectable this winter. If the ADA would work for months and months, then I could try it..... Will it work?

[Judi]

I don't know how long it lasts, but I have heard of people using Aquasoil to lower ph for shrimp that require acidic conditions. So I'm assuming it must last long enough to make it worth it.