Ben P. Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 I've been researching how to lower pH, I really don't like the look of tannins and also don't want to use and chemicals to do it. I saw a video from lrb aquatics on using spaghnum moss to lower pH naturally with no tannins. I was wondering if anyone had tried it, and it you have, what did you think of it and did it work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 (edited) The easiest way to lower pH, without a buffering substrate, is to lower KH. You can lower KH buy "cuting" your source water with distilled water or RO water. You can fine tune your numbers this way. I've never heard of spaghnum, so can't help there, but I'd imagine you would be guessing on how much to use and how fast it would work. Edited August 13, 2021 by Mmiller2001 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keeg Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 Everything is made of chemicals. Spagnum moss does lower the ph but it also releases it's own tannins. A lot less than things like almond leaves or wood, but still releases them. The easiest way to lower your ph is like what @Mmiller2001 said. But the absolute easiest thing to do is to adapt your fish to your regular water parameters very slowly over time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben P. Posted August 13, 2021 Author Share Posted August 13, 2021 Would the whole thing just be easier if I just installed an ro filter and use it on the tanks I want it for? The fish I'm wanting to breed will not breed in my current water parameters of pH at almost 9 and kh and gh off the scales of tetra test strips. Good old Iowa liquid concrete water Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 Long term, I think it's a solid idea. Using an RO unit will allow you to build your water any way you want to, or just have RO water on hand to cut your source water. I would grab a GH/KH test kit so you know how much RO water to use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Biotope Biologist Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 Rain water has a pH of about 5.6 due to CO2 acidification. This is different from acid rain. As @Keegsaid everything is chemicals. Most of the chemicals that lower different parameters use the chemicals in the water to affect parameters. As @Mmiller2001said if you want your pH lower than 6.8 you need to lower kH. Easiest way to do this is using soils that promote bacteria activity specifically organic matter decomposition. This is where sphagnum moss is used. In your case RO will likely be the most effective though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlgaeIsYum Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 (edited) With a pH of 9 and super high gH and kH, it's going to be insanely difficult to significantly move your pH down by adding anything other strong acids (would not recommend this, potentially deadly). On top of this, everytime you add water you'll need to counter that highly basic water again. Tannins and humic acid (what makes up the sphagnum moss) are relatively weak so won't do too much. I think your only real option is going for RO water. Edited August 13, 2021 by AlgaeIsYum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben P. Posted August 13, 2021 Author Share Posted August 13, 2021 That's kinda what I was thinking with kh and gh so high. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what ro unit they like or have had success with? I'm thinking of using on roughly 12 tanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted August 13, 2021 Share Posted August 13, 2021 On 8/13/2021 at 5:03 PM, Ben P. said: That's kinda what I was thinking with kh and gh so high. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what ro unit they like or have had success with? I'm thinking of using on roughly 12 tanks Looks like inflation prices, but any of these. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/bulk-reverse-osmosis-filters-systems/reverse-osmosis-systems/4-stage-systems.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stump Posted July 25 Share Posted July 25 On 8/13/2021 at 7:03 PM, Ben P. said: That's kinda what I was thinking with kh and gh so high. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what ro unit they like or have had success with? I'm thinking of using on roughly 12 tanks I picked the Waterdrop 600 ... Now its a little more Expensive but also puts out 600 GPD so is much faster....also puts out only 1 cup of waste water for 2 cups of RO. It looks much cleaner so wife wont mind having it under the sink and comes with a cool faucet to mount on kitchen sink that give a TDS readout of the water. https://www.waterdropfilter.com/products/waterdrop-reverse-osmosis-water-filtration-system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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