I have a low Ph problem.

[Oygle2]

Hi guys.

I have a 22,000 Litre rain water tank, from that I fill up 5 x 500ltr Bunnings water tanks, yeah the green ones with the lids, which I snagged for $19 ea.

I pump air into one of the green holding tanks and refill the fish tanks with this water.

The rain water from the big tank has a ph of 4.7, and I change 500Ltrs per week out of a gang of five tanks in a series with a total of 1200Ltrs.

My problem is the fish tank Ph is always around 4.2.

I need to increase the Ph in my fish tanks.

I spoke with Squid about the issue and he suggested I get some Discus Buffer. OK, I thought, cool, he knows his stuff better than me. But the problem is this product lowers the PH.

Bugger!!

I want it increase to 5.5 to 6.5 ish levels.

I can't contact Squid at the moment and I'm beginning to go nuts.

The discus on the other hand have coloured up to incredible brilliance, but won't breed ...................

I pray to you, the discus gurus on here .........

How can I fix this problem, oh yeah, I will not put fluoride treated water in my system, it is a neurotoxin.

Regards

Mick, whoops I mean Oygle2.

[Matt15]

I too use rain water which I religiously believe helps induce discus to breed. Especially a nice cool water change, i'm always guarenteed a spawn.
As for a buffer, i've always used crushed coral placed in stockings/socks and placed within my cannister filters.

Perhaps your discus aren't mature enough or haven't paired off.

[revkev]

I,ve used baking soda to raise PH

[ILLUSN]

get yourself a bag of crushed coral or shell grit and add a couple of handfulls to your 1st tank, this will cause a slow leach of CO3 buffering up your pH a little, you wont need much 2 hand fulls wil be plenty.

Rainwater is supersoftand my ph on pur rain water was always bout 4.9-5.2 I'd personally aim for 5.5 if i was you your fish will be much healthier and you'll have less fungus on any eggs.