- Messages
- 88
- Location
- Boston, MA
Hi Guys,
This is a question that has less to do with my Apistos then the fish and plants I keep with them. In my big community tank, I inject CO2. This drops my pH significantly. To combat this, I've been adding baking soda to my water, getting the kH up to about 3.
Lately, however, I've begun thinking about keeping the kH lower and letting the pH drop. I know my Apistos wouldn't mind, even if the pH eventually found itself around 5.5, but I wonder about my other fish. Will my cardinals, Golden Wonder killies, and various Ottos and SAE's adjust to the lower pH?
I've often heard fishkeepers say that pH is very overrated on the high end. In other words, fish like Apistos and even discus do fine at higher pH levels (though they may not breed), as long as the water is clean, well filtered, and regularly changed. My question is: does the same apply for other fish with a lower pH?
Basically, I think I'd get more interesting behavior out of my Apistos if I brought the kH down to about 1.0. But if I do this, my pH will probably end up around 5.9. Do you think I'm putting my other fish in danger...or will they adjust to the super-low pH?
This is a question that has less to do with my Apistos then the fish and plants I keep with them. In my big community tank, I inject CO2. This drops my pH significantly. To combat this, I've been adding baking soda to my water, getting the kH up to about 3.
Lately, however, I've begun thinking about keeping the kH lower and letting the pH drop. I know my Apistos wouldn't mind, even if the pH eventually found itself around 5.5, but I wonder about my other fish. Will my cardinals, Golden Wonder killies, and various Ottos and SAE's adjust to the lower pH?
I've often heard fishkeepers say that pH is very overrated on the high end. In other words, fish like Apistos and even discus do fine at higher pH levels (though they may not breed), as long as the water is clean, well filtered, and regularly changed. My question is: does the same apply for other fish with a lower pH?
Basically, I think I'd get more interesting behavior out of my Apistos if I brought the kH down to about 1.0. But if I do this, my pH will probably end up around 5.9. Do you think I'm putting my other fish in danger...or will they adjust to the super-low pH?