PH-keeping it down

[ancora_imparo]

I have a 55g planted tank (2 jungle val, 2 micro curly something, a banana plant, and two other things I cant remember the names for, sorry) with a 2ft piece of driftwood and 10 black neon tetras.

I have trouble keeping the PH down-the driftwood helped some, but it's still routinely atleast 7.2 if not 7.6 (or more.) I've tried using PH Down, but it doesnt KEEP it down, I have to keep adding it. Is there something besides driftwood that I can add to try and keep the ph down? Should I just add more driftwood?

[emc7]

pH down is just an acid, It is useless. Adding more driftwood is the safest thing. But there are other things "blackwater" extracts, Seachem's Acid regulator, Indian almond leaves, peat moss, and alder cones. Anything you add to the water will need adding with each water change.

[ancora_imparo]

Peat moss might be good, since we have tetras. I know they enjoy peat.

Any idea how much to add for a 55 gallon tank? Do I put it in the tank, or the filter?

[emc7]

A net bag in the filter is safer, it tends to get all over the tank and in the substrate if you have it loose. But "peat spawners" will lay eggs in it in a jar. "Jiffy peat pellets" are already in little net bags. Putting the bags in the tank can also snare barbled fish , but some people put the peat in pots and put gravel or sand over it to hold it in.

[lohachata]

go to your local garden center or even on the internet...get some " Jiffy 7 " peat pellets..
always make sure that whatever peat you buy , it is untreated..
also buy some cheap pantyhose..cut them in 12-14" lengths...tie off one end..you can use zip tys..
remove the netting from 5 pellets and put them in a section of the hose..tie off the end and soak in warm water for an hour or so....
then place in a HOB or canister filter and leterrip...

here is a link for the pellets...

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&key...l_8q7imsbwqq_b

[mousey]

yes but 7.2 is not that high! I have read that you only need to get the ph down if breeding the neons.

[emc7]

I would add peat or driftwood until it sits just under 7. But it is true that neons will do fine in 7.2 and even 7.8. They need soft water to hatch the eggs, the pH doesn't matter that much. Anything, even doing nothing, is better than using pH Down and having the pH bounce right back up.

[Fishnut2]

EMC7 offered the best advice. Don't have your PH bouncing up and down. Especially if you're changing it with chemicals. The natural methods mentioned were all good ones. Keep in mind that tap water is going to have buffers, that effect the PH. Every area is different, so here's where members of a local club could help you a lot.

Other methods that would work would be RO (reverse osmosis) and DI (deionised) water. A lot of bottled drinking water is purifed using RO. DI is a chemical method that almost makes the water too pure.