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	Homemade pH buffer?
Vic711 Small Fry Posts: 14 Kudos: 9 Votes: 0 Registered: 02-Jan-2005	Hey guys, new here<br><br>My pH was 6.0 or under in my 7 gallon planted dwarf puffer tank, until I recently started using Seachem nuetral pH buffer, since puffers need a minimum pH of 7.0 (it only brought my pH up to 6.6 though)<br>Anyway I heard this product shouldn't be used because it is a phosphate buffer or somethingand can promote algae growth, so I'm looking to make my own pH buffer that can preferably buffer my water to about 7.4 or higher.<br><br>Anyone know any recipes? I know I need baking soda and epsom salt, right? please help.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:39
Janna Mega Fish Posts: 1386 Registered: 24-Aug-2003	I would be wary of making my own stuff. I don't trust myself to make it right, and I wouldn't want to experiment on my fish, just in case. The real stuff isn't that expensive, so I'd just go with the commercial brands. They shade the glow of it with their mossy-misty costumes, They wear masks of silk, porcelain, brass, and silver, So as not to mislead with their own, ordinary faces.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:39
SuperMummy! Mega Fish Posts: 1207 Kudos: 915 Votes: 30 Registered: 03-Jan-2003	Have you considered using things like crushed coral/shells in your filter baskets, as substrate, and tufa rock in the water? x
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:39
guppymax Hobbyist Posts: 77 Votes: 0 Registered: 25-Dec-2004	What is the pH of your tap water. You might change 30% of your water every few days and keep the pH up. It is better to change the tank pH gradually unless it gets way out of hand and try to keep it the same all the time. The pH goes down when food, waste, or dead animals and plants decay. max
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:39
Shannen Banned Posts: 1160 Kudos: 1686 Votes: 98 Registered: 17-Feb-2004	Just slowly add baking soda, it will increase the KH and PH. Increasing the KH makes sure it will not fall again. The only problem I see is that you are going to have to add it to any new water prior to a water change, and be careful to make sure you get it to mach what is in the tank. Remember it is more important to have stable PH rather than proper PH.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:39
superlion Mega Fish Posts: 1246 Kudos: 673 Votes: 339 Registered: 27-Sep-2003	We learned how to make buffers in chem last semester. The chemical equations to make a buffer that will buffer anything to a specific pH are ghastly. And then you have to make sure you use chemicals that aren't toxic to the fish. I would never try to make a buffer like that for myself. I would either a) buy a comercially prepared buffer for the pH I want or b) use calcium carbonate (crushed coral or chalk) or sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to raise pH and hardness - or use peat or bogwood to lower pH and hardness. ><>
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:39
divertran Fish Addict Posts: 784 Kudos: 469 Votes: 165 Registered: 14-Nov-2004	Iwas using bottled water for my tanks. I tested the water and all the parameters fit just fine. other day I tested the tank and pH was 6.4. was 7.2 a few weeks ago. Learned a valuable lesson...Test your source. no harm was done as the pH was low only a short while. since my tap is 7.6 I'll mix it and de-chlorinate as I go.
Posted 26-Jan-2006 11:39


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