The PH and GH of the aquarium are two values that you must know so that your fish can live well. PH indicates whether water is alkaline, neutral or acidic. It is governed by a scale from 1 to 14, with 1 being the most acidic value and 14 being the most alkaline. The recommended pH in any aquarium is usually between 6.6 and 7.6. Therefore, if the values are higher, you have to ask yourself how to lower the PH of the aquarium.
The GH indicates the overall hardness of the water, and is based on the dissolved salts in the liquid. The GH will allow you to measure the water in degrees of hardness, with one drop being equivalent to one degree. This is a value that can alter the PH of the aquarium and that you will also have to control for the best maintenance of the aquarium.
How to lower the PH of the aquarium?
If you are wondering how to reduce the pH of your aquarium water, here is the solution.
It is very important that you always keep it within adequate levels, depending on the species of fish you have. Not surprisingly, sudden variations in pH will affect them significantly; hence you should control this value every week.
If you want to lower the pH of the aquarium you can implement these measures:
- Install a reverse osmosis unit at the faucet, so that the water does not have such a high pH.
- Remove some of the water from the aquarium, adding a little distilled water to balance the pH level.
- Blow CO2 into the aquarium (carbonic acid lowers the pH of the water).
- Use silica sand so that the PH does not increase.
- Avoid limestone rocks, as they increase the pH (aquarium specific stones are recommended).
- Place mopani wood logs in the aquarium, which help to lower the pH of the aquarium.
- Always use peat as soil.
How to lower the GH of the aquarium?
As these two values are related, it is likely that as the pH increases, the GH will also increase. Therefore, it is necessary to consider how to lower the hardness of the aquarium water. A first option is to use water softeners, a specific commercial product that you can buy on the web. However, you must pay special attention that these softeners do not exchange calcium and magnesium for sodium, especially if you have tropical fish in the aquarium.
More effective is the use of peat, a type of soil that is also used to lower the pH of the aquarium and that you can get in Tiendanimal. You can include it in the filter, without clogging it, or periodically in the water. Another possibility to lower the GH of the aquarium is to use distilled water. This water is free of impurities and salts, such as calcium and magnesium. You can add it manually or through reverse osmosis devices for better control.
Can these values affect the health of my fish?
The quality of the aquarium water is essential for the care of the fish. Not only must it be kept clean, but also fundamental values such as PH and GH must be taken care of. Two values that, if they are not in the right parameters, can affect the health of the living beings in the aquarium.
If the pH is kept stable, the water will not undergo rapid changes that affect the stress of the fish. The same applies to the GH, which should be kept at appropriate levels. This is intended to make the water as close as possible to the natural environment in which the fish live. Otherwise, they will find a habitat in which it is impossible to subsist.
However, it can be said that there is no ideal pH level for all fish, so this value should be in a range between 6.6 and 7.6. As for GH, fish prefer soft to medium hard water, so the range should be between 0 and 8 (0 to 4 indicates soft water, 4 to 8 medium hard water).
In short, it is very important to consider how to lower the PH of the aquarium and the GH so that the living beings that live in it can be in the best conditions. Both levels should be checked at least once a week so that the maintenance of the water is the most appropriate. Two levels that, if uncontrolled, will affect the health of the fish to the point of causing disorders in the water that prevent them from living normally.
