PH???

boabab95 · #1 06-25-2010, 06:54 PM

Do the following stones/petrified things cause a change in PH??? i've never really been big into aquariums, so i've never had to worry about it...

-Granite
-limestone
-sandstone
-flagstone
-dried coral

and if i'm not mistaken, the PH of water is 7.0 right?

Ozymandias · #2 06-25-2010, 10:30 PM

limestone and dried coral will defiantly raise the PH of water, i'm also pretty sure that sandstone might too but not positive. i'm also positive granite wont and almost positive that most flagstone wont ether. to check get some type of acid (white vinegar works some times) and pore it over the rock it is fizzles then it will raise the PH.

the PH of water is not a set constant and differs from area to area, most fish don't care what the PH is as long as thay are used to it and it's not supper low or supper high. there are some species though that will only breed in varry hard water (+8) or sorft water (-6.5ish)

hope that helps

boabab95 · #3 06-25-2010, 11:09 PM

I'll try the vinegar test! thanks!!!

Ozymandias · #4 06-26-2010, 01:27 AM

you might need to try a stronger acid on some rocks but i cant remember what that acid is off the top of my head. try looking up rocks or something on aquaria central. good luck

OKCMike · #5 10-17-2010, 10:40 PM

A stronger acid than what's in white vinegar is acidic acid. It is used in photographic processing and can be purchased in photo shops. A foaming reaction to a given rock will indicate that the tested rock contains soluble carbonites. It does not, however! Indicate how that carbon will affect long term ph in a tank. Best test for that is to get the rock you want and set up some long term test samples (put the rock in a water sample) testing at one, three, six weeks to see how ph is affected.