# PH neutral sand?



## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

I have been working on my apisto tank to lower PH. I bought this "PH neutral" super natural sand from petsmart as I have been told that it's not effecting ph.

However, I start wondering if this PH neutral sand is making water neutral because PH does not go down much no matter what I do.. I have driftwood and a couple of ornaments that I did the test and am very confident that those are not the cause.. 

so that only leaves sands.... can this be the cause??


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## jobber (May 14, 2010)

I'm assuming it's your 20g long tank? 
What are you adding to the tank to lower PH? How big is your driftwood? What type of ornament?

Try adding almond leaves. That'll do the trick to mimic the apisto's natural environment.


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## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

both my 20G and 15G tanks. I have added 5 almond leaves on each tank.. peat moss in the filter and tank water..

my 15G tank is now apisto tank.. when CBSs were in that tank they bred like crazy..end up even getting few CRS shrimplets but API test kit said it was 7.2... I checked the exp. date and it's 2017... 

I have 2 flower pots and about 12" driftwood in 20G and two ornaments from petsmart that girls love, a cave that I bought from the auction, 1 flower pot..

I have been working on 15G tank water for 4 months and 2 months on 20G long..


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

Realize that if there are plants in ultra soft water with decent light, they will work to drive the pH up.

This can be countered simply by adding floating plants. Also realize that our tap water currently has about 20 ppm of carbonate buffering in it right out of the tap.


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## jhj0112 (Jul 30, 2013)

As always, Thank you for helping me algea beater!


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