# Do Almond leaves affect pH?



## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

I was under the impression that almond leaves lower the pH. Am I mistaken?

I am using equilibrium to adjust my water parameters, as the GH and KH were way too low. The unwanted result has been a raise in pH to the upper range of my kit at 7.6.

So I set aside two jugs of tap water, and added a part almond leaf to one. Two days later the jug with the leaf measures 7.6, while the untreated one is just 6.9. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t the leaf have softened the water?


----------



## RoryM (Apr 25, 2010)

In my 66g four large leaves did nothing to alter parameters but that might have been due to the large water volume.


----------



## MananaP (Apr 22, 2010)

This only effects when you put a few almonds on a bucket and let it sit for few days, when you see tannins usually means lower PH as i have tested last week. After a while though it losses it's lowering ph capabilities.


----------



## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

never experimented this but, I would have thought it to lower it as well. Do you use any kind of alkalinity buffer? Which to my knowledge is for the KH. I use it in mine and it has helped greatly with the stability. I rarely use the equilibrium anymore as my gh seems to always be right where it needs to be,


----------



## gklaw (May 31, 2010)

Did not test mine when I first put it in. After a couple of month pH is beack to 6.8 - 7.


----------



## TomC (Apr 21, 2010)

Diztrbd1 said:


> never experimented this but, I would have thought it to lower it as well. Do you use any kind of alkalinity buffer? Which to my knowledge is for the KH. I use it in mine and it has helped greatly with the stability. I rarely use the equilibrium anymore as my gh seems to always be right where it needs to be,


 I just started using equilibrium and an alkaline buffer. This raised the pH too high in my tank, so I wanted to try the almond leaves. There was nothing at all added to my test water, where the leaf turned the water brown, and seemed to raise the pH.


----------



## Fish Whisper (Apr 22, 2010)

Almond leaves are suppose to have tannins which lower pH...

KH booster is basically baking soda, which is a base.

Thats why when u increase KH u get a higher pH.

I was using the same 2 buffer as you.
I eventually came to a conclusion that 

if i was going to add and KH booster i'd have to monitor and test after adding after every mini boost.

I ended up not adding anymore KH booster and stuck with equilibrium and aquarium salt.
and that work out fine for in my case, with my aro/pbass/severum/catfish/pelco tank

In my opinion, unless ur testing everyday water parameters, u'l have less fish casualties not adjusting Kh too much, less is more when it comes to buffers


----------

