# seachem discus buffer???



## splat (Nov 17, 2010)

the lady at the lfs suggested i use seachem discus buffer in my tank to help lower the pH. my pH is 7.8ish (hard to tell what shade of blue). she figures it might be one of the reasons my shrimp dont last very long. she said they need a pH of 7.4 or lower.
i was wondering if this product would help keep the pH low..or does it lower it for a while and then cause pH swings? i have a 50 gallon planted tank. i realize i would have to add it to each water change.


----------



## anessa (Apr 26, 2010)

Planted tanks with driftwood usually keep the PH lower, however you can try adding peat in a nylon to your filter to see if that lowers it enough naturally. In Vancouver we have to try to keep our PH from crashing. It is so low that I have to keep a small bag of coral in the filter to try to keep the PH around neutral.


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

I agree with Anessa. I would use driftwood in the tank and peat in the filter. Maybe Oak or almond leaves too. They should soften the water and lower the pH naturally. Unfortunately, you'd have to do the same for water you're going to use to do water changes with.


----------



## splat (Nov 17, 2010)

thanks! i do have 3 good sized pieces of driftwood in there..was thinking about peat. will give that a try. i didnt know about the oak leaves. i have a big tree in my backyard so will give that a try too. i'm jealous of your vancouver water lol...the water out of our tap is definitely the opposite..too alkaline!
about how often do you have to replace the oak leave and peat moss?


----------



## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Since our water is soft, I don't use the leaves and moss and have no experience. However, make sure the leaves are dried in the oven first. You're not supposed to put the freshly fallen stuff in the tank (probably because of organisms and rapid organic breakdown initially).


----------



## ncutler (Apr 26, 2010)

I should also mention that the discus buffer buffers by adding phosphate to your system. Some people don't like the idea of having one of the nutrients for algae to be permanently available for it to grow.


----------



## Chappy (Apr 21, 2010)

Love it, love it, love it! I started using it about a month ago. My 17 wild discus did NOT like the 7.0 coming out of the tap. Their colors would either fade out or they'd go dark. Drove me crazy. Since using the Discus Buffer (you also have to use Neutral Regulator with it), there has been a HUGE difference in the color and behaviour of the fish. I keep the pH at 5.8 with 50% water changes every second day and even after a w/c, the pH is still 5.8. Can't use driftwood in the tank because the wilds spook every now and then and do serious damage to themselves on wood so the tank it completely bare. Great stuff and would certainly recommend it based on my own experience.


----------



## splat (Nov 17, 2010)

thanks NA. i tried looking it up and i dont understand the neutral regulator/acid buffer/alkaline buffer. apparently acid buffer is like discus buffer but without the phosphates. what do you do with the neutral regulator? on the acid buffer bottel it says use with alkaline buffer which i dont understand because i dont want alkaline water. is it creating a buffer to prevent pH swings?


----------



## Chappy (Apr 21, 2010)

*


splat said:



is it creating a buffer to prevent pH swings?

Click to expand...

**Exactly!* But you use very little. I use a 9:1 ratio (9 parts Discus Buffer to 1 part Neutral Regulator.


----------



## splat (Nov 17, 2010)

omg...i think i'm starting to understand it LOL!
thanks!


----------



## christhefish (Nov 8, 2010)

dont shrimp like harder alkaline water


----------

