We decided to get fish, the water in the aquarium was settled for a week, the soil was boiled, and the plants were planted. The compressor is connected, and everything was done according to the instructions, but … fish, snails, shrimps do not take root. This may be due to the inappropriate pH level of the water. Tap water that has settled for 1-2 weeks must be softened by lowering its pH by oxidation.
Instructions
Step 1
Provide your pets with balanced water, making it as close as possible to that in which they live in nature. You can get information about the required pH level for them in specialized stores or in reference books. Measure the composition of water with a pH tester or other device.
Step 2
Filter the aquarium water with a peat filter. This filtration saturates the water with humic acids, which lower the pH to the neutral point (7, 0). Peat also reduces the carbonate hardness of the water and prevents bacteria from multiplying that can hurt fish. Do not forget to replace such a filter - it will wash off over time.
Step 3
Place the snag in the water. The driftwood will act not only as a decorative element - it also helps to lower the pH of the water, albeit slightly, but sometimes just to the desired level. Of course, not any driftwood will work, and it requires preliminary heat treatment with salt water and a long soak. However, driftwood can be indispensable for some fish species.
Step 4
Introduce carbon dioxide CO2 into the aquarium. To do this, use special gas cartridges, certain devices, or even a bottle of yeast. This will not only lower the pH level for fish, acidifying the water, but will also speed up the growth of aquarium plants.
Step 5
Use acid buffer. A buffer can be considered a primer made from special granules available on the market. Buffering is provided by bicarbonate (bicarbonate) and carbonate (carbonate ions) ions. Poorly buffered water is more susceptible to sudden changes in pH level than well buffered water.
Step 6
Replace some of the water with softer water (you can use boiled or acidified phosphoric acid) or reverse osmosis water (purified). The addition of water, the pH of which should be below 7, 0, must be made in small portions in order to avoid sharp changes in the acid-base balance. You need to constantly monitor changes in the pH level in order to be aware of what is happening in your aquarium and to react in time.
