Re: pH

[rytireefs@juno.com (Phillip J Ryti)]

richter@erols.com writes:
I use a "Discus Buffer" that I bought from "That Fish Place" pretty
cheap.  Then I give it a squirt of Tetra Black Water Tonic, but not
much.  Afterwards you can check the PH and adjust with more if you
like.   Amounts tend to depend on your water.  I also use half and 
half
- - tap and RO water.  If you are serious about fish, RO water is a
necessity and bare bones units are only 80 or 90 bucks.  The Discus
Buffer goes down to about 5.8 which I find OK for most of my South
Americans and my plants.  I must admit that there could be some
phosphates in it but I have not had much of an algae problem with it.
Anyone not using RO has tons of phosphate anyway.   Peat is a messy 
pain
in the bog.  Besides, I guess I don't mind a bit of algae. The fish 
pick
at it.

Regarding the phosphate issue.....
Last year, I had a 50 gallon tank with 6 Apistogramma steindachneri and 
4
Apistogramma norberti. One by one the fish died within days of owning
them.
I bought all of them from the same store. Ph was matched to that of the
stores
using acids PH DOWN with phosphoric acid! at the time of course must have
been safe to use all the years except now its not. Hmm. Anyway, used
Discus Buffer to lock
ph at 6 so should have been no problem yet day by day death every
morning.
Gills flared, obvious suffocation but from what???So, I brought some
water in to be
tested slightly angry that a hundred some dollar investment was gone.
Water parameters were as follows:
PH 6.0
Ammonia: Zero
Nitrite: Zero
Nitrate: Zero to nill
Now what? The fish were healthy, bulky specimens in the holding tanks.
Females showing their yellow coloration with the typical threatening
poses. What was killing my fish. Can you say phosphate? Too much of a
good thing I guess. Checked the 
phosphates...  off the scale. Answered question number one. Now how to
fix it. See before I was using tap water at a PH of 7.2 and hardness of
140ppm mixing with R.O. 
Water with a PH of neutral and 10 ppm hardness. Added PH down to water
mixture to lower PH. Than Added Discus buffer. Too much Phosphate. Now I
use 50/50 to sometimes closer to straight Reverse Osmosis Water and the
deaths of the fish have 
disappeared for a time. I now agree with Kurt Zadnik's opinion regarding
this issue.
Soft water first importance than Ph will come later  with the use of 
Tetra Blackwater Tonic or a like product.