pH questions (again), what to put in new tank? (again)

[Eva32181]

My tapwater is very hard and alkaline, but with all the driftwood I have in my tanks, it gets down to 7.0 (6.8 in the plant tank) and my fish (neons, rams, cacs, and borelliis) all spawn in it (getting babies raised is not as easy, of course). Not being satisfied with 7.0, I thought I might achieve a lower pH by filtering my water through peat. This has worked - really well - and now I have a giant garbage can full of peat filtered water with a pH of 6.0 (that's as low as my kit reads).

So of course I'm afraid to just dump this acidic water into my tanks at the next water change. Should I combine it with some tapwater to bring it up a little? Or will my fish like it as it is? And now that I have a way to make 6.0 water, what acid-loving fish should I try in my empty 10 gallon tank?

:arrow: How do most of you condition your water? I know lots of you guys use R/O systems. Are there any commercial buffers you consider safe? (I read through some earlier posts on this board about that, so I know I'm rehashing a bit)

Sorry for the long post!!! Thank you! This board is great!

 

[aspen]

eva, just do multiple small daily water changes, until the tank reads what you want it to. imo, a ph shift of .4 at a time is pushing it. go for a little less. the tank may baunce around, that is not what you want, but i don't think that you can avoid it. slow and sure is the best way, imo.

rick

 

[Neil]

Eva,
I usually am not to concerned about softening water quickly, unless it is a MASSIVE water change. You will be defeating the purpose of what you are trying to accomplish if you mix your peat-filtered water with tap before adding it to your tank.
I think that you will find that you won't be altering your water much with small water changes, but a huge water change of completely different values may be a little stressful on the fish. A 50% water change should drop your pH and hardness a little. And then you can continue with small changes as your schedule provides.
Neil