The Puffer Forum

I am looking at buying a SAP. However my PH is at 8. According to my research they need a PH no higher than 7.8. How would I go about lowering my PH without using chemicals? I do not have the puffer right now but I don't want to use chemicals that may harm the puffer when I get him.

Adding driftwood can help bring the PH down in the tank. The tannins released by the wood soften the water.

I'd say your PH is fine. Adjusting your PH and trying to tune it with every water change is likely to cause PH swings sooner or later, which is much more likely to be harmful to the fish than a PH that is slightly off recommended range, but totally consistent. PH is a controversial topic to begin with, some even support the idea that traditionally "high PH" fish in fact just prefer a higher level of carbonate hardness(basically, dissolved calcium and the like) while "blackwater" and low PH fish prefer little or no carbonate hardness, an PH was simply a easy way to make a generally guess about these levels in the early years of fishkeeping. The short of it is, just let your water be PH 8, and slowly acclimate your fish so it will not be a shock to his system in case he came from a much different condition.

I agree with Nick. pH is usually a misinterpretation of hard vs. soft water.

You could, however, filter through peat as a way of providing a stable pH/hardness adjustment down to a more natural level but as Nick says it doesn't matter so much provided it's stable.