Annoyed At Having An Alkaline Ph

[KingKenny]

Severn Trent Water does my bloody head in. Around 7.7-7.9ph. I'm currently cycling a large tank and would like to buy fish to suit the conditions.

I like the following fish:

Clown Loaches
Neon Tetras
Rummy Nose Tetras
Congo Tetras
Pearl Gouramis
Dwarf Gouramis
Honey Gouramis
Kribs
Bolivian Rams
Platys

I look at various websites and see that very few of those are actualy suited to such an alkaline PH. I don't want to mess around with PH in my tank but it is so frustrating to know the water quality round here isn't suitable for the fish I wish to keep. Sure they may 'cope' but do I want to do that and prevent natural spawning behavior etc?

I had it suggested that I start a Cichlid tank, keeping ones who like my water conditions. But I do like well planted tank and not one filled with the drabbest of rocks. mGot my heart set on a good community tank.

Where can I move to, to get PH of 7! Aargh!

 

[Themuleous]

Haha I know that feeling, pretty hard water over here in Oxford. I think Wales has softer water and Ireland too, but Im not really sure.

Have you considered getting an RO unit? I got mine for about 60quid and they last for years (although the filters need replacing every 6months, but only cost 5-6quid each). Mixing RO water with tap is a good way to get the pH down, I run at around 6.8ish with KH 3/4 and GH 5/6.

Any good?

Sam

 

[Fat Boy]

7.7 Ph isn't that bad really, if you want to lower your Ph to a more neutral level try adding more bogwood,also have you thought about adding CO2 ? This would also lower Ph, also less agitation on the water surface would help. You can also use peat to lower Ph ( though I've never tried this ).

But as I said 7.7 or 7.9 Ph isn't a massive problem, most fish can and will adapt to a range of Ph, most on here will say a stable Ph is better than a wrong Ph.

 

[Themuleous]

But as I said 7.7 or 7.9 Ph isn't a massive problem, most fish can and will adapt to a range of Ph, most on here will say a stable Ph is better than a wrong Ph.

Good point

 

[ramaseseniblikxviii]

the water over here in north wales is around 7.2 - 7.4 .
I personally use a britta water filter which lowers my ph to around 6.5 and mix it with a little tap water until i get pH i want.
problem is it takes about 30 mins to filter 10 liters and i am very impatient
Also have you tried a rain water cachement tank?

 

[dwarfgourami]

Of the fish you mention, platys are actually happier in these water stats than they would be in soft acid water. (If you should happen to take a fancy to mollies, hard water is actually essential- I tried to keep them in softwater and failed dismally). There are other fish that also like hard water- most livebearers, lots of rainbowfish etc.

The neons and the rummies might be the biggest problem- maybe you could look round for hardier but equally colourful tetras. I don't think the kribs, clown loaches, gouramis mind at all. Clown loaches don't spawn in hobbyists tanks anyway, but the others may well. My corys are spawning like nobody's business in a ph of 8.4. They don't seem in the least inhibited. I can see that somebody is breeding bristlenoses locally- every shop I go into is full of tiny babies, and I suspect the krib fry I saw recently were also locally bred.

 

[funkybodal]

Bolivian Rams are in fact found in the Rio Mamore drainage system in Bolivia and Brazil where the ph is 7.6!

 

[KingKenny]

Considering I have a 160 gallon tank, messing around with water isn't much of an option. I have a load of Bogwood in the tank but can it really change PH that much anyway?

Are Neon Tetras generally ok in water of a higher PH? The reason I ask is due all LFS's around here not seeming to have a problem. PH there is the same as in my home. Or are the majority of fry raised in acidic water anyway.

 

[Themuleous]

Considering I have a 160 gallon tank, messing around with water isn't much of an option. I have a load of Bogwood in the tank but can it really change PH that much anyway?

Are Neon Tetras generally ok in water of a higher PH? The reason I ask is due all LFS's around here not seeming to have a problem. PH there is the same as in my home. Or are the majority of fry raised in acidic water anyway.

Blimey! Thats a hell of a tank! Nice one!

Neon tetras would probably be ok in that pH but they just wont thrive and this can affect the 'neon' strip i.e. it is less bright and Ive heard that they dont live as long in higher pH. If your LFS has them in that pH then they'll be used to it by now I would have thought. Although it is worth remembering this fish like neon tetras sell really well so i doubt if any LFS keeps them long enough to see differences.

Just my thoughts

Sam

EDIT - if you're after some colour in the tank, the rainbow fishes work well in higher pH tanks and some are really bright, e.g. dwarf neon rainbow also called peacock rainbow.

 

[qwikimpss]

In my experience with Neons is that they really prefer softer, more acidic water. They can cope with harder, more alkaline water but wont thrive and show full coloration.

 

[Fat Boy]

KK, Another question, have you many rocks in your tank ? Most rocks, esp limestone, can RAISE Ph. Just a thought, and yes adding wood and removing rocks will lower Ph by a notch or 2 which I guess is what you're after.

 

[Bloo]

In my experience with Neons is that they really prefer softer, more acidic water. They can cope with harder, more alkaline water but wont thrive and show full coloration.

You are right I've never had success with neons or Rams in my water - hence don't keep them. My water is hard (17GH) with a high pH up to 8.4 but usually around 7.8

 

[KingKenny]

I have a small rock but I don't know what it is. It's not limestone or anything like that but a multi-coloured brown one. It's only about 8" in length.

My tank PH is the same as my tapwater PH.

The dwarf neon rainbow fish looks great by the way.

 

[Themuleous]

Cool, its a lovely little fish, have a look at the rainbow fish section next time you're in your LFS, the red rainbowfish is another colourful one, but gets to about 6" not that a fish of that size will matter in your tank! These two are quite common in the trade too so you should be able to find them in the larger fish shops.

Sam

EDIT - i have seen these change from grey/silver in the morning to slightly yellow to bright red by the end of the day! has to be seen to be believed

 

[ringham]

try adding the soil pete to lower ph, and then you wont have to move. Pete (as in the soil) naturally lowers ph and is not dangerous to your fish.That is put the pete in a bag, not just in the tank, lol.