Calciferous Sand

[Moti]

Hello fish people
I have spent the last week setting up a tropical aquarium for my daughter and am supposed to get the first fish tomorrow. But I bought a test kit today and all is not well. Ph is 8.5 and ammonia is 0.1mg/l. I have followed all directions to the letter, but have used silver sand, the type used to fill gaps between block paving. The sand was boiled and washed thoroughly. I have a water softener and the tap water reads 7.2 on the ph scale. Is soft sand calciferous or could I be doing something else wrong. Don’t want to put fish in an unsuitable environment; also we would have tears if they all died. Was going to get tetras and guppies, but not all at once.
Please
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[Aphotic Phoenix]

Well my first question is... when you tested the pH of your tap water did you test it directly out of the tap or did you let the water sit out overnight? Water straight from the tap often has a lower pH than normal because it has a higher CO2 content than normal.

Also, are there any stone or shell decorations in the tank?

Totally unrelated but I'd also recommend taking a look at some of the stickied topics on Cycling and Weekly Tank Maint for extra advice on keeping your pets safe and healthy.

 

[Moti]

Hello
I did not leave the water overnight but am doing so now.
Have a few pebbles tennis ball size from the garden, they were scrubbed and boiled.
Have I screwed up?

 

[Aphotic Phoenix]

Nah you haven't screwed up...if something in your tank is leeching minerals it's just best to figure out what it is before the fish get added.

There are two tests you can run to see if the rocks/sand are leeching calcium carbonate...
1. Grab some really strong vinegar and do a spot test on the rocks...if any "fizz" is generated that would indicate the presence of an alkaline mineral.
2. Grab some bowls, place a sample rock in one and a sample of the sand in the other, fill with some tap water and then cover the bowl to prevent excess evaporation. Let them sit for a few days and then compare the pH of the water in the bowls with the true pH of your tap. If the pH in one of the bowls raises you'll know the culprit.

*Edit* It's not unheard of for people to have high pH from their tap water, and most fish can adapt to high pH water just fine. For example I have "softwater" fish in a pH of 8.2 and they are doing well. Ask the people at your local fish shop what pH they keep their fish in...most of the time it will be close to your own if they are using the same municipal water system.