High Acidity in the water

[SadeyJ9]

Can anyone help me please , I’ve had my water tested today and it’s very high in acidity so high it’s stripped paint off my ornaments , I’ve done 50% water change and repeat next week then get it tested again. I just don’t know why it’s high in acidity can anyone recommend anything? Thank you

 

[GaryE]

How high?
That matters before anyone can answer.
Plus do you have a reading for the tapwater you use?

One of my neighbours thought his water was gradually bleaching the ornaments he'd bought, but it seemed they were in sunlight for part of the day, and were fading. They probably weren't the best quality.

 

[SadeyJ9]

How high?
That matters before anyone can answer.
Plus do you have a reading for the tapwater you use?

One of my neighbours thought his water was gradually bleaching the ornaments he'd bought, but it seemed they were in sunlight for part of the day, and were fading. They probably weren't the best quality.

I took it to the pet shop and they said dangerously high he’s surprised my fish had survived, he also tested my tap water and that’s fine so it’s something in my tank , it’s away from any sunlight

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Can you give us specific numbers for your water? It would also help if you told us more about the decor and setup in your tank.

 

[Seisage]

I took it to the pet shop and they said dangerously high he’s surprised my fish had survived, he also tested my tap water and that’s fine so it’s something in my tank , it’s away from any sunlight

You need to be clear about what pH you're describing. As people have mentioned, we need an actual number. High acidity would imply a low pH, but in my mind, any time someone uses the word "high" in this context, it's referring to a high pH value, which would be alkaline. So you need to make sure you're talking about the correct end of the scale here.

Good rule of thumb in fishkeeping is that most pet shop employees don't know what they're talking about. Many of them think they know what they're talking about and will say incorrect things confidently, or they'll tell you half-truths. I heard one once tell a man that he only needed to change his betta's water once every three months. What kind of fish do you have? Plenty of fish from blackwater environments live in a pH as low as 4-5, and many of the popular fish in the hobby, especially the South American tetras, can come from these environments. If you have those types of fish, I would not be surprised at them surviving a low pH in your tank.

For now, please provide the numerical pH value of your tank water.

 

[seangee]

Wot they all say. Also...

• What fish do you keep?
• Are they showing any signs of distress or illness?
• How often do you normally change your water?

If you are concerned about the state of your water you can do a 50% change every day - no need to wait a week (don't forget the dechlorinator). Since it sounds like your fish stop staff don't have a scooby get yourself a pack of test strips if pH is your only concern. Test the tank water using the instructions provided. Write down the number as suggested above. Now fill a glass with tap water. Leave it to stand for 24 hours and test that. If the number is different to the number you wrote down from your tank do another 50% change.
I would expect you to have a low pH where you live (although I could be wrong ). I have 4 tanks and a pet shop employee who didn't know what he was talking about would say they were dangerously acidic. But that's because the strips show an ideal range which is neutral. I wish they wouldn't do that because we end up with lots of people trying to fix problems that don't exist - and the pet shops make more money selling chemicals that aren't needed.

 

[Ichthys]

Don’t use test strips, they’re not always accurate. Get a liquid test kit.