High Ph Community Tank...

[Ryan_W]

Morning, afternoon, evening all!

I'm after setting up a nice colourful community tank. Problem is, my pH used to be around 7.2 - 7.6, but now it's holding at a rather high 8.0 - 8.2... I'm doing 75% WC everyday, so it's not having time to build up really. I think it comes out my tap at around 7.4 - 7.6.

Now I know you can buy 'pH Down' but in the long run, it's going to be easier to set up a tank with fish that prefer hard water and a high pH.

I know that African Cichlids would do fine in the tank, but I was wondering what else I could put in there?

Is it worth adding more natural wood into the tank to see if it helps drop the pH a bit?

Again, I know people get to caught up with pH values and a lot of species could 'put up' with a high pH, but I want the fish to thrive and enjoy their life in my tank not just stay alive.

Thanks all,

Ryan

 

[star4]

Gourami do better in higher ph, lots to choose from too

 

[ZoddyZod]

if it's coming out of your tap at at around 7.4 - 7.6 but later becomes 8+, then something is occuring in the tank to make this happen.

Do you have any rocks in the tank at present? These may be increasing your pH.

 

[Ryan_W]

I've got a couple of rocks in there providing the pillars for the slate cave, I also have a slate border diving the sand from the gravel. That's all though. The rocks are fine to use in a tank since I looked them up on this very forum (can't remember the name of the rock though)...

 

[ZoddyZod]

The rocks are fine to use in a tank since I looked them up on this very forum (can't remember the name of the rock though)...

but if your pH is increasing over time then something seems to be reacting with the water in the tank.

Have you tried filling a container with tap water, test for pH, leave it for 24hrs and then retest? Sometimes pH can change on it's own (I cant remember the science behind it), but it might be worth checking that first. If that IS occuring and the pH rises without interaction from anything in the tank, you can rule out that as the issue. If the pH doesn't rise, then something in the tank is causing it.

 

[Carlovel1]

Livebearers

 

[england]

My ph is 8.0-8.5

You can see on my profile the kinds of fish i have managed to keep and breed in this without doing anything,

including bristlenose plecs/angel fish/channa ornatipinnis/guppys/firemouth cichlids/ which ive bred..

kept including, kribs/keyhole cichlids/oscars/chocolate cichlids/jaguar cichlids/jewel cichlids/some african cichlids/polleni cichlid/eygptian mouth brooders/vieja bifa cichlid/jack dempseys/texas cichlid/salvini cichlid/
tbar cichlids/earth eaters/ silver dollars / bala sharks/ channa's<snakeheads/ plecs/pictus catfish/bycron sp/ electric blue crayfish/
Thats of the top of my head, theres been more including tetra and gourami's/ticto barbs and other barbs/betta splendens

 

[karin]

I agree with the comments above. Something is going on. While the Ph of 8.0 - 8.2 is not that big a deal and can support many many fish, the problem will be if you do water changes and the Ph changes dramatically. Key to Ph is keeping it stable. I too would make certain what the Ph of my tap is and then if indeed it is 7.6, figure out what is causing the Ph to rise.

 

[Ryan_W]

Nelly, thanks a lot for your post, it puts my mind at rest with the selection of fish I'm able to keep. The question is, what would go well with the current tank mates (Emperor Tetras and Leopard Cories, all which are doing fine!)?

On a side note, is there such a thing as a pH spike?

I tested my water before a WC last night and it was between 7.8 and 8.0... But it's definitely coming out my tap at around 7.4 - 7.6... I'll try adding a little extra bogwood to the tank to see if it helps lower the pH a tad.

It used to be a stable 7.6 until I changed from gravel to sand?

Is it worth getting some peat for the filter?

Thanks to everyone for their input!

Ryan

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

The tap water pH could be rising because there is dissolved carbon dioxide in the tap water. After 24 hours of settling in your tank, some is then escaping, changing the equilibrium of carbonic acid in the water (hence your pH becomes more alkaline).

 

[ZoddyZod]

The tap water pH could be rising because there is dissolved carbon dioxide in the tap water.

that's the 'science' I was trying to remember

 

[Ryan_W]

Would Firemouths be okay with Emperor Tetras (quite large for Tetras) and Leopard Cories?