High Ph In Tap Water?

[Hiya70310]

Hi all,
I have been fish in cycling for 4 weeks now and I FINALLY got an API Test master kit. I checked my tap water and it read 7.8. That is kinda high right . Well I test the my tank water and everything was way too high so now i'm wondering will doing daily water changes help or do I also need to buy some ph down and is that safe for my fish ( they are going through enough hell as is ) And what is everyones take on aquarium salt. My mother keep platies, bettas and mollies in a 10 gallon and never even changed the water so, Testing? Cycling? Fish in? Fishless? This is kinda completely new for me. I read the very helpful information on this forum way to late. Now I'm fish in cycling and thankful that the fish That has survived so far seem to be doing well.
Alittle background info I thought would help and it made me feel a little better.

 

[drobbyb]

Hi all,
I have been fish in cycling for 4 weeks now and I FINALLY got an API Test master kit. I checked my tap water and it read 7.8. That is kinda high right . Well I test the my tank water and everything was way too high so now i'm wondering will doing daily water changes help or do I also need to buy some ph down and is that safe for my fish ( they are going through enough hell as is ) And what is everyones take on aquarium salt. My mother keep platies, bettas and mollies in a 10 gallon and never even changed the water so, Testing? Cycling? Fish in? Fishless? This is kinda completely new for me. I read the very helpful information on this forum way to late. Now I'm fish in cycling and thankful that the fish That has survived so far seem to be doing well.
Alittle background info I thought would help and it made me feel a little better.

7.8 is fine for fishless cycling. The N-bacs like a high pH. What are your readings? We need to know your ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings.

 

[Hiya70310]

Oh alright, If you really want to know.
ph-8.2
ammonia-4.0ppm
nitrute-1.0ppm
nitrate-5.0ppm

 

[WILDER]

Once tanks cycled don't use ph adjusters more trouble than there worth.
If you want to lower ph think of adding some bogwood or peat in the filter.
Livebearers are fine in a ph of 7.8

 

[arobinson1984]

Don't add anything to your tank at this min in time, just concentrate on doing medium sized water changes (40-50%) to get your reading down, you may find yourself having to do 2 or 3 water changes a day at 50% a time.

You need to keep doing water changes until your ammonia and nitrITES are both below 0.25ppm as anything above this become poisonous to the fish.

Andy

 

[Hiya70310]

So I should do water changes till they are all down to at least 0.25ppm okay I can do that. Ya I dought I can find bogwood or Would know how to add it to my filter. So the ph in tap water shouldn't worry me right. And should I add some aquarium salt the test kit seems to want salt in there.

 

[WILDER]

Your ph fine for betta, molly, and platys.
I wouldn't bother altering ph.
The bogwood goes in the tank, the peat would go in the filter in a bag.
Yes you can add salt with platys, betta, and mollies, Just put half dose in for now.
It's one tablespoon to 5 gal.
Water changes and increase aeration.

 

[Hiya70310]

Oh I see what about tetras rainbow shark shrimp an snails???

 

[WILDER]

No salt then as shrimp, snails, and shark don't tolerate it.
I would take the rainbow shark back to the lfs as a 10 gal tank is to small and they are very aggressive.

 

[Hiya70310]

No salt then as shrimp, snails, and shark don't tolerate it.
I would take the rainbow shark back to the lfs as a 10 gal tank is to small and they are very aggressive.

I have a 20 gallon which I have read is still to small but I plan on Upgrading

 

[WILDER]

Sorry thought you meant you kept your own fish in your mum 10 gal tank.

Still to small they need 40 gallon tanks.
How many fish and which type do you have in the 20 gallon.

 

[Hiya70310]

I have 3 tetra 4 glass shrimp 3 snails and a rainbow shark

 

[WILDER]

Ok.
The shark will need hiding spaces like a cave of his own. I think I would take him back as the tanks to small and they are aggressive fish.

 

[Hiya70310]

He has lots of hiding places and I wish I could take her back...not really but I can't take her back.