High Ph

[chesterjohn]

I haven't tested my ph in a while and decided I'm going to get some new fish this week. Thought I'd check just to make sure it's ok, and my ph was around 8.4 - 8.8 (hard to tell the difference between. The tap water ph is 7.4. Was just wondering what might have caused this, and what I can do to lower the ph.

Ideally I want a neutral/slightly acidic tank for the fish I want, but would like to achieve this naturally before buying the pots to change it.

btw, I have 5 guppies in atm, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate somewhere around 10-20

 

[PDSimon]

hmm... What else is in the fish tank?

 

[chesterjohn]

5 guppies, gravel, a few plants, some bog wood and that's pretty much it

 

[PDSimon]

I'm unsure, first thoughts were maybe some sort of rock is raising the pH, but bogwood would lower it!

Did you get the gravel from an LFS and wash it properly?

edit: I noticed you were from chester. "the green machine" is the other side of wrexham, its easy to get too if you fancy seeing some amazing aquascaping and what appear to be well looked after fish as well as a good rep.

google the name if you're interested they have a website.

I intend on getting all my plants from there

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Why not take a water sample with you to the shop and get them to test it? There's a chance your test kit might not be giving true values, or like in my case earlier, ambiguous colour readings!

 

[OldMan47]

The pH may well be the result of rocks or gravel in the tank. One way to eliminate the culprits is to do a bit of experimenting. If you take a pair of water samples and test them, then test again after using dechlorinator and waiting 24 hours, you will find out how much the simple removal of gasses in the tap water makes your pH change.
Once you have that established, if it has not completely explained your water chemistry, try a sample of water in the presence of the substrate, along with a separate sample of simple tap water. This will give you an idea of how much tank water pH change can be attributed to the water and its characteristics and how much is the result of your substrate. The end result should put you in the position of knowing how much effect the substrate is having on your water chemistry and how much relies entirely on the amount of time the water has had to degas.

 

[chesterjohn]

I completely forgot that when I did the last water change, I added some more gravel to the tank. It was rinsed out first, but I guess it was that that did it. Changed some water and tested, it's holding steady at tap water levels now.

I intend on visiting the green machine at some point (thanks for the suggestion) I was in Wrexham just before I read that message, so hopefully after my holiday I can get over there and neaten up the aquarium