High pH

[Helium_Junkie]

Just tested the pH in my tank, and its at about 8.4, which is quite high I feel.
What can be done? Are pH modifiers worth using? The water is supposedly hard, but I havent tested for that... what can be done?

 

[Teelie]

Depending on the fish you want in there, probably so unless you can acclimate them. Use R/O or any kind of filtered water to help lower the pH safely.

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Cant just use the pH up/Down stuff?

 

[Tropjunky]

Use RO it's better for ur fish neways. PH up/Down is something that i'd not wast money on yet.
They cost alot and messup ur water chemisty they one fix PH and it's not easy to change PH.

Filter media might work and if not use a CO2 injector my ph has gone down cos of my CO2 system

 

[Teelie]

Ph Up/Down doesn't fix the chemsitry permanately, it's temporary and the sudden drop in pH can kill your fish.

 

[FishDan]

My pH is about 8.2. Unless you have very fragile fish, I wouldn't bother trying to change it. R/O water is safe and effective, but then you are stuck buying it all the time, or investing in a R/O unit, which can get expensive, though in the long run is cheaper than buying it from your LFS. I have kept angel fish, cories, glass catfish, tire track eels, various tetras, rasboras and minnows and African dwarf frogs. None of them have ever been unhealthy or sick, none have died of anything other than I had them too long. If you buy your fish locally, they are most likely already aclimated to the higher pH of your area. If you buy your fish online take extra time to acclimate your new fish (and even if locally, either ask the LFS their pH or acclimate longer just in case). I agree that chemicals are bad news, and do fix the problem in the long run. Plus, I prefer not to add chemicals to my tank unless I must (ie; dechlor only). Playing with pH with chemicals opens the door to distaster. Disaster that is easily avoided (don't use the chemicals).

\Dan

 

[Teelie]

I have naturally high pH too but my water, even filtered through a tap filter has too much stuff in it so I have to use R/O water anyways. You might want to see what other things are in your water incase there's something causing the high pH. Usually it's high calcium carbonate but there are other possibilities.

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Just a thought, I only tested the tank water, not the tap water...
I had put three medium sized rocks (washed off all the dust I could first) in the tank, and spent about 30mins maybe with my arms in the tank arranging the air equipment.

Does that kind of work, or rocks, change the pH?

 

[Tropjunky]

My pH is about 8.2. Unless you have very fragile fish, I wouldn't bother trying to change it. R/O water is safe and effective, but then you are stuck buying it all the time, or investing in a R/O unit, which can get expensive, though in the long run is cheaper than buying it from your LFS. I have kept angel fish, cories, glass catfish, tire track eels, various tetras, rasboras and minnows and African dwarf frogs. None of them have ever been unhealthy or sick, none have died of anything other than I had them too long. If you buy your fish locally, they are most likely already aclimated to the higher pH of your area. If you buy your fish online take extra time to acclimate your new fish (and even if locally, either ask the LFS their pH or acclimate longer just in case). I agree that chemicals are bad news, and do fix the problem in the long run. Plus, I prefer not to add chemicals to my tank unless I must (ie; dechlor only). Playing with pH with chemicals opens the door to distaster. Disaster that is easily avoided (don't use the chemicals).

\Dan

I get RO at £3.50 per 25L ish cheap bit heavy though

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Just a thought, I only tested the tank water, not the tap water...
I had put three medium sized rocks (washed off all the dust I could first) in the tank, and spent about 30mins maybe with my arms in the tank arranging the air equipment.

Does that kind of work, or rocks, change the pH?

Could my hands in the tank and the rocks have changed the pH?

 

[karrihug]

i don't think your hands could raise your ph, but depending on what kind of rock it is some rocks can raise it. as far as lowering it, i wouldn't use any kind of chemicals, but there is peat you can put in your filter to bring it down, or if you put bog wood in that can bring it down. both peat and bogwood do it naturally and it is far more stable than trying to use chemicals. you should test your tap water though and see if it is coming out that high. hth

 

[Helium_Junkie]

Tap water is 7.5, the tank is 8.5 or so

Will the higher pH off the rocks have a long lasting effect? or is the level likely to come down with a few water changes?

 

[clutterydrawer]

What kind of rocks, and where did you get them from?

As far as I know, things that affect pH like rock/shells etc change the pH to a certain degreee, ie they'll change the water till it matches their own pH and then it stays the same, but this is permanent.

Also whenever you do water changes the addiciton of lower pH tapwater will temporarily change the pH, which isn't good...

 

[Helium_Junkie]

the rocks look kinda like marble effect, with the texture of granite. If anyone has pics of common aquarium stones I can point em out

Should I remove the rocks then?

 

[Helium_Junkie]

thats the stuff, should I take it out?