Issue with high pH

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

Hi, I recently noticed that my pH levels in my tank are quite high (8.4) same goes for my carbonate levels which are 300. I then tested my tap water and the same readings were shown. Which lead me to believe there was a problem with my tap water.
But I have recently recycled a fraction of the media. So therefore I am slightly apprehensive about adding pH lowering chemicals as I don't want the fish to react badly to the sudden change. I feel my new media having been added for about a month may have contributed to this spike, since I have had a couple of abrupt and unexplained death of fish. I want to lower pH but I'm concerned using a chemical to do this may only increase pH as I have recently replaced some of my media.
I would appreciate any advice in safely lowering my pH. Thanks
P.S I mainly keep dwarf gouramis, rosy barbs, checkered barbs, gold barbs ect.

 

[anewbie]

ph lowering chemicals are worthless; if your tap is high carbonate (you should also test gh); then you are better off with fishes that like hard (or harder alkaline) water as oppose to fishes that prefer soft water. The only solution i think is viable long term is to use an ro system which removes all carbonate and hardness from the system.

Having said the above barbs are actually generally found in harder water (not hard water) so your tap is probably fine for them but certainly on the upper range as 300 is quite high; the gourami is another story but domestic dwarf gourami (not to be confused with wild caught dwarf gouramis) are usually in poor health to begin with but generally they are going to want very soft acidic water.

 

[Magnum Man]

I had the exact same issues, with the same numbers... I now RO all my soft water aquariums, & blend my tap / well water, with RO for my shrimp tanks

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

ph lowering chemicals are worthless; if your tap is high carbonate (you should also test gh); then you are better off with fishes that like hard (or harder alkaline) water as oppose to fishes that prefer soft water. The only solution i think is viable long term is to use an ro system which removes all carbonate and hardness from the system.

Having said the above barbs are actually generally found in harder water (not hard water) so your tap is probably fine for them but certainly on the upper range as 300 is quite high; the gourami is another story but domestic dwarf gourami (not to be confused with wild caught dwarf gouramis) are usually in poor health to begin with but generally they are going to want very soft acidic water.

Okay thanks so considering I have 3 gouramis and 10 barbs altogether then my water hardness shouldn't really charge if barbs like the water hardness to be up there. What about my pH surely it's unsafe to leave it at this high level?

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

ph lowering chemicals are worthless; if your tap is high carbonate (you should also test gh); then you are better off with fishes that like hard (or harder alkaline) water as oppose to fishes that prefer soft water. The only solution i think is viable long term is to use an ro system which removes all carbonate and hardness from the system.

Having said the above barbs are actually generally found in harder water (not hard water) so your tap is probably fine for them but certainly on the upper range as 300 is quite high; the gourami is another story but domestic dwarf gourami (not to be confused with wild caught dwarf gouramis) are usually in poor health to begin with but generally they are going to want very soft acidic water.

This would actually explain some thing because I haven't had any barb deaths

 

[anewbie]

Okay thanks so considering I have 3 gouramis and 10 barbs altogether then my water hardness shouldn't really charge if barbs like the water hardness to be up there. What about my pH surely it's unsafe to leave it at this high level?

The high ph is just a by product of the high carbonate; ignore the ph and focus on the carbonate.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

The high ph is just a by product of the high carbonate; ignore the ph and focus on the carbonate.

So, is there a way to reduce carbonate or do I not need to? In which case do I need to do anything?

 

[anewbie]

So, is there a way to reduce carbonate or do I not need to? In which case do I need to do anything?

You need to keep fishes that prefer harder water (you shoudl test the gh); or get an ro unit to dillute the carbonate. You could use distilled water but that won't be economical long term.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

You need to keep fishes that prefer harder water (you shoudl test the gh); or get an ro unit to dillute the carbonate. You could use distilled water but that won't be economical long term.

Okay is gh general hardness?

 

[anewbie]

Okay is gh general hardness?

Yes - hardness has two components kh and gh; kh is in general the carbonate hardness. There is no magic to change the water that comes out of our taps it is what it is - now the ph can be artifically high or low but eventually it will settle to a base value; unfortunately most sites like to talk about ph for fishes but that isn't what they actually care about (there are some exception when we talk about bacteria; but lets not go there right now); they are about hardness.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

Yes - hardness has two components kh and gh; kh is in general the carbonate hardness. There is no magic to change the water that comes out of our taps it is what it is - now the ph can be artifically high or low but eventually it will settle to a base value; unfortunately most sites like to talk about ph for fishes but that isn't what they actually care about (there are some exception when we talk about bacteria; but lets not go there right now); they are about hardness.

Okay thanks, I think I have test kits for hardness and I generally have fish that prefer hardness of water

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

Okay thanks, I think I have test kits for hardness and I generally have fish that prefer hardness of water

The gouramis I will monitor for the time being

 

[MaloK]

Don't worry too much about water hardness and carbonate until you have all readings and a plan to change it cleanly.

Avoid at all cost any changes that would produce a chemistry swing in the tank...

The first step is to compare both Hardness and carbonate from your tap and your tank... It's the first step to insure that nothing in the tank is contributing to hardening of the water.

Then the addition of a KH reducer can be envisaged to balance the water you will use to slowly introduce with normal water changes...

No precipitation.

 

[BarbsandGobies_expert]

Don't worry too much about water hardness and carbonate until you have all readings and a plan to change it cleanly.

Avoid at all cost any changes that would produce a chemistry swing in the tank...

The first step is to compare both Hardness and carbonate from your tap and your tank... It's the first step to insure that nothing in the tank is contributing to hardening of the water.

Then the addition of a KH reducer can be envisaged to balance the water you will use to slowly introduce with normal water changes...

No precipitation.

Okay I have tested both my tank water and my tap water and both have carbonate and hardness levels about the same. I might consider getting a KH reducer and gradually introduce this if you think that's best.
Thanks

 

[MaloK]

Without divulging your results, It's impossible for us to have any idea of "what's best".