Ph Help

[ladybugbzzzz]

Hi,
I am pretty new to fish keeping and just started a bigger tank for the fish I have, though they have not been moved yet. I am having problems with my pH. Out of my tap it is 7.7! I need it to be neutral (or right around there 6.8 - 7.2). The pH neutralizer is not working, and I have added distilled water, as someone advised me. (the distilled is about 6.5). my pH is still 7.6. I have been trying to lower the pH for about 7 days now, and nothing is happening. Also, once I get my pH neutral how do I keep it stable? TIA
jade

 

[backtotropical]

You might have something in your tank which is acting as a PH buffer. ie. coral gravel etc, especially if you have added de-ionised water at 6.5 and it made no difference.

Post a pic and let us have a look.

 

[ladybugbzzzz]

There is nothing in the tank except 2 fake rocks that I just bought and a fake plant. and some sand. The tank IS used, but I cleaned it before I used it - scrubbed and rinsed VERY well. It is a 70 USG, and I DID fill it with tap water, and have put 13 gallons of distilled water in it since then (with water changes). Have I just not put enough in there? I am hoping to plant the tank, but have not yet. I was going to do water changes with just distilled after testing my tap water, but I can't do water changes with just that, so I am not sure how I am going to keep it stable, either?
Thanks!
jade

 

[backtotropical]

What kind of sand have you used?

 

[ladybugbzzzz]

I'm not 100% sure, I bought the freshwater sand from the LFS, in dry bags? I can't remember the name or anything. It was the only kind that they had that was very fine for freshies.
Jade

 

[xxBarneyxx]

Personally I would say don't mess with it. 7.7 will be ok for most fish and is a lot better to have stable water at 7.7 PH then to use PH buffers which might lead to a massive PH crash (which is much more likely and will kill the fish).

I live in a high PH, hardwater area and have kept a lot of fish in un-buffered tap water which have survived very well for a good few years. The problem with PH buffering chemicals is if they go wrong you get a rapid swing in PH which most fish cant deal with. Same goes for using de-ionised or RO water, it reduces the water hardness so PH swings are much easier to happen.

Unless you are keeping Discuss or breeding very sensitive fish you should be ok.

 

[ladybugbzzzz]

I am keeping 2 pictus catfish, so that is why I am trying to get my pH down. If I do a slow acclimation for him will they be able to adjust? They are only supposed to be at 6.8. He is my only worry right now! I am also considering getting some khulis, which need same parameters as the pictus.
Thank you
Jade

 

[merry78]

I agree with barney, i spent ages trying to adjust my pH down and got nothing but instability for my troubles. I have stopped trying now, and have a wide range of fish living in a fairly high pH, and they are happier now that it's stable, and i think they also appreciate me not dumping handfuls of buffer chemicals in their water all the time.

 

[xxBarneyxx]

They should do ok in the 7.7PH water.

I have kept Cardinal Tetras in my tap water (which has the same PH) that lived for over 4 years (before they where sold).

If you REALLY want to lower the PH don't use chemicals to do it. A nice piece of bogwood will lower the PH a bit and should be fairly stable. Also consider using peat in the filter which will also soften the water and lower the PH.

If you lower the PH slowly they will adjust but the problem is that most PH altering chemicals remove all the waters natural buffering capability so the small PH swings that happen in all aquariums turn into big ones as there is nothing to buffer them.

It is great that you want to give your fish the best possible conditions but unless you are willing to spend a great deal of time (and money) on it then I is better to just leave it as it is.

 

[ladybugbzzzz]

OK Thanks, Ill just leave it, I just wanted to make sure the pictus would be ok!
I'm in love with him. I'll just slowly acclimate him to the higher pH, and same when I get some khulis.
Jade

 

[xxBarneyxx]

OK Thanks, Ill just leave it, I just wanted to make sure the pictus would be ok!
I'm in love with him. I'll just slowly acclimate him to the higher pH, and same when I get some khulis.
Jade

If you are buying them locally the fish shop will most likely already be keeping them in local tap water and will have acclimatised them over the course of 2-3weeks (if they are any good). Most LFS don't alter the PH of their tanks from local conditions (with the except of discus and other expensive/rare fish).

Khulie loaches are great by the way. Depending on the size of your tank, how many hiding places you have, substrate etc you might not see them very often but when you do they are always good fun to watch. If you have a big enough tank try to get at least 5 as they then tend to be a bit more active (sorry if you already know this ).

 

[rdd1952]

I agree that you don't need to worry with the pH. Most fish will quickly adapt to most any pH as long as it's stable. I would check woth the LFS about the sand. Most sand that fish stores sell is for cichlid tanks to buffer the pH to a higher level. It could be that your sand is the reason your efforts so far have been unsuccessful. You could add some driftwood or bogwood to the tank or run some peat moss in your filter. Both of those will lower pH but if the buffering capacity of the tank water is high, the effect will be minimal.