Ph High Why?!

[snoopyfrench87]

I have just done a water test and here are my results:

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0.5
Ph 7.6

My tank has been running for 3months and i did a thorough clean yesterday - vacumm'd and did a part water change. the tank was originally running a high ph i used Ph Adjust to bring it down and found out it could of been raised due to shells i had in the tank. These have all been removed over a month now, but every time i do a water change the Ph rises again.

I have in the tank:
6 guppies + 1 fry
1 balloon Molly
1 Silver Molly
1 Mickey Mouse Platy (baby)
and 1 gold ringed butterfly sucker.

The tank is a bow front and holds 47 Litres, it has two small filters running, an air stone and the temperature is maintained at 26-27.

the fish have occasionally been flashing or acting a little odd - no signs of parasites or illness. could this be being caused by the high ph?

hope you can help xx thanks xx

 

[WILDER]

Have you checked your tap ph.
Worst thing you could of done is alter ph.
I wouldn't bother with the ph adjusters more trouble than there worth.
Do you have any limestone in your tank.

 

[ox5477]

test your tap water. the pH is prob roughly 7.5 to 8 causing the tank pH to rise everytime you do a wc. There is nothing wrong with the pH being at this level for your fish either. If it starts reaching 8.0 and above, then try using the pH Down chemicals, but otherwise, don't risk polluting your tank with unneeded chemicals when the fish are just fine in a pH of 7.6

 

[Duck and Dive]

I herd bogwood can make your tank more acidic. Is this correct?

 

[WILDER]

Yes bogwood lowers ph not raise it.

 

[snoopyfrench87]

o right, it must be the tap Ph as it does only increase with each water change.

i don't have any limestone in the tank that im aware of, i use sponge filters.

I have used a small amount of Ph adjust chemicals but will leave it now.

will the high Ph levels cause any problems to my stock:

small tank:
1 Male betta

large community tank:

7 guppies
1 balloon molly
1 silver molly
one gold ringed butterfly sucker
1 mickey mouse platy

cold water tank:

4 fan tails
2 gold fish
1 apple snail

will adding bog wood lower my Ph?

thanks

 

[WILDER]

Before you do a water change test your tank ph, then test the tap ph to see if there a big swing, as if you do a large water change it can alter ph to fast.
I will get you a link to ph shock.
[URL="http/groups.msn.com/FishHealth/phshock.msnw"]http/groups.msn.com/FishHealth/phshock.msnw[/URL]

Yes bogwood lowers your ph, also adding peat to filter lowers ph.
http/www.drhelm.com/aquarium/chemistry.html