Ph Is High.

[dreworz5]

just tested it today. It was 8.4 i knwo thats to high for rthe fish i will be getting, but should i leave it there while i am cycling??? it better to be high then low right??

 

[tttnjfttt]

Exactly what fish will you be getting? Also what is your KH (called alkanity on some test kits). What type of fish are you planing to get? It is usually better to get fish that match the water (or will tollerate it) rather than trying to play with the pH

 

[bustamonkey2002]

if u get a ph of around 7 then it shouldnt make any difference.

 

[dreworz5]

Exactly what fish will you be getting? Also what is your KH (called alkanity on some test kits). What type of fish are you planing to get? It is usually better to get fish that match the water (or will tollerate it) rather than trying to play with the pH

dont have a Kh Test kit, I do however know that the water at my house is very alakaline, so it is very hard, with a Ph of about 8.4. I think I might have to play with it. I wa looking at corys, tiger barbs, but still in the decideing stages. I might chage my mind yet.

definetly 2 corys though

 

[tttnjfttt]

The problem with having a high KH is it will make it very hard to lower the pH. One possible solution for you would be to use RO water, mixed with your tap water. That will decrease the hardness and also the pH. Also, you can try adding peat to your filter, however, i'm not sure how well that will work since your KH is high.

How big of a tank do you have?

 

[dreworz5]

20 gallon(US)

I am wondering if there is a preference while cycling. because ive heard people say that there cycling stalled because there pH crashed.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Since you have a high KH, you don't need to worry a pH crash, that tends to occur more with soft water.

 

[CFC]

Playing with water chemistry is very risky and should only be attempted if you have a very good understanding of how the KH GH and pH all interact with each other and what effect altering one will have on the others.
Unless you are buying wild caught fish a pH of 8.2 will be fine for common Corydoras and tiger barbs, these are mostly farm bred these days and easily adapt to harder more alkeline water, a stable pH that is a little on the high side is far more prefferable than a unstable pH which crashes and rises frequently, stress from pH shock is one of the biggest killers of captive tropical fish.

 

[dwarfgourami]

My local tap water has a ph of 8.4 and is as hard as nails. I managed to bring it down very slightly with bogwood, but it's still high. My cories have spawned repeatedly and seem as happy as can be. I'd just leave it.

 

[dreworz5]

tetras like the water a little acidic or at least nuetral right??

i wanted to get some tetras in there too maybe.