Ph Level Advice

[LoachLover]

A friend of mine is setting up a new tank, and is just starting to cycle. When she tested the water in the tank, it was showing her PH levels to be around 7.6. So I had her test her tap to see what it was, and not surprisingly it also was 7.6. I've never really had to deal with water with a high PH, so my question to you is this...should she worry too much about it? Once the tank cycles will it drop down on its own? Or will it not drop, and will she just have to deal with a higher PH? In my experience, messing around with the PH with chemicals seems to just stress out the fish and it hasn't been worth my time. Advice?

 

[drobbyb]

a pH of 7.6 is perfectly fine for most fish. In fact, some people keep discus at that pH or higher and discus are probably the most sensitive fish in the hobby.

 

[Noahs ark6]

A friend of mine is setting up a new tank, and is just starting to cycle. When she tested the water in the tank, it was showing her PH levels to be around 7.6. So I had her test her tap to see what it was, and not surprisingly it also was 7.6. I've never really had to deal with water with a high PH, so my question to you is this...should she worry too much about it? Once the tank cycles will it drop down on its own? Or will it not drop, and will she just have to deal with a higher PH? In my experience, messing around with the PH with chemicals seems to just stress out the fish and it hasn't been worth my time. Advice?

7.6 is a very good ph, try and keep it at 7.6

 

[LoachLover]

Really? I always thought you wanted to shoot for something closer to 6.8. Clearly I have a lot to learn. It is better to have a stable PH that's a bit wrong, than one that's fluctuating though, I assume? That's how I always felt but maybe I'm wrong in that as well haha.

 

[drobbyb]

Exactly. Stable > perfect pH