Ph Question

crazychris · Sep 7, 2009

Just done my first ever water stat tests. My tap-water tests at 7.6 and we are in a hard-water area. Now my main 3ft tank tests at 6.8 yet my 2ft tank is 8.0! Why would one be higher than the tap-water and one lower? Recently bought the API Master Kit from Ebay and have never tested before in many years of fishkeeping! Everything else is fine, zero ammonia and nitrite and nitrate 40 in both tanks. The 2ft tank is where I recently lost 8 out of 10 neons, just 2 still alive so is a PH of 8.0 too high for tetras? Any way to reduce it or should I just leave it? The 2 survivors seem fine. Any advice appreciated.

ALW · Sep 7, 2009

8.0 is too high for Tetras. What is in the tank gravel, rocks, bogwood, peat? Bogwood and Peat reduce the pH of the water, on the other hand rocks, stones and gravel etc. increase the pH of the water.

three-fingers · Sep 7, 2009

As above, what's in the tank? Though not all stones increase the pH, it depends what type you have.

But I wouldn't worry about pH 8.0 for tetras, especially tank bred neons - these guys are very poor quality often so just not very hardy, and often come with "neon tetra disease".

Most fish are adaptable to different pH levels as long as it's relatively stable (for example, I wouldn't recommend trying products like pH down). If you want to lower the pH, you could try using half tap and half RO water for water changes and adding a piece of bogwood or two to the tank.

You don't want to try anything drastic that will change anything too quickly, just things that will have a long-term effect and don't require regular dosing o replacing.

crazychris · Sep 7, 2009

Thanks for both your replies. There's just normal brown gravel, plastic plants and two ornaments, one a "No Fishing" sign and the other's a bridge. Oh, a sea-shell too. Shall I remove that? Could that increase the ph?