Ph Stays High...

[quickdodge]

I have a 55 gal used tank. I am having a problem getting my pH down. It has been running for 3 weeks with 12 goldfish in it the last 2 weeks. Two weeks ago, I bought somethig called pHDown. It worked for about a day and went right back up. So, yesterday, I bought some more stuff and was told I had to this gradually. I put the required dosage in and checked it today and it is still too high. I have nothing but gravel in the tank. hen I got the tank. I scrubbed the insode glass with an algae pad and did not clean the rocks(being told not to to leave some natural fish bacteria in it). I filled it up and the filter(within a day) had the tank perfectly clean. Can someone tell me or guide me as to how to get my pH level down? Thank you in advance. Later, QD.

 

[Annastasia]

It's better to have a stable pH level, then to try to get it to the perfect number. The fish will usually adapt and be fine. What is the level at now?

Also, are you planning on keeping all 12 goldfish in there? As that's going to be a bit too many fish for that size tank.

 

[quickdodge]

No. I do want to take the goldfish out and put in a community tank. My pH is at 7.8 right now. It stays right there, too. Later, QD.

 

[Weaver]

Practically all community fish will do fine in a ph of 7.8.Myph is 7.6-7.8 all the time.As Annastasia says,a stable ph is much more important.Big swings in ph levels are very harmful to fish
The other thing is that if you intend to buy most of your fish locally they will be coming from water very similiar to your own and therefore will be quite happy with that ph level.
Good luck

 

[tttnjfttt]

Your pH is fine, don't worry about it. Freshwate fish are very adaptable, and as others have said, stable is much better.

When i started out someone at the LPS tried to convince me to use a similar product and i also found it totally worthless. I'd bring the pH down to 7 after every water change but by the next one it was back at 8. I think its just a marketing scam playing off of people's fears. Most people have atleast heard about pH, so they worry about that alot more.

 

[quickdodge]

Thanks a lot. Now to stock her up. Lolol. Later, QD.

 

[quickdodge]

I found out why my pH was so high. The rocks that came with the tank(a friend gave it to me) had crushed coral in it. So everytime I hit it with pH Down, it would take for just a day and then go right back up. I bought new rocks and put it in using straight tap water and I have a pH of 7.4 right now. It has been that way for a couple of hours now. YAY!! Lolol. Later, QD.

 

[cujoho78]

Hi. I agree with the above posters that a pH of 7.8 (or 7.4) is fine. Crushed coral and limestone are known to raise pH. Wood and peat are known to lower it. Try to keep the pH as stable as possible; there's no need to try to make changes. Swings will stress the fish. It is the KH or carbonate hardness of your water that fights hard to keep the pH where it wants it to be. The KH of the water is determined basically by the origin of the water source. So if you'd like some more info, do a search, or research carbonate hardness, or water hardness in general. Good luck!

 

[quickdodge]

Thanks for the added info. I don't have any fish in the tank and I haven't had any yet. This is a new set-up that I am trying to get everything right. Later, QD.