Problems With Ph

[CCFC Monkey]

I just visited my lfs, bescause a lot of the time when i purchase a batch of new fish, a couple or three seem to die, as this was a commom occurance, i took a sample of my water for them to test

nitrite 0 ppm

nitrate approx 20 ppm

ammonia nope

ph 7.6 apparently, but when tested with test strips reads 7.0


she tested the tank i was havin the swordtails from, this was 7.2

Surely if added slowly this wont affect a fish after a week

but recently noticed the start of another bloom of hair algae on some plants, so added anti-algae solution today..

maybe tis the algae causing the PH to go up??

any views or exprience with this?

 

[mark1602]

I did experience a problem with fish dying as soon as i got them home and found the problem was my lfs was buying fish from abroad and selling them to the public within 12 hrs of having them in their tanks,try and make sure they have been in the tanks for a week before buying them,i don't believe the ph difference is the problem

 

[Spooky76]

Hiya - test strips are very inaccurate I wouldnt trust them, get a liquid test kit.
Ph like that shouldnt be a problem though, how do you acclimatise new fish when you add them ?
I float the bag for 20 mins to get temp right, turn off lights too. Then start adding YOUR water to the bag over a period of an hour until its more YOUR water than theirs. Then net the fish out into your tank, dont add their water. Leave light off for 12 hours and dont feed either.
Ive found I lose far less fish doing it this way.