Why Is Ph Level So High?

[jimlester]

My 65L tanks been running for about 8 weeks and current stock is 4 neon tetra's and 2 julii corys. I've been testing on a weekly basis (API Kit) and readings have been pretty consistant, although PH seems to be getting higher. I did have a rock in the tank(limestone I think) that i've taken out as i read that this may be pushing up the ph level but this doesn't seem to have worked. Current readings are;

PH High - 8.4 ( My only concern has been
Amm - 0
Nitrite - 0.25
Nitrate - 5
Tap Water - 7.2

In the coming weeks i was hoping to add a few more tetra's and a pair of dwarf gourami's? In addition i wanted to add some shrimps but understand they need a far lower ph.

Don't want to use any chemicals to lower ph. Can't understand why ph is so much higher that my tap water. What is pushing it up?

Also do i need some real plants to keep shrimp as only currently have artificials

 

[moochy13]

what substrate do you have ? can possibly play a part in ph, though you say its been rising over time ?

real plants are better all round for everything, they help to mop up trace elements, provide food for fish and as you mention shrimp. my fish are constantly picking bits off the plants. if you're happy to 'look afer' (i use that term loosely) real plants, theres no reason not to. i dont look after my plants other than trimming dead leaves off. i dont have as much light as i should either, but you can see the amazon swords in my tank in my sig. they used to be the same height as the wood in front of them.

 

[Skins]

Have you performed water changes since removing the limestone rock?

Keith.

 

[jimlester]

Have you performed water changes since removing the limestone rock?

Keith.

Yes, the water change was after the rock was taken out.

 

[karin]

You need to keep doing water changes as a more immediate problem is the nitrite reading above zero. Anything above zero is toxic to fish. So water change water change and retest. I would say a 50% water change to start with.

 

[Bignose]

A lot of water companies add CO2 to make the water more acidic in order to minimize lime buildup in the pipes. If you are testing your water immediately after it comes out of the tap, then you may be getting a false reading because of this.

Take a bowl of tap water and let it sit out for 24 hours. Then test that. 24 hours is enough time for any excess CO2 to gas out, and this will give you a true test of what your tap's pH is.

8.4 is pretty typical for places with hard water, really. And, it doesn't have to be all that bad. My tanks are usually around 8.2 to 8.4, and I have fish spawn in them regularly, even though I'm not even trying to have them spawn. A great deal of fish can have very long, happy, healthy lives in that water. Some fish even prefer it, like cichlids from the African Rift Lakes.