LIV2PAD Thanks for all the interesting facts and helping me to understand this a little bit more. Yes it would be easier to just leave it but frankly I'm not an eaiser kinda gal. I am finding all this info so interesting and I think by trying to get my fish tank running at the best it can that I will be able to learn more and have healthier fish. I think that mabe you think I am making this out to be more than it is but why have a fish tank if you're not going to try make it run the way your fish will be healthiest. I'm sure if with all the fuss that I'm going to I will eventually leave it be but untill then I'm going to find out all that I can to make it the best tank for my fish.
Help I can't keep the ph down
- Thread starter liss
- Start date
hey liss, learning is always a good thing but your conjecture that your fish will be healthier by modifying their water may be a false assumption. while there are certainly many species that do better in low TDS water, a great many more will do just as well in hard, alkaline water. the common truth about water chemistry is that just like water itself, the chemistry usually seeks its own level. when you mess with the inherant chemistry, the water wants to return to that equillibrium and the process can result in instability. this is much more injurious to fish than you might suppose.
what fish specifically are we working with here?
liv2pad, well I understand what you are saying all I am going to try do is slowly bring down the PH using store bought RO water. That is what I am tring to figure outif this will work for me now or if the tank will be to established at the 8.6ph level and will just keep going up to that. What I was going to try is do a 35-40% water change and do half my tap water and half the ro water from the store then 4-5 days later do the same. And then after that I'll keep it up with all my water changes. Do you think that would help lower it a little or will it jump back up right away. I don't what to shock my fish with a major difference just try do it slowly and even if I can get it around 7.6 or something. I would be happy with that. This is all new to me so I am trying very hard to get it right. My fish tank has: 1 columbian shark, 3 spotted Gouramies, 2 kissing gouramies, 3 dwarf gouramies, 1pleco, 1 algae eater, 2 red black tetras,2 blue black tetras, 1 neon, 2 platties, and 2 more tetras of some sort.
Hi,
My guess is the 8.6 is probably a little high for tetras/gouramis. Fish get stressed by a .2 change in pH. You really really want to go slow here. If you do a 30% change with 1/2 tap and 1/2 RO, mix them together first and let this sit out overnight, maybe put an airstone in it. Then check the pH and kh. If it is subsantially lower say by 1. - .6, do your water change in 2 phases. I'd drain out my 20g. and add 10 of the new water. Wait for a couple of hours and add the last 10 of the new. Just go slow is what I am suggesting...
Did you ever get your kh measurements?
Cathy
My guess is the 8.6 is probably a little high for tetras/gouramis. Fish get stressed by a .2 change in pH. You really really want to go slow here. If you do a 30% change with 1/2 tap and 1/2 RO, mix them together first and let this sit out overnight, maybe put an airstone in it. Then check the pH and kh. If it is subsantially lower say by 1. - .6, do your water change in 2 phases. I'd drain out my 20g. and add 10 of the new water. Wait for a couple of hours and add the last 10 of the new. Just go slow is what I am suggesting...
Did you ever get your kh measurements?
Cathy
here's some information about your fish. as you can see, the majority of them will be just fine with your water.
Arius seemani - the Colombian shark grows to a foot and will do well at a pH: 6.8 to 8.6 and a Hardness of 8-30 dH
Trichogaster trichopterus - the Three Spot Gourami or Opaline Gourami reaches an adult Size of 4 inches and does well at a pH: 6.0 - 8.8 and a hardness: 5-35 dGH
Helostoma temminckii - the kissing gourami grows to 12 inches and does well over a range of pH 8.6 and a hardness to 30 dGH.
Poeciliidae - Platies do well at a pH 7.0-8.6 and a hardness of dH 10-25
tetras probably prefer lower ph and hardness.
on a side note, a 65 gallon tank will not be large enough for your colombian shark and kissing gouramis as they mature.
Arius seemani - the Colombian shark grows to a foot and will do well at a pH: 6.8 to 8.6 and a Hardness of 8-30 dH
Trichogaster trichopterus - the Three Spot Gourami or Opaline Gourami reaches an adult Size of 4 inches and does well at a pH: 6.0 - 8.8 and a hardness: 5-35 dGH
Helostoma temminckii - the kissing gourami grows to 12 inches and does well over a range of pH 8.6 and a hardness to 30 dGH.
Poeciliidae - Platies do well at a pH 7.0-8.6 and a hardness of dH 10-25
tetras probably prefer lower ph and hardness.
on a side note, a 65 gallon tank will not be large enough for your colombian shark and kissing gouramis as they mature.
My water is at 8.6 as well kH of 18, nothing could make it go down, Ive tried everything, including peat. But my fish are doing good I think yours would be fine as well.
Well I guess all of my fish are doing well I just don't want them to die and it be all my fault. I'll keep up with the water changes and keep doing what I've been doing and if something else changes. I will do the store bought water thing. Thanks for all the help and all the ideas. And once I get my kh test kit. will post the results.
Thanks again all
Thanks again all
Okay the results are in. I did a water 25% water change on June 19th
PH-8.6
GH-17.9ppm
KH-322.2ppm
Now I'm not sure waht this means on the KH test but that number can't be great and I did it twice to see if that was right and it was.
please let me know what you are thinking.
PH-8.6
GH-17.9ppm
KH-322.2ppm
Now I'm not sure waht this means on the KH test but that number can't be great and I did it twice to see if that was right and it was.
please let me know what you are thinking.
