High pH tank

[John1020]

Hello again,
My tank water seems to test consistantly at 8.4 pH. I've checked it a few days apart, but have not tried a partial water change to see if it has an effect. My LSF got the same answer. After telling them if I didn't have limestone in the tank, their suggestion was to go with RO water, try treating it, or to go with high pH tolerant fish. I had wanted a peaceful community tank. So I was looking at mollies, swordtails, platys and such. The LSF cautioned that guppies would get picked on once the other fish got bigger as they wouldn't grow much themselves.
I have a 46 gallon tank. I would prefer to use my tap water. My questions are:
1) Are all live-bearers high pH tolerant?
2) Are there other relatively calm fish who are high pH tolerant?
3) What about bottom feeders?

I have read here that most fish will adapt, but I'm afraid that as a novice I'll be putting enough stress on them as it is. I'd feel safer with fish who at least liked the water.
Thanks,
John

 

[Sponge Bob]

What's the pH of your tap water ? Did you test it ?

SB

 

[happychem]

How far away is your lfs? If they're on the same water as you, chances are their tanks are high as well.

Your fish will do just fine. Acclimate them very slowly and they will be fine. Don't worry too much about newbie mistakes, it sounds like you've done some research, now it's time to jump in and get your hands wet, so to speak.

It seems likely that you've got moderately hard water and there are certainly fish that will be very happy under those conditions. I can't tell you what to stock, but I suggest spending some time perusing various fish databases: AC has one, and there are certainly several very good sites worth checking out.

See the sticky about links, here are a couple of others worth checking out if you haven't already:
www.thekrib.com

http://www.peteducation.com/category_summary.cfm?cls=16&cat=1911
I don't agree with everything on this site, although it's been long enough that I can no longer remember what the contention was, regardless, they've got some decent fishy info.

The bottom line is that you can certainly find a stock of fish that 'prefer' pH around 8.4 (like most Africans), but with the exception of wild caught and breeding, stability is far more important. Have a look around and let us know what you think, then we can further advise you to help you narrow down your choices.

edit: oh yeah, skip the RO and water mod suggestions, those have far more chances for "rookie mistakes" (mistakes in general, really), plus they just increase the cost of keeping fish, which for your goals is an unnecessary cost.

 

[Nuriel]

Mbuna and other malawi cichlids need a ph of 8 or higher.

 

[amosf]

I have hard water with a pH around the 8.5 also. The fish can acclimatise okay, tho some do better than others I guess. The guppies are no problem and I have neons and various tetra as well. I'm not sure their life expectancies are quite as good, but then it seems that neons these days aren't the best bred fish around anyway... Mind you many guppies have gone the same way, but you can outcross them to help, or bred them with the feral local creek guppies to get stronger stock. We've been thinking of going to cichlids tho for the hard water...

EDIT: As said above - stability is the key...