How high is too high for ph?

S

smasonkc

AC Members
May 28, 2007
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Hello to everyone and thanks for all the info i've gotten lurking and reading, but I can't find the answer to this one-- our water out of the well is 8.4-8.8 out of the softener is 7.4 and out of the VERY EXPENSIVE to use filter is 7.0-7.2. What do I use? To do the initial set up I used the well water straight and now have a 55 gallon tank that is running a stable 8.4, no matter how many water changes I do. We have extremly hard water in the state and the LFS has told me they use local water with just conditioners added so the fish should be acclimated to the water. I want to build a community tank (currently have 6 platys finishing the cycle that I thought was done when I got fish but apparently wasn't-- different long story). How high is too high for pH (at some point is has to cause problems for the poor things)? Is using the water softener water a problem-- doing that should gradually lower the pH but itsn't that then removing the buffers? I don't want to set the tank up for wild pH swings.
Thanks in advance---
Elizabeth
 
You should be fine. Here, the water runs 7.6-8.2, and with a decent few plants and some bogwood in a tank, it usually stabilises around 7.4-7.6, even with frequent water changes...which is fine for most community fish (most of which will do well, once acclimated, as high as 8.2)...and 8.4 is idea for most rift-lake cichlids, some of which thrive in pH as high as 9.4.
 
Yes, but he has Platy's and those are really sensitive fish. I would recommend just using the water out of the softener. Platy's can live comfortably at pH of around 7.2-8.2 (If I remember correctly). If your water is at 8.4, they'll probably adjust but softening the water might help. Don't add any Tetras that usually go from 6.0-7.0. They may be stressed all the time in that tank.

You could probably put have softened water and half well water. That could give you about a 7.8 or so. Oh yeah, I forgot, driftwood. Use driftwood. It helps with pH.

Oh yes, welcome to AC
 
I have high pH (8-8.5) due to hard water for much of the year. The tetra seem to do fine. At least the pH is very stable :)
 
pH in the mid 8's is okay, but I must cuation you on 3 things:

- Ask your LFS and/or breeder what their pH is so you are prepared to acclimate them over a long period if necessary, and
- If using a well (which I would advocate in this case), test often after rain storms, heavy snow melts, and prolonged dry periods again to ensure the water consistency, lastly
- Not ALL fish are able to adapt to a pH too outside it's range, but the good news is, most of the troical fish like a pH over nuetral anyways.

If you have nay questions on a specific species, just ask :)

You should be fine, and have fun!!! ;)
 
My ph *was* in the 8's. IDK what it is now because we changed to city water instead of a well.

But back when we had a well, I kept all kinds of fish that were soft water fish and they were all fine.

I don't htink it is really a big deal unless the fish is wild caught, then you would have a problem
 
Of course don't forget that a water softner replaces "hardness" with NaCl, so the TDS remains the same.

Have you considered keeping fish that are natively adapted to hard water such as african cichlids?
 
hitman12131976 said:
Yes, but he has Platy's and those are really sensitive fish. I would recommend just using the water out of the softener. Platy's can live comfortably at pH of around 7.2-8.2 (If I remember correctly). If your water is at 8.4, they'll probably adjust but softening the water might help. Don't add any Tetras that usually go from 6.0-7.0. They may be stressed all the time in that tank.

You could probably put have softened water and half well water. That could give you about a 7.8 or so. Oh yeah, I forgot, driftwood. Use driftwood. It helps with pH.

Oh yes, welcome to AC
Click to expand...

Wait wait wait...Since when are platies "really sensitive fish"? Not even sensitive, but "really" sensitive? That's news to me... Most livebearers are are very hardy fish, and platies are no different. Platies are not "really sensitive fish" they are one of the hardier varieties of fish in the hobby. Don't they also like harder water?... This is a good fish for beginners... http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_platy.php
 
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Well, from what I've read (off of the back of some meds) fish like tetras, platies, and scaleless fish require 1/2 doses of most medications. I would see that as being an indication of those fish being sensitive to changes in the water.

I'm not an expert in fish, and don't claim to be, so I definitely could be wrong. =)
 
What medications? Link? They aren't sensitive fish...
 
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