Ph is too high!

[Stephanie12]

Hi everyone! I just got my new 45 gallon tank setup last night. I retested water a moment ago and the ph is 8.4!
The new tank came with 4 fish but unfortunately the owners had dumped the tank and placed fish in bucket full of tap water a few hours before I was able to pick up. 2 had already passed and one of the 2 angels was declining fast. Once I got home with everything only one angelfish had survived, I went ahead and placed him in the tank after I had it setup and running. He was belly up in the bucket.. Luckily he survived thru the night and seems to be doing ok atm. I had to start off fresh with the tank. I used my tap water but treated it with water conditioner, new filters and rocks. My question is how can I lower the ph levels without harming the last angelfish?
Test strip results.
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Total hardness 25
Total alkalinity 180
Ph 8.4

 

[FreshyFresh]

Why the concern with pH?
Is your tap water always a pH of 8.4? I would keep your tank's pH what ever the tap water is.

 

[Stephanie12]

i thought 6.8 to 7.2 was the ideal ph to strive for. My tap water usually runs about 8.4.

 

[OrionGirl]

Stable pH is always far better than yo-yoing between values. With it starting high, you will likely have difficulty keeping it low without going to RO. So, the better question is, when DOES a specific pH matter? For the most part, keeping wild caught animals and breeding are the only times it really matters. Most commercially raised animals are not kept at wild conditions. All fish can be adapted to different conditions, so even if you buy something that was kept in much different conditions, you can acclimate it to your conditions. Now that the angel is in the water, keeping it stable will be better in the long run than causing swings by trying to bring it down.

Avoid all of the bottled 'fixes'...in general, things like pH Down work by adding acid to your tank to burn through the buffer. This will lower the pH, but it is temporary, expensive in the long run, and requires constant monitoring to maintain.

Be sure to test for ammonia. With new filters, you have no nitrifying bacteria to start, and ammonia will be far, far worse for the angel than a high pH. Do water changes as needed to keep ammonia less than 1 ppm, and nitrites to less than .5ppm once they show up.

 

[Stephanie12]

Ok will do, I'll also get ammonia test strip as well. Thanks for the info, I really appreciate it

 

[FreshyFresh]

I would also get yourself a good dechlorinator that temporarily detoxifies ammonia, nitrite, etc. Seachem's prime or the granular form Safe are great ones.

 

[Jay335]

Buy seachem prime as a conditioner and get an API freshwater test kit. You'll have to start the cycle fresh

 

[Stephanie12]

K, I got everything above on the list. I'm also thinking of purchasing water from pet store for water changes and buying a book. So much to learn besides what on Google. Y'all guys have been a big help!

 

[FreshyFresh]

I would only use water from your home, or the water you are normally going to use for water changes. You'll have to do large water changes several times per week until your nitrogen cycle has settled. Many, many gallons.

 

[FeelinALittleFishy]

You should never buy a tank that comes with fish. The previous owner must have been bad because every one knows that fish cannot live with chlorine. Angels are from the amazon and amazon fish usually like a pH of 6.5 they like more acidity water.

 

[FreshyFresh]

^ I don't agree with this.

You can make it work, I just wouldn't mix this newly acquired "fish with tank" with my existing stuff.

I agree amazon fish in the wild might see a pH of 6.5, but like said, captive bread angels will adapt to the pH you have. With proper care of course.