Safely/naturally lowering PH

G

guppygal

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Jun 30, 2006
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According to Petco's strips my ph is off the charts. When I test with drops at home I am anywhere from 6.8 to 7.4. They have consistently told me my PH is deadly high. My API tests were rebought last year when they told me this.

Any way - I keep loosing the dwarf gourami amd now I am thinking maybe my PH is high ..

My tap water appears to be at 7.2. KH is low

Do I simply do lots of water changes? But then wont the PH creep back up? What causes the PH to increase in the water? My NitrAtes are at 5, Ammonia and Nitrite are at 0. My water temp is warm - at around 78 - my thermometer is as low as it goes and that is where it keeps the temp.

Other fishies in the 10g are: 2 male guppies, 3 neon tetras and 2 Julii cory. I wanted to try and get a blue dwarf gourami again. I have 2 filters and no live plants.

I know people are advocates for not using PH up or down. And honestly - I am afraid to use them! I always figures the fish will adjust to the ph in the tank. I did see Jungle tabs for neutral ph -- which lasts several weeks - but then I would always need to use these tabs .

OK - thanks for your advice!!
 
Strips are inaccurate, and year old test kits are long expired. Get fresh ones and try again. If you really want to drop your pH though, add some peat to your filter. It will stain your water though, so you'll want to add some carbon to the filter as well. Well, unless you like the Amazonian blackwater look in your tank. A lot of people do.
 
I would trust your API kit over test strips any day of the week, especially as you are also getting low hardness test results.

What reading are Petco saying is 'deadly high' anyway ?

I believe there have been problems with Dwarf Gourami in that some strains are very weak fish due to poor breeding - because you don't seem to lose any other fish perhaps this is more likely to be the problem. Can you try a different shop ?

As posted above ^ peat in the filter is one way to naturally bring Ph down. It's usually not necessary however.
 
Wait...you tap is 7.2 and your tank is at 8.5, or the 8.5 is what the LFS says?

Check the expiration date on your reagents. Most are good for more than a year, but the kit could have set that long on a store shelf.

Ensure all your reagents are good. Follow instructions exactly.

Do a test on your tap water and your tank. Post the results here, the exact readings. (ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, GH/KH, pH) The tap pH sample should be left out overnight in a shallow dish before testing.

What kind of substrate do you have....any live plants...?
 
rbishop said:
Wait...you tap is 7.2 and your tank is at 8.5, or the 8.5 is what the LFS says?

Check the expiration date on your reagents. Most are good for more than a year, but the kit could have set that long on a store shelf.

Ensure all your reagents are good. Follow instructions exactly.

Do a test on your tap water and your tank. Post the results here, the exact readings. (ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, GH/KH, pH) The tap pH sample should be left out overnight in a shallow dish before testing.

What kind of substrate do you have....any live plants...?
Click to expand...

Yes - the petstore (Petco) said my fish tank water was over 8.5. When I tested my tap I did not set it out overnight. I will do that tonight and post my results tomorrow.

I looked on the API box for expiration and didn't see any ... but I know I got it last fall (as in 6-9 months ago).

I have no live plants or real rocks. The substrate is regular aquarium gravel.
 
Please do...it would be interesting.
 
If your not adding anything to the water and you only have plain gravel and no rocks then your ph is what you API kit says. Do you have the high rang or low range API PH kit?
7.2-7.4 is fine and has nothing to do with your fish loss.
 
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