Should I be altering my ph?

Goldy

Goldy

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Sorry if this is a common topic. I couldn't figure out how to do a search for 'ph' as it's only 2 letters. My LFS told me I should keep my water at ph 7. It usually runs about 7.6. I have since read that it may be better to let my fish adjust to the normal ph of my water. I'm presently using proper ph 7.0 for freshwater aquariums. Also, on the bottle of the ph adjuster, it says it should not be used with live aquarium plants. I'm planning to start a planted tank in a few weeks. Any suggestions? My tank specs are below.
 
7.6 is more than fine, especially for the fish you're keeping. If your tap water is 7.6, just leave it at that. 7.6 is well within all the fish's ranges (can't speak for the crabs, but I'm sure they're fine). It would be more stressful for your fish if your pH constantly changes than if it is a slight bit higher than 7 (and like I said, 7.6 is plenty good).

If you've been using pH chemicals, you want to stop, but I'm not sure how to make that change slowly. Someone else on the board might know better.
 
What he said. Stable is better than "perfect". But I'd also like to elaborate that in genral, you shouldn't add anything to your tank other than food and new water.

For example: If you've got algae, decrease your feeding, photoperiod, whatever, find the imbalance. Don't go buy some algae fixer. Ditto cloudy water, just give it time to settle/come to equilibrium.
 
Throw away your Proper pH ASAP! You're water is fine at 7.6. By adding Proper pH, you're loading your tank with phosphates and creating the perfect condition for a huge free-floating algae bloom (aka, the dreaded 'green water).

Stable water at 7.6 will allow you to keep most fish.

Good luck,
Jim
 
Thanks for the advice. No more changing the ph. Does anyone have any idea how to gradually change the ph? My last water change of about 15 percent seemed to put it right back to 7.6.
 
Smaller water changes? You're seeing the problem with Proper pH and similar additives: it doesn't take much new water to re-supply the buffer and drive pH back up to normal levels.

I'd do several 5% changes until tap and tank water are similar in pH.

JIm
 
Question :confused: What do you do when the LFS with the best fish in town keeps their pH at 7.0 and the water comes out of the tap at 7.8 and you are still stocking the tank?

You don't want to alter your pH. You don't want to shock the fish and there has already been a large discussion on the pros, cons and hazzards on different ways to acclimate the fish.

Is it better to alter your pH until you are stocked, take a chance on pH shock, or just face a slow acclimation procedure?

Perhaps it would be best to set up a quariintine tank, if you can, with the 7.o pH, add the fish and then bring up the pH before moving them?
 
First of all, I'd check that the tap water really has a pH of 7.8. Tap water very commonly will adjust to it's 'true' pH after sitting out overnight in a shallow dish, where it has a chance to exchange gas with the atmosphere.

Assuming your LFS has water that's substantially discrepant with your water, a gradual acclimation to your home water is probably better than trying to artificially maintain a tank with pH different than your tap water. A very conservative approach I've seen is to acclimate the fish to new water one hour per each .1 differenc in pH. For a difference of .8 pH (7.0 to 7.8), you'd acclimate the fish over a period of 8 hours, gradually adding tank water to the water from the LFS.

Personally, I think that's unnecessary for all but the most sensitive fish. A couple of hours, in the case you describe, should be sufficient for most species of FW fish. The fish are probably more at risk from ammonia buildup in the LFS water they're transported in.

HTH,
Jim
 
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