tap water ph too high.

xzionx

xzionx

xzionx
Sep 14, 2007
59
0
0
New Jersey
hello ac, i just tested my tap water ph and its blue. 7.9-8.1 ph. my tank is almost established as its showing nitrates more than 50, but my nitrite is still not going down. anyway, im doing a fishless cycle, and when its finished i plan on puttin harlequin rasboras, corys, and cherry shrimps. i have ph down, but people advised me not to use it. what should i do?
 
my tap ph is 7.9- 8.2 depending and I have no problem keeping any of my fish including cherry shrimp and cories. I haven't had rasboras, but i have several different tetras, gouramies, and barbs. I just spend extra time acclimating and they have all done well. I did pick cories though that are more tolerant of a higher ph (sterba). I think you will be fine with most fish you want to keep although it may not be ideal for breeding all fish.
 
My tap is 7.8. I've never adjusted it. And I have harlequin rasboras and cories, they are doing great.

I'd leave the water alone. Just use dechlorinator and call it good. And make sure you acclimate the fish properly when you get them.
 
aww man so im guessin using ph down is bad...? it says it contains sulfuric acid which irritates eyes and skin, if thats the case, why did they even make this product? why did i buy it in the first place.
 
a stable pH is much safer and less stressful for fish than one that changes all the time. pH-changing chemicals usually cause fluctuations, which are more dangerous than the high pH. yours really isn't so bad. anything in the 7's is fine, and most fish that we buy at the store can live well in a range from mid-6's to mid-8's. the main exceptions are wild-caught fish, or species that cannot breed properly in that pH. it doesn't affect the adults, but the eggs won't form properly.
 
wataugachicken said:
a stable pH is much safer and less stressful for fish than one that changes all the time. pH-changing chemicals usually cause fluctuations, which are more dangerous than the high pH. yours really isn't so bad. anything in the 7's is fine, and most fish that we buy at the store can live well in a range from mid-6's to mid-8's. the main exceptions are wild-caught fish, or species that cannot breed properly in that pH. it doesn't affect the adults, but the eggs won't form properly.
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is there a safe way i can make the ph stable and still use ph down? i would like for my future community to have fry because i will be getting a bigger tank. is there a way to lower ph w/o using chemicals? i heard something about driftwood, but i still have a lot to learn.
 
what is the kH (buffering capacity) of your water? Have you tested the pH of the tank water directly?

Pear fiber in a filter bag can lower the pH of the water as can driftwood. Efficacy can vary with application. You could also mix bottled/RO water with tap water. pH down works, but the concern is that if you miss a dose or over dose it can cause dramatic swings in a short amount of time, which is the situation that you want to avoid.
 
you don't need to lower the pH for the species that you have.
 
leave the ph alone. changing it can cause more harm than good.. and is more work/money than it's worth.
 
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