high ph tap water need advice

[Pipedreamer86]

Ok so out of the tap (well water) I have extremely hard water with a ph of 8.4-9. Sitting at 0 nitrates/nitrites. With this high of a ph just out of the tap should I be concerned? Is there anything I can do to lower it, and what about at water changes? What can I do??

 

[caykuu]

If you have an RO water filter, RO water comes out with a pH of 6.0... so half and half would balance it out.

Other than that, the level of concern depends on what kind of fish you have. For example, tetras prefer lower pH, but guppies are fine in high pH.

 

[Jesselav1233]

Peet moss in your filter can lower your ph

 

[blert]

Ok so out of the tap (well water) I have extremely hard water with a ph of 8.4-9. Sitting at 0 nitrates/nitrites. With this high of a ph just out of the tap should I be concerned? Is there anything I can do to lower it, and what about at water changes? What can I do??

Is this straight out of the ground or after it has gassed out for 24 hours?

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

You can use peat moss, or you could use this:
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=175620

I still need to try this.....

 

[tamtam]

let it sit out for 24 hours and give it a few stirs through that time to let it gas out. Often your PH will drop after it gases out so you will find out what the true PH of your tank would be and it may be a better number.

driftwood can also naturally lower your PH.

 

[Pipedreamer86]

Out of.the tap and sitting in tank with filter running for 24 hours readings are almost identical. I have extremely hard, high PH water. I've read quite a bit on ph and most of what I read said not to stress and and definitely don't load the tank with chemicals.

 

[caykuu]

Peat moss in your filter does work, but will leech tannins and make your water tea-colored (like driftwood), if you don't mind that.

 

[aqua_chem]

Whats the in tank pH?

 

[Bearchumjs]

Peat moss did not work for me. I mix 2/3 RO with 1/3 Tap. My pH is at around 7.6-7.8.

You'll have to set up something in the counter with an airstone, mix some RO with tap and test the pH in 24 hours. It took me about 3 days to find the right mix.

 

[Rivercats]

You have a couple choices. You could go with fish that do okay in higher ph, I've kept most fish in as high as 7.5, even angels because we have ultra high GH, KH, PH water also. When I set up the 220g I knew I wanted to have lower ph and softer water because of certain plants. Plus it was an added benefit for the fish I keep. My only choice was to go RO. I found a neat little counter top RO unit and whatI did was a daily water change of 10 gallons, replacing old water with straight RO. With such a large tank it took about a month to slowly bring my readings down to where I wanted them in the tank. Now when I do my daily water changes I know I need 6 gallons of RO and 4 gallons of tap water to keep my levels where I want. What many people don't know is there are good little Countertop RO units, some of which can be hooked up, used, then put away making it easy to make smaller amounts of RO water. I just have 2 gallon water jugs I fill for easy use.

 

[dabshire55]

Go with rainbow fish. They do great in a high ph.

 

[Pipedreamer86]

At this point in time an RO system is not an option for me.I'm working my a** off to get the.right filtration, etc for my 150g tank. I was hoping for 4-6 angels several schools of tetras or other small fish, 2 rams, and then some corys or clown loaches. It looks like a ph around 8 is what ill be working with right outbid the tap. Is this workable? Or should I rethink things?

 

[Rivercats]

Big tanks cost alot to get up and running, understand that! Well my ph started out at 7.6 and the fish did okay. I had a problem with some plants I wanted to grow and since I have :10 Veil and Super Veil Angelfish, 21 Rummy nose tetras, 12 Diamond tetras, 5 German Blue Rams, 4 Electric Blue Rams, 2 Gold Rams, 3 YoYo loaches, 4 Corydoras sterbai, 4 Corydoras panda, 1 Corydoras agassizi, 8 Threadfin Rainbow Fish, 18 Otocinclus Catfish, 3 Whiptail Cats (Farlowella gracilis), 1 Longfin Albino BN Pleco
1 Longfin Albino Bristlenose Pleco, I knew soften my water was the way to go. I think you should try. Everyone says a staple PH is what matters most. Down the road you can always go the RO route if you want.

 

[Pipedreamer86]

That is quite a collection you have going of fish! I am not going to give up on everything quite yet. I have a little 10g going right now, it only has 5 black phantom tetras in it currently, but they seem to be thriving. I had aquariums growing up at my parents but they had town water that was a lower ph. My house I bought is on well water, so it is what it is. All around my well sucks, horrible pressure, etc. But it was a.good buy so ill deal with it. I could see RO down the line as an investment. Until then I guess its fake plants and at least a stable ph.

 

[tropicalmackdaddy]

At this point in time an RO system is not an option for me.I'm working my a** off to get the.right filtration, etc for my 150g tank. I was hoping for 4-6 angels several schools of tetras or other small fish, 2 rams, and then some corys or clown loaches. It looks like a ph around 8 is what ill be working with right outbid the tap. Is this workable? Or should I rethink things?

Checkout my link...... Its just like an r/o system.....