PH Levels Too High

[sammy]

I have a new 5 gallon tank. I used tap water to originally fill it. The first few days that I had the tank, I lost two fish. The water started to get cloudy, so I bought a test kit and discovered that the ph level is extremely high. I have been using the ph decreaser and have done a 25% water change with distilled water and it has not helped the ph any and my water is still cloudy. If anyone has any suggestions I would love to hear them. I am new to fish tanks and I have no idea what to do. I had two more neon tetras die last night. Thanks for your help.

 

[QTOFFER]

Sammy, welcome to AA!

It sounds like your tank is not cycled and you have had a classic case of "new tank syndrome". Toxic ammonia from fish waste builds up quickly - especially in a 5 gal tank. Check out this link for more info on the nitrogen cycle and how to cycle your tank.
http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html

Neons are pretty sensitive to poor water quality and will not likely survive the cycling process. I wouldn't recommend getting any more until the tank is cycled.

Also, here are some things that you absolutely have to get if you don't have them already:
tap water dechlorinator, ammonia test kit, nitrite test kit, nitrate test kit.

For now, worry more about getting the tank cycled than your water's pH. Once the tank is cycled, we can help you deal with the pH if you need to.

Good luck

 

[Allivymar]

Hiya Sammy and welcome to Aquariumadvice.

Buncha things to go over.

Firstly, do you have an understanding of the nitrogen cycle? Is the key healthy fish. Do check this article for more info: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-cycling.html . How long has your tank been running?

Secondly, water parameters (see nitrogen cycle) are very difficult to maintain in a small tank (such as a 5g). That may be part of your problem. How many fish do you have in there/what kinds?

Thirdly, pH. What do you mean by extremely high? Many of the domesticated fish we get in fishstores are accustomed to pH levels that their wild brethern could not tolerate. Neons for example, do better in lower pH levels, but if they are tankbred they generally only need that really low level for breeding. Also, without knowing what your hardness levels are, it can be difficult to change pH. I would throw the pH decreaser away. My guess is you have fairly hard water; what the Ph decreaser does, when a lot is used, is not change the pH levels until it overwhelms the kH (buffer) levels, then the pH drops severely. Sharp pH changes are MUCH more hazardous to fish then a higher or lower then expected pH. Also read this article: http://faq.thekrib.com/begin-chem.html

Lastly, cloudy water is typical in a newly cycling fishtank and is a bacterial bloom. It generally goes away when the nitrifying bacterial colonies get large enough to handle the ammonia levels. If the cloudiness is green tho, its an algae bloom and is usually due to too much nutrients in the tank.

 

[Allivymar]

*Starts laughing*

Beat me by 2 minutes QT! Heh, and same reference link...too funny.

 

[QTOFFER]

AquariumAdvice.com - now in stereo!!!