Very hard water and very high PH - Aquarium Advice

lovemybarbs · 11-26-2006, 09:47 AM

I have to do something about this. One of my fish has fin rot and it says it is caused by "bad water."

Am I poisoning my fish with every water change? What can I add to my water to get it stable?????????? Driftwood hasn't helped at all.

Jchillin · 11-26-2006, 10:22 AM

"Bad water" is more akin to problems with high levels of nitrites, ammonia or nitrates, not a high ph. If your ph is consistently stable, you are in no way poisoning your fish.

lovemybarbs · 11-26-2006, 10:36 AM

My ph is always high. I'm wondering if I should add a conditioner to the water I add.

bs6749 · 11-26-2006, 10:45 AM

How high is it and what types of fish do you have? Some fish actually prefer a higher pH, such as African cichlids.

lovemybarbs · 11-26-2006, 10:52 AM

Nitrates 20

Nitrite 0

Hardness 250

pH 8.4

Total alkalinity/buffering capacity--looks 300 to me

It's been this way forever. I always read not to mess with it, but it bothers me.

55 gallon tank

2 tiger barbs (only one tiger barb has fin rot)
2 gold barbs
2 albino tiger barbs (one male, one female)
2 neon rosey barbs
1 black ruby barb
2 clown loach
one common pleco
one pictus catfish
two bamboo shrimp
one angelicus botia loach

joannde · 11-26-2006, 11:19 AM

My pH is 8.2 and my hardness is way up there. Its not caused me an issue from what I can tell. Messing with the pH means you will ALWAYS have to "mess with it" (keep it adjusted) and if you're not careful about it it could fluctuate frequently which I believe would be less healthy for the fish than adapting.

**Fishyfanatic** · 11-26-2006, 12:37 PM

I'm using water with 8.8+ and hardness in the mid 300s. The test kit only goes to 8.8 but I'm sure it is higher than that. Your pH will not cause ill effects to the fish unless they are wild species. But considering that you have had them this long, it is not a problem. Bad water would be high Nitrates, Ammonia, nitrites, contamination, etc.

DepotFish · 11-26-2006, 10:13 PM

I've got high ph too. About 8.5. Don't worry too much about it unless you plan to breed. Even my kuhli loaches have no problem with 8.5. There ought to be a sticky concerning high ph.

lovemybarbs · 11-26-2006, 10:18 PM

You guys are making me feel better. Why do they make conditioners? Ah yes, to make money.

**Fishyfanatic** · 11-27-2006, 09:06 AM

When you say Conditioners, what do you mean? Dechlorinators are used to remove Chlorine or Chloramines. They are needed for every water change. Some companies make dechlorinators that are supposed to set your pH to a certain level. It's the same as dechlor but messes with the water chemistry. Don't use those.

11-26-2006, 09:47 AM	#1
lovemybarbs Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 856 Images: 5	Very hard water and very high PH I have to do something about this. One of my fish has fin rot and it says it is caused by "bad water." Am I poisoning my fish with every water change? What can I add to my water to get it stable?????????? Driftwood hasn't helped at all.

11-26-2006, 10:22 AM	#2
Jchillin Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: New York, NY (The Big Apple) Posts: 12,970 Images: 47	"Bad water" is more akin to problems with high levels of nitrites, ammonia or nitrates, not a high ph. If your ph is consistently stable, you are in no way poisoning your fish. __________________ _________________________________

11-26-2006, 10:45 AM	#4
bs6749 Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Lawton, MI Posts: 1,298	How high is it and what types of fish do you have? Some fish actually prefer a higher pH, such as African cichlids. __________________ 100G Discus Tank, 55G Planted RCS Tank, 29G Angelfish Tank w/Breeders, 29G Class N Endler Tank, 10G CRS/CBS (S+, SS) Tank, 10G Yellow Shrimp Tank, 10G Snowball Shrimp Tank, and a breeding experiment with ghost shrimp in my other 10G tank.

11-26-2006, 11:19 AM	#6
joannde Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 1,724 Images: 6	My pH is 8.2 and my hardness is way up there. Its not caused me an issue from what I can tell. Messing with the pH means you will ALWAYS have to "mess with it" (keep it adjusted) and if you're not careful about it it could fluctuate frequently which I believe would be less healthy for the fish than adapting. __________________ 35G barebottom: 2 boesemani rainbowfish, 4 congo tetras, Low light plants (1.5wpg) attached to or planted in my own handmade ceramics - Anubia v Nana, Anubia v Barteri, Red Rubin Sword 2.5G - Spot (beautiful betta - Soft pink with red spots on his fins. Java Moss.

11-26-2006, 12:37 PM	#7
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,267 Images: 15	I'm using water with 8.8+ and hardness in the mid 300s. The test kit only goes to 8.8 but I'm sure it is higher than that. Your pH will not cause ill effects to the fish unless they are wild species. But considering that you have had them this long, it is not a problem. Bad water would be high Nitrates, Ammonia, nitrites, contamination, etc. __________________ Vote for Aquarium Advice 10 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 29 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 150 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid

11-26-2006, 10:36 AM	#3
lovemybarbs Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 856 Images: 5	My ph is always high. I'm wondering if I should add a conditioner to the water I add.

11-26-2006, 10:52 AM	#5
lovemybarbs Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 856 Images: 5	Nitrates 20 Nitrite 0 Hardness 250 pH 8.4 Total alkalinity/buffering capacity--looks 300 to me It's been this way forever. I always read not to mess with it, but it bothers me. 55 gallon tank 2 tiger barbs (only one tiger barb has fin rot) 2 gold barbs 2 albino tiger barbs (one male, one female) 2 neon rosey barbs 1 black ruby barb 2 clown loach one common pleco one pictus catfish two bamboo shrimp one angelicus botia loach

11-26-2006, 10:13 PM	#8
DepotFish Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 871 Images: 4	I've got high ph too. About 8.5. Don't worry too much about it unless you plan to breed. Even my kuhli loaches have no problem with 8.5. There ought to be a sticky concerning high ph. __________________ Anybody who's seen the personality of fish has had their minds and hearts opened to a whole new world.

11-26-2006, 10:18 PM	#9
lovemybarbs Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: St. Louis, Missouri Posts: 856 Images: 5	You guys are making me feel better. Why do they make conditioners? Ah yes, to make money.

11-27-2006, 09:06 AM	#10
Fishyfanatic Aquarium Advice Addict Community Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Illinois Posts: 10,267 Images: 15	When you say Conditioners, what do you mean? Dechlorinators are used to remove Chlorine or Chloramines. They are needed for every water change. Some companies make dechlorinators that are supposed to set your pH to a certain level. It's the same as dechlor but messes with the water chemistry. Don't use those. __________________ Vote for Aquarium Advice 10 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 29 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Community 55 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid Fry 150 Gallon Lake Malawi Cichlid

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