well it's official...it is high after all

[jdsunflower]

For everyone who's helped with advice for me in the past, just a quick update re Ottawa (canada) tapwater pH according to the city management:
raised to 8.4 via caustic soda to reduce lead leaching into the water due to lead pipes.

My question is: is 8.4 reasonable for keeping acid-pool type fish (corys, tetras, danios, BN, rasboras)? The LFS keep the tetras at 6...

thanks,
Monique

 

[Alaris]

I think 8.4 is ok. People have successfully kept fish at 8.2.

 

[verucaproduce]

My pH is very high too. I found that as long as I acclimate slowly, my fish have been fine.

 

[SpeedEuphoria]

Its also good to try and find fish that have been kept in harder water. Like most LFS near me do not alter the water(ph 8.0-8.2) so I like to buy from them since the fish are already used to the PH.

I'm sure they can be acclimated but I would prefer to try and find some that are in a higher PH closer to yours as opposed to the 6ph that that fish store keeps them at. The fish will be stressed by the move then new PH also so its just more stress IMO that I would try to avoid if possible.

 

[jdsunflower]

excellent thanks. It's a bit tricky because the pH is high but the hardness is below 2, so soft but alkaline.... but it's reassuring to know that they can acclimate to this.
JD

 

[OldMan]

Another option would be to go with the flow as it were and get african rift lake fish that like the high pH. It is always better to have the fish match the water than try to make the water match the fish.