Hi there,
I'm a new aquarium hobbyist, in fact today I just bought my first fish- neon tetras!
I've noticed that my pH is high in my tank at 7.6, yesterday I bought 'pH Down' from my local pet suppliers and dosed my tank last night, it was ranging at about 7.0/7.2, I thought perfect and slept on it.
This morning I tested my pH levels again and it had gone back up to 7.6, frustrated and confused I double dosed my pH Down and tested again hours later and it had gone back down. So I went out and got my fish and some driftwood just in case I had another pH raise. About an hour ago I tested my tank again and it had gone back up at about 7.5 (colour was between 7.4 & 7.6), so I added in my driftwood (I had previously sterilised it in boiling water and had it soaking for hours), a little while after I tested again and it was still at 7.5 so I added in more pH down and that's brought it down more.
I tested my tap water and it was at about 6.4/6.6, so I'm quite confused as to why it's so high in my tank. The only thing my Mum and I can think of is the substrate, although the type I got said it was 'triple rinsed' and I rinsed it again before putting it in my tank. I do have a rock in my tank but the pH was already high before I added it in. The only other things I had in my tank initially was an ornament (that I had rinsed) and my plant, I then added another plant when I added the rock.
I've read on other posts here that people suggest doing a daily 25% water change to lower the pH. My only other thought would be to use the Seachem Acid Buffer for my tank as I have a planted aquarium.
I also was messaging a friend of mine who has a tropical tank and who breeds cichlids and he told me that a lot of the fish that are bred at farms are bred in regular tap water and conditions as what mine are in so to try to not stress too much about it.
My tetras seem fine, no irregular behaviour, they seem pretty chilled and happy and playful. I really don't want to stress them out, I'd like to keep them alive for as long as possible
(also noted that my ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are all at 0)
I'm a new aquarium hobbyist, in fact today I just bought my first fish- neon tetras!
I've noticed that my pH is high in my tank at 7.6, yesterday I bought 'pH Down' from my local pet suppliers and dosed my tank last night, it was ranging at about 7.0/7.2, I thought perfect and slept on it.
This morning I tested my pH levels again and it had gone back up to 7.6, frustrated and confused I double dosed my pH Down and tested again hours later and it had gone back down. So I went out and got my fish and some driftwood just in case I had another pH raise. About an hour ago I tested my tank again and it had gone back up at about 7.5 (colour was between 7.4 & 7.6), so I added in my driftwood (I had previously sterilised it in boiling water and had it soaking for hours), a little while after I tested again and it was still at 7.5 so I added in more pH down and that's brought it down more.
I tested my tap water and it was at about 6.4/6.6, so I'm quite confused as to why it's so high in my tank. The only thing my Mum and I can think of is the substrate, although the type I got said it was 'triple rinsed' and I rinsed it again before putting it in my tank. I do have a rock in my tank but the pH was already high before I added it in. The only other things I had in my tank initially was an ornament (that I had rinsed) and my plant, I then added another plant when I added the rock.
I've read on other posts here that people suggest doing a daily 25% water change to lower the pH. My only other thought would be to use the Seachem Acid Buffer for my tank as I have a planted aquarium.
I also was messaging a friend of mine who has a tropical tank and who breeds cichlids and he told me that a lot of the fish that are bred at farms are bred in regular tap water and conditions as what mine are in so to try to not stress too much about it.
My tetras seem fine, no irregular behaviour, they seem pretty chilled and happy and playful. I really don't want to stress them out, I'd like to keep them alive for as long as possible
(also noted that my ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are all at 0)
