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.