Hello, I have a 125gallon. I recently moved and just got set back up. We now have well water. I am having trouble with the ph in my tank. It it at 8.2-8.4. It comes out of the tap at 7.4. I wasn't planning on putting any fish in the tank anytime soon but yesterday i was given a marble cat,redtail,and tiger shovelnose. I need to know what is the best way with well water to lower and maintain the ph? Thanks!
High PH With Catfish!! Need Help!!
- Thread starter neff11h4l
- Start date
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joel618
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Put lots of wood in the tank. They also make peat balls you can put in your filter.
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
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- May 24, 2011
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Well Water
Good morning neff...
Fish prefer alkaline water. Unless you keep rare fish species, I don't think you need to worry about the water. Fish and plants have been adapting to different water conditions since the water keeping hobby started.
Weekly 50 percent water changes are very important, regardless of your water source. You should use a good water conditioner even if the well water isn't treated with chlorine or chloramine. I prefer Seachem's Prime, because it helps detoxify nitrite and nitrate and helps keep the fishes' skin healthy.
Since you're worried about the high alkaline water, put some driftwood or bogwood into the tank, I've read these wood pieces help buffer the minerals often found to be high in well water.
B
Good morning neff...
Fish prefer alkaline water. Unless you keep rare fish species, I don't think you need to worry about the water. Fish and plants have been adapting to different water conditions since the water keeping hobby started.
Weekly 50 percent water changes are very important, regardless of your water source. You should use a good water conditioner even if the well water isn't treated with chlorine or chloramine. I prefer Seachem's Prime, because it helps detoxify nitrite and nitrate and helps keep the fishes' skin healthy.
Since you're worried about the high alkaline water, put some driftwood or bogwood into the tank, I've read these wood pieces help buffer the minerals often found to be high in well water.
B
mfdrookie516
Aquarium Free - 2+ Years
what kind of rocks and substrate do you have? whats your tap water test after sitting out overnight? I wouldn't add anything that will lower the pH. If you lower the hardness of the water, and there's nothing in th tank causing it to go up, when you do a big water change, you risk shocking the fish. It's not the pH, it's the hardness and TDS
Hey mfdrookie516, thanks for the reply. I will leave some water out tonight and test in the morning. I don't think the retail or marble cat has eatin since putting them yesterday. What would i do to help the hardness? Also what is TDS? Thanks
I am not sure what kind of rocks them are i can remove if you guys think it will help.... I dont think leaving the catfish at 8.2+ ph would be a good idea. I have read that sphagnum peat moss would be good to put in my filters to lower the ph? What do you think? How could it be done safely? How much would i have to add? Sorry for all the questions just concerned!!
