Substrate or rock causing high ph?

[joels3400]

So I've had trouble getting my ph down. Currently, it's about 8.2 and and that's down from originally being 8.4 in my 20 gallon. I thought it was my tap water so I started using 2/3 distilled water.

Now that I have a ph testing kit, I see my tap water is only 7.5 ph. Could it be from the substrate or rock decor I have in there? The gravel is sort of the typical blue covered gravel you get at pet stores and the rock is from petsmart. It doesn't say what it is made from online.

Some of the gravel is chipped, probably from me doing water changes or moving ornaments too roughly.

Any other possibilities?

 

[BBradbury]

Your Tank

So I've had trouble getting my ph down. Currently, it's about 8.2 and and that's down from originally being 8.4 in my 20 gallon. I thought it was my tap water so I started using 2/3 distilled water.

Now that I have a ph testing kit, I see my tap water is only 7.5 ph. Could it be from the substrate or rock decor I have in there? The gravel is sort of the typical blue covered gravel you get at pet stores and the rock is from petsmart. It doesn't say what it is made from online.

Some of the gravel is chipped, probably from me doing water changes or moving ornaments too roughly.

Any other possibilities?

Hello joe...

Unless you're keeping and breeding rare fish, you don't need to fret over what makes up your tank water. Most aquarium fish will adapt to most public water supplies. Your pH is within limits for the fish. You do need to maintain a stable water chemistry, by changing half the tank water every week.

As long as you have decorations that are made for use in an aquarium, just make sure to change out half the water and do it weekly. Your fish and plants will be fine.

B

 

[venymae]

If you have coral (decor or sand) or limestone rocks, that could affect it, but if your fish are happy I wouldn't worry about it. Stable is the best.

 

[anibis]

My tap water has a pH of 7.2 out of the tap, but when I let it sit in a bucket overnight it goes up to 7.8. I too was thinking my substrate+rock decor was raising my pH until I did the overnight test.

 

[anteatergoanna]

I had trouble with ph, turned out that the shell I had in there was the culprit!

 

[joels3400]

Thank you all for the replies. I appreciate the responses.

I think my ph is rising after I fill it. I read that the co2 releases after awhile and raises the ph. Will test it out