I can't get the pH down

[pHdown]

Can anyone give me advice on how to keep the pH down in my new freshwater tank. For some reason, the pH sits at 7.5/7.6. When I do a water change, it stays at neutral for a few days and the slowly creeps up to 7.5 again.
Thanks

 

[SixFootDaisy]

My tank is at 7.8

FW has a range of pH, and I'm not sure exactly what the BEST pH is. What sort of fish are you keeping? Discus fish need to be in a high pH, while FW generally does fine in the level you have.

 

[pHdown]

The pH does go higher than 7.5 though. I have guppies at the moment as the other fish I had died (danios & betta). I have an AR380, one of those ready made tanks...i have changed the gravel and taken out an artificial rock and I have a couple of live plants. The water I'm using is only 30ppm....which I don't really get!
Have made water changes with lower pH water and it just keeps going up...I just don't what else it could be....unless it's the noodles in the filter???

 

[Brandon]

You will have to soften the water in order to maintain a lower pH steadily. Before doing that however, I would consider the fact that livebearers actually prefer a slightly alkaline pH and your Guppies should do fine at 7.5/7.6. It is much easier to keep the pH at what it comes out of the tap at rather than try to manipulate it with water softeners/hardeners as long as the pH of the tap water is acceptable for the fish you are keeping (which in your case it is). pH will drop over time due to the processes of breaking down organic waste. Routine water changes should prevent this and help keep the pH stable. If you still wish to lower the pH try using distilled water to replace some of the tap water in your tank. Just make sure and do it a little at a time. A rapid change in pH is one of the worst things you can do for your fish. They will do better at a steady high or steady low pH (within reason) than they will in a constantly flucuating pH. Good Luck.

 

[pHdown]

Thanks for that...I might get some of the distilled water and use it if the pH keeps going up. What kinda stuff softens the water or what is the best way??

Cheers

 

[tkos]

My parents tank has a pH in the mid to high 7's and they have tetras, flying foxes and gourami's. All of these fish have been in there for close to a year and are doing very well.

A big question concerning your fishs' deaths is did you cycle the tank before adding the fish or did they go through the cycle. This may have weakened them and their deaths may have nothing to do with the pH.As mentioned before most fish can tolerate and adapt to a higher pH. Have you tested for ammonia and nitrites? And what sort of substrate are you using?

 

[Madame_X]

My tapwater PH is 8.0. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get the fish I wanted but have learned that most fish will do fine as long as they're acclimated properly.

I probably can't purchase fish online since they're less likely to be acclimated to my local water, but have found an excellent LFS who acclimates all of their fish to the local water and their PH is identical to mine.

I've only had my fish for about five days now but nobody seems stressed about my high PH. I have two neon blue dwarf gouramis, three platies and two upside down catfish, all seemingly quite happy in their new home.

I would suggest that if you're new at this (like I am) to leave your PH alone and let it stabilize. Then acclimate new fish to it slowly. It seems pretty difficult to lower your PH and keep it stable.

 

[Punkymom]

I agree. I have a relitively high PH and I used to try and mess with it to get it lower, but then I found that if I just leave it alone, the fish do just fine...no different had I messed with it. HTH!!!

 

[demurefemme]

when i was having pH problems trying to get my tank ready for angels, two things helped me: i had read that bogwood can help to lower and stabilize pH, so i got some and, after boiling it to remove all the tannens (it will turn your tank a bit red for a while anyways, that's normal), it did help to keep my ph lowered. my tap water ph was 8.2 and pretty hard, so with the bogwood and some help from Proper pH 6.5, my tank has stayed perfectly at 6.5 ever since. without the bogwood, but still using the Proper pH 6.5, my tank wouldn't get below 7. that was definitely a winning combination for me. hope it helps!