needing to lower ph

[Lhutchison]

i have a 90 gallon freshwater tank, all my water parameters are good. My main problem is that my ph is like off the chart basic and my water is very hard. what can i do to lower the ph into the about 7-ish range? Thanks for the help!!

 

[smomus]

What do you mean off the charts? My ph is consistently between 8 and 8.6 depending on the tank. Its more important that the ph is stable rather then high or low. What fish do you have?

 

[Lhutchison]

I have some platies and tetras. When I took to get my water tested at petco they basically said my ph reading was one that's not found on a chart.

 

[FishontheRock]

I have some platies and tetras. When I took to get my water tested at petco they basically said my ph reading was not one that's not found on a chart.

Hi do you know if they had a high ph kit? It could be that you have reasonable ph bur it's higher than 7.6 and they didn't have a high ph kit to test it with.

Do you have limestone bedrock near your water source? People with really high ph generally live in area predominantly underlaid by limestones and dolostones. Also, if you are on city/municipal water your city/municipality should be able to tell you the exact ph.

In order to lower it you could use peat filtration but that will lead to blackwater. Unfortunately, tye only way I could see doing it is to invest in a ro/di system or use bottled ro/di water from a store. There are issues with this because you will loose all the good minerals in your water and have to add them back in. You'll have to get more info from someone else on that.

The other option is to keep fish suited to high ph water. Such as many Livebearers, African lake cichlids.

 

[tamtam]

I'm not sure if it will be enough but I know drift wood will lower your PH. I would suggest you get your own test kit though, especially a high PH one so you know exactly what you are looking at.

It may be a none issue if you are lucky.

 

[Lhutchison]

Well it hasn't killed any of my current fish but a few weeks ago I tried to add another platy and within a few hours he was dead. And after I found out it was from high ph I did a 20% water change with purified water I purchased from my grocery store

I also tried to research what the bedrock of my lake was and I haven't found much out about it. I do know that it is man made.

 

[FishontheRock]

Well it hasn't killed any of my current fish but a few weeks ago I tried to add another platy and within a few hours he was dead. And after I found out it was from high ph I did a 20% water change with purified water I purchased from my grocery store

I also tried to research what the bedrock of my lake was and I haven't found much out about it. I do know that it is man made.

There is no such thing as manmade bedrock... Where are you? I can quickly see what I can find. I just need general area like section of state or province or territory and if possible nearest decent sized town/city if there is one within 100km.

Edit: how did you acclimatise that fish? If your water is very different from the store your going to have to very slowly drip acclimate.

 

[Lhutchison]

I did the drip acclamation. I'm in Texas and we get our water from lake lavon

 

[FishontheRock]

I did the drip acclamation. I'm in Texas and we get our water from lake lavon

Texas has limestone bedrock for sure (that's where the oil comes from). I'm surprised that petsmart doesn't have high oh water as well. Platies are a great choice as they are originally from the yucatan peninsula in Mexico and are by nature a hard high ph loving fish. With your water I'd be all over breeding wild type Livebearers! I have to add crushed aragonite to my tanks for my wild type Livebearers.

You might have simply had a bad platy. Id look for people selling the locally through aquarium clubs and such. Your more likely to get healthy fish.

 

[Lhutchison]

Thanks for all the replies!! Also would adding an air bubbler change my water parameters?
I also made a big typo... I have a 29 gallon tank, not a 90...sorry!!

 

[smomus]

Thanks for all the replies!! Also would adding an air bubbler change my water parameters?
I also made a big typo... I have a 29 gallon tank, not a 90...sorry!!

Nope! I have air stones in all my tanks. It does add a tiny bit to aeration of the water, but not much. Its more for aesthetic purposes. Some fish do like to play in the bubbles too!

 

[Lhutchison]

I tried adding one once and it made my water all wavy and not calm like normal. I think I got the wrong type of air bubbler machine. But I really wanna try again so I think I might!!

 

[Jacobsal91]

Driftwood decor also safely lowers PH naturally and slowly. I dont reccomend doing it but theres also a powder by api called 'proper ph'. Which is a chemical way to stablize ph to the exact level you want it. If thats somethin that doenst bother you then that option is always available as well

 

[Lhutchison]

I really wanna get driftwood but idk if it's real and I'm talking about the driftwood decor you find in the decor aisle at petco or petsmart. I have used proper ph before but I didn't not last for the long term

 

[Jacobsal91]

I really wanna get driftwood but idk if it's real and I'm talking about the driftwood decor you find in the decor aisle at petco or petsmart. I have used proper ph before but I didn't not last for the long term

Yeah at petco petsmart if your not sure its real go to the reptile section and get the wood for lizards to climb on, thats almost always real wood just soak it in water for like a week before adding it to your tank, if you dont it makes your tank water look gross

 

[Lhutchison]

I just bought the API master test kit and my ph reading came out to 7.6...I'm much more satisfied with this kit rather than strip kits!!!

 

[FishontheRock]

I just bought the API master test kit and my ph reading came out to 7.6...I'm much more satisfied with this kit rather than strip kits!!!

Check with the high ph as well! 7.6 means its above the 'normal ph range'.

 

[hpiguy]

Places like Foster Smith carry real driftwood as well. And the prices aren't bad at all. I get mine there. Good variety.

There is a forum sponsor that sells really really nice pieces of driftwood too. Manzanita I think they are called. Attractive pieces indeed.

 

[Lhutchison]

Ok so I redid the ph testing and it came out to about 7.8.
Thank you I'll be sure to check on that driftwood!!

 

[FishontheRock]

Ok so I redid the ph testing and it came out to about 7.8.
Thank you I'll be sure to check on that driftwood!!

Awesome! You should be fine with that ph. Do long as it stays stable.