Ph help

[tommyk]

Hi. I just set up my new tank 40 gal. With tap water of 7.4 I left it over night in the tank for the temp to change but when I measured ph this morning it was 8.2.
Is there anything I can add to the tank without having to go to lfs. Before I put my fish into their new home

Thanks

 

[Mebbid]

What decorations do you have in the tank? What substrate do you have?
Both of those can possibly change the ph of the water.

What fish are you planning on getting?

And lastly,
Do you know about cycling a tank?

I'm on my phone atm but I will throw some links your way when I get to a pc.

 

[tommyk]

What decorations do you have in the tank? What substrate do you have?
Both of those can possibly change the ph of the water.

What fish are you planning on getting?

And lastly,
Do you know about cycling a tank?

I'm on my phone atm but I will throw some links your way when I get to a pc.

Hi mebbid

I have Dorset pea gravel as a substrate and a piece of driftwood as decoration.

It is an upgrade of an existing 15 gal so I have a filter primed with bacteria. I will be moving the fish from my 15 gal with the filter and then gradually add more fish.

At the moment there is
1 Pleco ( lfs said he was dwarf)
3 Cory's
2 buneous aires tetra
3 mollies

 

[Mebbid]

A quick google search shows a bunch of people having ph issues with that particular gravel. I would point the finger at that. What's your other tank running at?

 

[tommyk]

The other tank is running at 7.6. Got the new tank down to 8 by adding 40 litres of ro water. I don't think it's the gravel it's the same as the other tank

 

[Mebbid]

The new gravel could have been collected from a different place. I saw 5 or 6 responses on a few threads all stating the same gravel you have altered the ph despite the product saying it doesn't affect it.

Driftwood would lower the ph and degassing generally drops the ph as well. Unless you used vinegar in cleaning the tank and didn't clean well enough I can't think of any other things that would do it.

Take a few handfulls of the gravel, put it in a bowl and fill it with tap water. Then fill another bowl with tap water. Let both sit for a day or two and check the ph. That way you will know for sure.

 

[tommyk]

I'll try that. Thanks

Now this may sound like a real stupid question, could I add a vinegar to the tank. As the vinegar is an acid it would reduce my ph. But I'm worried it would have any other effect on my fish

 

[Mebbid]

I'll try that. Thanks

Now this may sound like a real stupid question, could I add a vinegar to the tank. As the vinegar is an acid it would reduce my ph. But I'm worried it would have any other effect on my fish

Vinegar should lower ph but I can't really give you directions on how to do it safely since I've never done it before

A good thing to note though... 8.2 isn't really that bad of a ph. Most fish will tolerate it very well.

 

[tommyk]

Right well I did something stupid. Used API proper ph 7. Dosed it to the tank. Good job there were no fish in it. It seamed to work fine brought the ph down to 7.3. But 3 hour later I had a tank that looks like milk and the ph is rising back towards where it started. Apparently it should clear in a day or so but I think ill empty it out and start again.

Just a warning to anyone who is tempted to use it.

 

[Mebbid]

A good thing to note though... 8.2 isn't really that bad of a ph. Most fish will tolerate it very well.

You really don't need to change your pH. But as I should have stated earlier; messing with your pH using additives will only cause problems.

 

[tommyk]

Thanx for your help mebbid. I was out of service for a while. Gonna start again tomorrow and leave the ph alone.

Lesson learned. At least no fish were harmed.

 

[tommyk]

Just a quick update.
I got sorted. I refilled the tank with tap water. Ph 8.15.
Transferred all the fish over and all seem happy and healthy