Ph

[SamuraiGaidin]

Howdy y'all. My ph range is 6-7.8 and currently its sitting at 7.6. How can I lower it? The drops are temporary right?

Nothing in reality makes sense except in the light of magic.

 

[Clayman]

Why do you want to lower it?

 

[SamuraiGaidin]

It just seems high. I figured if it was closer to the middle they would like it more. There's nothing wrong with the fish and the rest of the parameters are good.

Nothing in reality makes sense except in the light of magic.

 

[Reygan2]

That's a really big "range"
Can you elaborate?

 

[SamuraiGaidin]

That's what aquaadvisor said my ph should be between. What more do you need to know?

Nothing in reality makes sense except in the light of magic.

 

[Autumnsky]

What kind of substrate do you have , what kind of rocks, and most importantly, what kind of stock do you have or do you WANT to have?

Just to verify, this is what the water is from out of your tap?

Do you happen to know what your KH aka carbonate hardness and GH aka general hardness are?

 

[SamuraiGaidin]

I tested my tank and the tanks water ph is 7.6. Sand, fake deco, no clue on the hardness. rams and denison barbs.

Nothing in reality makes sense except in the light of magic.

 

[Reygan2]

I tested my tank and the tanks water ph is 7.6. Sand, fake deco, no clue on the hardness. rams and denison barbs.

Nothing in reality makes sense except in the light of magic.

Do your ph test results read 7.6 consistently? If so, you should be fine. Acclimate new fish slowly, most will adjust. Mine is about the same. There are some species that do better in a lower ph, but your best bet is to work with what you have rather than attempt to adjust it.


I also need to ask...is this tank cycled? How long has it been set up and stocked?

 

[SamuraiGaidin]

That's good advice. It has been 7.4-7.6 normally. I haven't tested my tap water. I will do that today after work. And today is WC day.

Nothing in reality makes sense except in the light of magic.

 

[jarrod0987]

Fish are fine at 7.6. Don't lower it. The lower it goes the more unstable it is. Changing it will probably kill fish (not instantly but perhaps in 24 hours). Leaving it will probably not. If you insist on changing it then DO NOT add acid to lower it. The right way is to do tiny 5% water changes with distilled water AND monitor the alkalinity at the same time. As you cut the alkalinity down the ph will drop. I strongly suggest you do not do this. If you do then you need a pH meter, not a color changing test kit. Please just leave it. I made this mistake when I was new. Fish hate change more then they hate 7.6.

 

[SamuraiGaidin]

Like I said my fish are good. Active and whatnot. OK I will not worry about the ph. But I will still test my tap when I get home.

Nothing in reality makes sense except in the light of magic.

 

[jarrod0987]

Test for KH if you can. That is your alkalinity and it's going to have a big effect on your PH. Often times people find there KH is very low. That should be corrected.

 

[SamuraiGaidin]

It will have to wait till next pay day to buy the kit for it.

Nothing in reality makes sense except in the light of magic.

 

[jarrod0987]

It's no problem. You could just do 3 or 4 20% water changes instead.

 

[trennamw]

Just leave it alone unless your GH or KH is low. Your LFS should be able to test GH and KH. Or buy a $5 pack of API strips that check it. You only need to check your tap once IMO and if it's into the 3rd square on the strip you're fine.

Adjusting ph is almost always bad. Adjusting KH can be good if it is too low, and a side effect can be that the ph changes.

KH is what keeps your ph stable. Stability is everything.


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.