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I just tested my water at work today, and I learned a couple of interesting things. First, my test strips are useless. They are neither accurate nor precise, and were not worth the money. Secondly, my pH is 7.8, and my water's hardness is up there as well. This means that my tetras, cories, and bristlenose have all been living in water akin to that of Lake Malawi! The fish can't have been upset by this arrangement, as my cardinal tetras are happy, and my lemons spawn constantly. I guess this means that pH and hardness compatibility are not as important to fish as the absence of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. Basically, if you keep your water nice and clean, you should be able to keep most kinds of fish. Also, I gather that making sure that your pH doesn't fluctuate is more important than matching your pH to your fish. Just thought I'd share this, and see if anybody had comments to make. Also, does anyone else keep fish that aren't in their recommended pH zone?

I'm glad that I tested my water using something accurate. After six months, I finally know what my tank's water is like.

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And when he gets to Heaven, to Saint Peter he will tell: "One more Marine reporting, Sir! I've served my time in Hell."

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. A stable PH is more important than the right PH.

Most trops can adjust and thrive in any PH within reason.

We keep a bunch of BNs in a PH similar to yours books.

My water is ph7.8 from the tap and the hardness is way up there which is perfect for my malawi setup, but in my clown loach tank most of its inhabitants would prefer soft low ph water but are absolutely fine in the water i have ,and have been fine for many years.
So i believe water stability is way more important.

Gibson SG you know you want one!!

Our pH is 7.8 out of the tap and rises to 8.0 once it has settled. I have a BN, rummynose tetras, cories, a pair of angels, and a pair of Bolivian rams. They are doing just fine and are healthy. Even the rummynoses, who are the most sensitive, have been healthy, colourful, and active. Regular water changes and a stable pH seem to make it work.

*Agrees with shannen*

Stable water parameters are way more important than the right if it is not constant.

Also, yes, test strips are very inacurate. At work, we use them to get a general idea, then if anything seems out of whack, we test it with a drop test kit.

Also, the ammonia dip strips NEVER read 0. Yellow is 0 and they get green as the ammonia level increases, and it is NEVER yellow, always a slight green (which is 0.1 on it). We've tested it in tap and RO water, same results

I wouldn't say pH is completely useless; try acclimating a fish, as slow as you like, to a pH of 3 and I think that'll be pretty obvious.

But, TDS is much more important. Osmoregulatory function should really be the water measurement we focus on ... says the girl who hasn't yet bought a TDS meter.

-Molly
Visit shelldwellers.com!

I have a good ammonia test kit and thats it. I monitor that very closely as I believe ammonia to be the root of all evil in the aquarium. However, ever other week or so I'll take a water sample in and have my friend at the local lfs test it. (this is normally my excuse for stopping by the lfs) The water in my aquariums hold a steady ph of 7.6 and it comes out of the tap at 7.4
They always try to tell me I need to lower it for my BGK's but I never listen. I'd be buffering it ever week since my tap water is at 7.4 and I do weekly water changes.
Anyway I think I'd have to agree that a constant ph is better then the correct ph to a certain degree and as long as it is near neutral between 6 and 8


Note to Rasco: tap water normally contains ammonia at .01 to .10 ppm

Last edited by militarysnake at 08-Feb-2005 14:38

My ammonia test kits come out 0 on all water I've tested.
Sirbooks I have fish spawning in harder water than you've got My water is up to 8.6 ph 22kh 20gh at the dry part of the year then goes down to 7.8ph 14kh 2-4gh around now when the snow melts. A few months back I had otocinclus eggs everywhere in 8-8.4 water, gh I think 15-20, and high kh. My yoyos have paired off and keep showing spawning behavior. My rams laid eggs but the yoyos ate them. Then a few days ago all 3 of my female congo tetras released eggs. Unfortunately it was a 5sec feast by the rest of the congos and the cories. I'm working on setting up a breeding tank for those fish my lfs will pay me for. The problem I've heard is eggs are more likely to fungus in high ph water.

We've tested the water in our tanks AND tap water AND R.O. water and NO ONE who has come into the store has EVER had 0 ammonia. We think the test strips just don't work right or are picking up on something else. We've even had people who have set up a tank and let it run for a month WITHOUT fish come in and have their water tested, according to the test strip, they have some ammonia.

I'm just saying that there are better test kits out their instead of the dip strips.