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Some kinds of stones can make your pH go up. Try taking them out and putting vinegar on them... if they fizz, they are realeasing carbonates into the water that will make your pH go up.

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What is the natural pH? Several of us have noted that many fish will survive and thrive in pH that is not 'optimal'. Until you are talking about extremes (like ]9.0 or maybe even ]9.5) the fish will not die just because of a high pH. They will die if the pH is changing rapidly in your tank. But if you can keep it constant, all but the most sensitive fish will be perfectly happy (this is where research before you buy is important).

All you have to do is acclimate the fish properly. See, this for one example. There are several other websites out there that descibe similar methods. Just ask your LFS what their water is, and you can decide which method is best for you. Both of my LFSs use the local city water my apratment is on as well, so I normally just equilibrate the temperature and then dump the bags in a bucket with some tank water in it, then net and place in the tank (total time ~15 mins). But if the fish have been living in some very different water, the drip method may be needed, and it will take some time.

My pH is 8.2 to 8.4, technically higher than almost any profile on here will list as acceptable, but my tiger barbs spawn continuously, my lemon tetras have kept their lovely yellow colors, and as near as I can tell, everyone seems pretty happy.

So, to summarize, it is not the actualy value of the pH that is important for a great deal of fish, but the rate of change of pH -- which we all want to be zero.

Thanks to everybody for all the advice. I was thinking of using the seachem adjuster or something like it. I'd rather not use any chemicals myself but I just don't want to take the chance of killing anymore fish with a high ph.

I use the Seachem Acid Buffer for 3 of my 4 tanks. Works very well and will stay consistant through to your next water change.
Just make sure you add the appropriate amount every time and test your water's pH to make sure it's even with what's in the tank.

I haven't had any rapid pH swings or fish loss, etc.

I wanted to add that I also use Peat Fiber in 2 of these tanks.

well i only use that chemical when i change the water. then and only then and thats about once every 10 days.
and my fish dont seem to mind.

me

I'd still recommend staying away from the chemicals. Fish will adapt to a difference in pH if it's constantly present. They won't be able to adjust to big swings in pH from day-to-day, week-to-week, or month-to-month...

PM/email/msg me if you have any questions/comments regarding me or my knowledge or if you want me to read a thread.

My well water comes out 7.0 and raises to nearly 9. My congo tetras don't mind, my ottos laid eggs, and I gave up trying to change the ph. With really hard water it's just too difficult. Peat moss will lower water while buffering but it makes the water yellow to even dark brown depending how much you use. Ph down is a very bad idea and will probably cause lots of ph swings. If you really want to lower your ph I'd mix with low ph drinking water. It seems the best way I've come across.

i used to have a horrible time with ph, then i went to a lfs and the owner recomended seachem regulator and poor no more problems. love that stuff.... and plecos will die very quickly with high ph found that out too...

me

Yeah, I did test the ph right out of the tap. I really haven't added a lot of the ph down this time, I did before all the fish died and I basically started from the beginning again. Since I emptyed the tank and refilled, added all the gravel and decor I have only added the ph down once. Of course with no change. I have heard that water hardness could be a reason but my levels are normal, between 0-50ppm. Could a water softener system be a problem?

If I don't have any luck getting the ph down, what is the best way to acclimate the new fish. I mean it can't be as easy as letting a little water in their bag right?

Did you test the water straight out of the tap? Dissolved CO2 in the water will lower the pH until it diffuses out. To wit, my tap water tests 7.4-7.6 but after 24 hours, and in my tank, tests 8.2-8.4.

So, before you go on a mad hunt for a pH increaser in your tank, wait to see if the dissolved CO2 is the problem. Sit a glass or bowl out overnight, or if you can agitate it - all the better. Actually, when I do waterchanges, I leave the new water in an old 10 gal. overnight with a HOB filter running and a heater so that the pH and the temp. is exactly the same as the tanks.

Also, high pH is often accompanied by high hardness, but with all the pH Down you may have added, you have removed a great deal of your water's buffering ability.

As has been repeated often, unless you are dealing with the most sensitive fish, so long as you acclimate the fish to the new water they normally have no problem. It is a fluctuating pH that causes problems, usually not a steady even-if-it-is-high pH.

Your LFS is probably keeping their fish in similar water (though obviously not the same well), so ask them their parameters, and look up acclimating new fish.

[span class="edited"][Edited by Bignose 2004-09-06 22:04][/span]

Thanks! I will try that. Hope that's the culprit!

I have a 30 gallon tank and I am starting from the beginning again. All my fish kept dying on me. I had a problem with the ph before and never could figure out why. I have well water but I tested for hardness and is between 0-3, according to my test kit that is acceptable. No matter how much ph down I use I can't get the ph below 7.6. I don't have any fish in the tank yet. I want to let it cycle for a while and get the ph down if I can. Would anyone know why I would have this ph problem?

Actually I finally used a high ph range test kit and come to find out that my ph is actually more like 8.4. I tested the ph of my tap water and that is lower, more like 8 to 8.2. So there must be something in the tank causing my ph to go up. I have a bio-wheel with a carbon filter cartridge. I have artificial plants, regular gravel, some stones, plastic gems, some Sponge Bob statuary...gotta keep my son interested or he won't leave me alone. Does any of that sound like it would raise my ph level?


scratch what I just said, my tap water ph is between 7.2 and 7.4 and my tank is 8.0 to 8.2. Help!!!



[span class="edited"][Edited by 2004-09-06 17:12][/span]

I gotta agree with them that the pH there isn't much of a problem, but if you want it lower, you can do what I do. My pH comes out of the tap at 8.5 so I mix it with Drinking Water from Wally World. That stuff has a pH of 6.0 and doesn't rob the fish of nutrients like Distilled Water does. You just start by using about 75% your well water and 25% the water from the store. It costs $.56/gallon here, but you won't need to use too much to keep your pH under control...

Personally, I'm thinking it's something else in your water though. A pH of 7.6 might be stressful on some fish, but most fish would be fine in those conditions. Only way I can think that it would have such a great effect on them is if your LFS's pH is around 6.0-6.5 when you buy the fish, so the pH difference is killing them...

PM/email/msg me if you have any questions/comments regarding me or my knowledge or if you want me to read a thread.

I did take the water to get tested before I added the tetras and they said the ph was fine. I just purchased that test kit recently. It is a doc wellfish freshwater master test kit. I had one that wasn't that old that I tested it with before the new one and that showed the high ph too.

How long was your tank established? Tetras are pretty sensitive to ammonia, so a cycling tank is a bad idea for them. Then again, plecos tend to not notice ammonia for a little longer than tetras... it'll still kill them but not right off like the tetras...

If you still have problems, try some fish that are less sensitive to pH for the long run or at least ammonia to cycle your tank. You might want to go with barbs instead of tetras if it's pH, or danios or WCMM if it's both.

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prttyhead

A couple of questions

How reliable/old is your test kit? Take water samples from your well & tank to your Aqu with your test kit and get them to a test also.

Is it possible you could have some thing in the tank causing the problem, sub base, or orniments?

Keith

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Check out the profiles section of this website. It gives you an idea of the ph levels for each species, along with other info. I'm sure you can find plenty of fish that will thrive in that range. Your Plecos should have been fine at that level. Also I agree with T/A, it was probably the buffering that did in you last fish

What about tetras? I read somewhere that they are sensitive to a higher ph level. That is what I had in the tank. 5 neons and two bleeding heart tetras. I also had 2 pleco. Since I can't seem to lower it what kind of fish should I consider? Are there fish who do better with a higher ph and are hardy?

What is the pH of your well water?

If you used the pH aduster while your fish were in the tank, thats probably why they all died. Fish need a steady pH more then they need an exact pH.