Tropical Fish Forums

[aqualung]

I have a new 29 gallon tank that I just set up. Tap water is in the tank and the filter has been running for about 10 days now. No fish are in and no live plants are in the tank. I have tested the water and the pH is 8.0 to 8.2. I have used a lot of pH down without any results. Yesterday I bought a condtioner pillow that I put in the filter from petco and was told that this will decrease the hardness of the water which I know is hard. This pillow as I was told will bring down the pH without using chemicals. Petco tested the water and found nothing else wrong with the water other than a high pH. Once the water softens, I can use pH up or down with results. I just want to get the pH to 7.0 so I can start to put fish in. I read other postings and still not to sure what to do as far as putting any powders in. Someone please give me some sound advise that a novice like me can use.

[fishlover888]

pH down will not help you with the hard water. It only drop the pH for a short period and your hard water will buffer it right back within hours. Useless unless you have very soft water.

Trying to get pH down is not easy. Somtimes you want to ask why would you want to do it. What kind of fish you want to keep? I'd rather find the fish matching with you tap water pH than trying to lower it.

One thing you want to do is test your tap water for pH. Use a plastic cup, test water right out of the tap, then wait for 24 hours and test it again, then another 24 hours. That will give you a good idea of your water pH. If it is not at the same pH as your tank water, it means you have something in the tank that changes your pH. You need to find that one out and take it out before trying anything.

Do some tests and post the result so we can have a better idea before we can offer any useful help.
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125 g discus tank 13 discus, 5 Sterbai cory, 3 clown loaches, 1 Albino BN pH 6.3 50% WC x2/wk
2 g nano tank 3 Danio, pH 7.6 80% WC/ 2 days

[aqualung]

I'm trying to drop my pH due to some hardy fish I was told would last in a new tank until the tank can cycle. I also like the way some of the fish I want to put in look. They include swordtails, a guppy or two, a gourami, platties, and mollies. Until all my water tests are done, can I be advised what fish thrive in higher pH levels that do not grow to big in a 29 gallon tank.

[aqualung]

I did some water testing and found not so suprising results. The pH of my tap water is way off the chart and is somewhere around 8.5. This is not much of a difference of a tank pH of 8.0 - 8.2 and that is with a condtioner pillow to soften my hard tap water. I used some store bought spring water as a control and the pH was right on the money of 7.0. I'm cosidering starting over and draining my 29 gallon tank and replacing it with spring water. At the rate I'm going it will be much cheeper to do this to regulate the pH. I'm also considering this for when it is time for a water change, I will have a better chance of regulating the pH and hardness for at that time there will be fish in the tank unlike now the tank is empty for I'm still trying to start it up. Any ideas on this water overhall???

[fishlover888]

Using spring water is not really a good option since you have no control of what's in the water too. Each shipment could be different.

Anyway, for 29 g tank, that's a lot of water to buy. If you have to change 15% of water every two weeks, you will have to buy about 5 g of water each time. The cost will pile up on you soon or later.

I would just try some other fish that can do well in your water. Some African Cichlids love high pH water. You may want to try that.

Even with the selections you have, with the execption of gouramis, most of them will adjust to pH of 8. Just wait for 24 hours and see what's your final reading of your tap water is. As long as you can keep the pH stable, you should be fine.
_________________
125 g discus tank 13 discus, 5 Sterbai cory, 3 clown loaches, 1 Albino BN pH 6.3 50% WC x2/wk
2 g nano tank 3 Danio, pH 7.6 80% WC/ 2 days