# what now high PH



## Oncea3fan (Dec 14, 2009)

just set up a 75 gal tank.
I used some course sand from another established tank, and it's been running for about a week and half now with no fish.

the ph is off the scale high, even after a full bottle that treats 400 gal , there seems to be no change.

I want to have a community tank with guppies , daino's and tetras.


I was thinking maybe trying to drain and refill the tank use the faucet water filter(like britia)
would that filtering help remover the minereals that are causing the high PH

THANKS!


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## Robert (Oct 2, 2009)

What is the pH? Why is it too high? I keep guppies at 7.6-7.8 with no problem.
Better not to alter your tap water, so when you do your partial water changes you do not get a big swing in pH. The fish you named will do fine in most cases without altering pH.
Start slow and give it a try.


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## Oncea3fan (Dec 14, 2009)

the PH is off the scale high on a dip strip, I know we have hard water / high PH around here.

I was reading about the minerails that make the water hard and was thinking that the faucet filter would help that .

thanks!


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## flyin-lowe (Oct 3, 2009)

Ph seems to be one of the water parameters that can be a little out of whack and the fish can adapt to. I have a 75 gallon fresh that has been running since the beginning of October. Ph test about 8.2-8.4. I have tetras, danios, 2 bristle nose, and plattys. The all have seemed fine since I added them. In my opinion it is better to have PH a little out of what then to try to use chemicals to adjust it. That can cause problems. Also driftwood will slowly lower Ph.


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## Oncea3fan (Dec 14, 2009)

might try some "test " fish , but I feel like Iam giving them a death sentence.


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## beaslbob (May 29, 2009)

PH on my FW palnted tanks is 8.4-8.8 with the api high range test kit.

neons, guppies,platys thrive at the ph.

PH rises as carbon dioxide is removed. Which is hardly a bad thing for the fish.

So to me the value of the pH is not the critical thing but what got it there.

my .02


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## Oncea3fan (Dec 14, 2009)

well, we got fish! *w3

10 neon tetras
10 long fin danio's
3 fancy tail guppies
3 glo-fish(looks like hybird danio with neon colors)

but with a 75 gal , you still gotta look for the fish , tank looks empty still


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## phil_pl (Apr 10, 2009)

Oncea3fan said:


> 3 glo-fish(looks like hybird danio with neon colors)
> still


they are Danios they have just been altered to have the neon coloring


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## ladyonyx (Apr 20, 2009)

They'll probably be fine; let us know how they do. Stable pH is more important than the "correct" pH. What is your pH at now (actual value)?


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## Oncea3fan (Dec 14, 2009)

looks like 8.4 (highest reading on scale)

lost all 3 guppies and 1 glo-fish


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## Sweet Tee (Nov 24, 2009)

Sorry to hear that Oncea3fan. I'm in my first week of cycling my tank and I'm noticing my pH is rather high...8.2. I'm considering adding driftwood to lower it a bit. The problem is I don't know how much it'll help and if it's bad to add it and lower the pH while the tank is cycling! 

*c/p*


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## Sweet Tee (Nov 24, 2009)

Reading back on your original post, did you cycle your tank before adding all these fish? If you had not cycled it yet, the sharp ammonia spike from adding a large amount of fish would kill some of them.


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## spawn (Sep 21, 2009)

i think this thread may help you..
Discus Fish Care Secrets: HOW TO ADJUST PH LEVEL OF YOUR AQUARIUM


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## WhiteGloveAquatics (Sep 3, 2009)

Didnt cycle fully and with weaker fish, are you using test strips to test your Ph?


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## Oncea3fan (Dec 14, 2009)

yes using test stripes to test.
I test the water cooler water and found it to be 7.4. I "barrowed" 5 jugs from work and did a partail water change, ph. is down 7.8 - 8.0, in a few week I'll another 25 gallon change.

I haven't lost any more fish.
when I set up the tank I used some old filter with "gunk" on them, and also sand/gravel from the same tank, this was my father in laws set up and was tore down for a few months.

I will take a water sample to my local fish store before adding any more new fish


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