Lowering PH

**TKO_Darkside** · 10-10-2011, 07:02 PM

The PH in both of my tanks is relatively high 8.0 or higher. I bought chemicals to lower it a point and have tried on a couple occasions. Is it stressful on the fish if I continue to try lowering the PH? I would like to get my PH around 7.0 to 7.6.

**frefal13** · 10-10-2011, 07:57 PM

Stable Ph is much more important than the "correct" Ph. Unless the fish are wild caught most fish can adapt to a variety of Ph levels. Most of the times altering the Ph just causes swings which can stress a fish to the point of death. What is the Ph in the tank compared to the tap when you use the conditioner? Personally I would gradually get the Ph back to what the tap is and just let it be.

**Strider199** · 10-10-2011, 07:58 PM

Plus 1 on the above info. Stable pH is what counts.

**Lady Hobbs** · 10-10-2011, 08:02 PM

No point in messing with it. It's easy to raise pH but is not easy to lower it and it will simply rise again causing too many adjustments for the fish.

**TKO_Darkside** · 10-10-2011, 09:34 PM

Originally Posted by Lady Hobbs

No point in messing with it. It's easy to raise pH but is not easy to lower it and it will simply rise again causing too many adjustments for the fish.

This is kind of what I was thinking would happen. I tried lowering it once and within a week it was back to what it was originally. I'm consistently always around the 8.0 area, never had any upward or downward swings.

Cool, guess I'll leave it alone and just monitor it from now on.

**EmmanuelJB** · 10-10-2011, 10:21 PM

My pH is crazy high, trust me it is impossible to lower it (and keep it low). Pretty much everyfish I have tried has adapted to my high pH. I had German Blue rams breeding in a tank with a pH higher than 8.0. So just don't mess with your pH most fish will adapt.

**TKO_Darkside** · 10-10-2011, 10:35 PM

My main concern was my high ph limiting the different species of fish that I could add to my tanks. Some fish that I would like to add have been recommended a lot lower ph level than what I currently have.

**frefal13** · 10-10-2011, 11:09 PM

Like I said above that really only matters if the fish are wild caught or really sensitive fish like discus...if the fish are captive bred then they will be much more adaptable than their wild cousins. What fish are you referring to?

**enzof9** · 10-10-2011, 11:16 PM

I have a community tank that can NEVER get down to a neutral pH. It is always sitting at 7.6.

I gather from the recent posts that this doesn't really matter unless I keep wild caught fish or something that is caught from the wild. Is this correct?

**Strider199** · 10-10-2011, 11:30 PM

I once asked my local lfs what their pH was and was told it was 7.0 or neutral. When I got home I tested the water in the bag and it was 7.8pH. That said, most fish you buy form the local lfs will be ok in your tap water as long as you acclimatize them slowly to your water conditions.