# PH of 8.2 ok ?



## MapleValley (Jul 16, 2013)

When I set up my freshwater tank four months ago I got the nutrafin water test kit. For months I got a perfect reading on PH of 7. 

Upgraded to a API test kit and now find my PH is 8.2. Also got a seachem ph alert to hang in the tank...showing red off the chart. Is this safe for the fish? The old test still tells me 7. :icon_neut

They all seem fine (flashing here is there is my only concern). The tank has lots of plants, piece of hollow log and drift wood. I have now added peat moss but that did not lower it any.


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## ngrubich (Nov 29, 2011)

It depends. What types of fish are in the tank?


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## MapleValley (Jul 16, 2013)

three tanks with these guys  

20gallon #1 
4 platy
1 Siamese algae eater 
four nerite snails
5 platy fry between 2-6 weeks 

20gallon #2
1 dwarf red male Gourami
4 danio 
6 odessa barbs 


5 gallon
betta only 

thanks so much!


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## SmittyInFla (May 3, 2013)

Maple: I have pH riding steady between 8.0 and 8.2...I have guppies, cory cats, and small snails, along with sixteen plant species. 

The pH does not seem to be negatively affecting anything. In fact...Want some guppies?? PLEASE???


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## MapleValley (Jul 16, 2013)

LOL. 

thanks so much Smitty I feel better now. funny it was not a worry till I got a better test kit.

I would love to take some guppies, soon as I find someone to take all my beautiful platy fry lol. I didn't mention the other tank with 20 of those guys...lol. 

I just moved to WA and from St. Aug FL...neat to get advice all the way from Tampa lol. :icon_mrgr


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## djjcoleman (Jul 6, 2013)

pH alone isn't sufficient. I live in an area where the water is considered to be "liquid rock". The water company claims the water (annual average) is 7.8pH (Gh is 20-30 grains/gal). I've measured 8.2 max pH. What is the kH/gH of the water? Do you have plants? What substrate does the tank have? Decorations? (especially rocks).

Can't/won't test? pH stability is _far_ more important than the value. If the fish behave "normally", you're probably ok.


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## Diana (Jan 14, 2010)

While GH is the most important measurement, pH is not totally irrelevant.

pH that high may be OK for certain Cichlids (rift lake fish), many livebearers and certain Rainbow fish, but it is higher than some fish can tolerate. The flashing is one indication that there is an irritant in the tank. High pH can be an irritant to fish whose ancestors came from soft, acidic or neutral water. 

Here is how I handle this:

1) Set the GH to the optimum level for the most delicate fish in the tank. 
2) Make the KH match the GH pretty close. 
3a) if the fish come from black water rivers, filter the water through peat moss. 
3b) if the fish come from hard water lakes, filter the water through coral sand. 

Net result:
My tap water has the pH kept up to the upper 7s to low 8s by the water company adding sodium hydroxide. I think the peat moss removes this (peat can act as an ion exchange water softener). So the water for my soft water fish may have a pH in the low 7s, or lower. GH and KH of my tap water is pretty close to 4-5 degrees most of the time, so this is fine for almost all the community fish that I keep, but is too soft for the hard water fish. I have also used RO water when I was breeding Rams.


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## jpappy789 (Jul 28, 2013)

I'd argue TDS is far more important than pH, GH or KH when it comes to directly affecting osmotic balance in fish...though the latter three can be related to TDS and are usually easier to measure for the average hobbyist. But when it comes down to it, pH is a measure of H+ concentration and that is really as far as you can conclude from that measurement alone. 

I've never heard of pH being a direct irritant to the point of flashing, and I've kept several "soft water" fish in a pH/GH/KH that is well outside the ranges found in their natural habitats. Most captive bred fish have likely never even experienced that exact type of water chemistry before anyways. To be honest, unless the flashing is consistent and seems to really be bothering the fish it may be an isolated "itch," so to speak.

Personally, I wouldn't recommend messing with water chemistry unless there is an actual problem.


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## MapleValley (Jul 16, 2013)

thanks for all the feedback!! 

I got a GH/KH test finally...how does one test for TDS? digitally I hope! lol 

ok these are the numbers I came up with

PH 7.4 (not sure why it was so high on my first couple of tests?) still getting 7.6 on other two tanks...same water and treatment??? 

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0 

KH 5/89.5 
GH 7/125.3

those numbers all work for the fish I am getting. but now I wonder can you have a cycled tank with 0 nitrate? this tank has been going for 8 months. I put the fish in other tanks and rescaped it for new arrivals. 

and some happy news is all the flashing I had went away when I changed over to Prime from nutrafin products! yea!


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## MapleValley (Jul 16, 2013)

sorry also...all tanks have plants and wood. two with higher ph have rocks from the LFS. no plastic decorations.


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## gSTiTcH (Feb 21, 2013)

MapleValley said:


> two with higher ph have rocks from the LFS.


That could very well be what is causing pH to climb. Did you test the rocks before putting them in the water? (Use acid and see if the rock fizzes)


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## jpappy789 (Jul 28, 2013)

I'd not worry so much about the differences. It's very hard to compare tanks even with the same source water...other variable are rarely the same.

TDS can be measured using a TDS meter. I got mine for less than $30 shipped on Amazon. Nothing lab-grade nor is it necessary, but I will admit it's a fun tool to play around with.


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## MapleValley (Jul 16, 2013)

no I didn't test the rocks seeing as I was buying from the LFS and they looked used honestly lol. I did rinse in very hot water and let dry completely. 


Can someone answer the other half of my question? thanks!

PH 7.4 
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
KH 5/89.5 
GH 7/125.3

those numbers all work for the fish I am getting. but now I wonder* can you have a cycled tank with 0 nitrate*? this tank has been going for 8 months. I put the fish in other tanks and rescaped it for new arrivals. It's a 6 gallon fluval. 

I really appreciate all the help and feedback!


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## jpappy789 (Jul 28, 2013)

With enough plants and/or a low bioload and/or a lot of water for dilution it is possible. In a 6 gallon it would likely need to be one or both of the first. What's in the 6 gallon? I didn't see that listed above.


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## MapleValley (Jul 16, 2013)

yes I too have MTS lol  

The 6 gallon was home to many platy fry. 

Has always had two or three small plants and some java moss. 

I found home for the fry...added large branch of driftwood and took out a rock...the substrate is black...think they called it moon-sand. 

Added two new plants. Java moss out. 

Was without any fish for several days...I only added one tiny piece of flake food to keep it going (I had not tested the water in a while, was assuming since the tank is older and the sponge is just about black should have some good bacteria happening!). 

Mystery white stuff started growing on the branch so I added two snails. Then I did a water test. I have had the good N show up on tests in the past. 

thanks so much jpappy789


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## jpappy789 (Jul 28, 2013)

No problem. Make sure you're doing the tests right, NO3 is an easy one to mess up because of the steps and shaking you're supposed to do.

But I suppose it's always possible. Your tank doesn't seem very heavily planted, but fry aren't high bioload either.


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