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P.H. Way to high

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  • P.H. Way to high

    I have mostly severums, my PH is currently at 7.2 i need to bring that down to 6.5-6.6 everything else is good. Amonia, nitrate and nitrite are all at 0. Any suggestions? Thank you
    150 gallon - Mississippi map turtles, chocolate cichlids, red spotted severums

    40 GB - Red Shoulder severums



    John 3:16

  • #2
    Are you trying to breed them?

    7.2 is absolutely fine for most SA fish. The biggest thing is to keep it stable. Websites will tell you that your pH HAS TO BE at a certain level, but that just isn't true. Stability is 100x more important than the actual pH (within reason), as long as you are below 8.0, you are fine.

    If you are trying to breed them, you will need to watch the hardness of the water, as the eggs will calcify. You can buy RO water from most any fish shop to soften the water before eggs are laid. Do not use only RO, as the lack of minerals in the water will cause pH swings, which again, is bad.
    75 planted (Being Renovated)
    Endlers
    gobies
    lots of nanos

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    • #3
      Sorry meant to say PH was 7.8. I was told to add plants to soften the water? I read allot of places not to rely on chemicals for the reason you stated ^. Thanks
      150 gallon - Mississippi map turtles, chocolate cichlids, red spotted severums

      40 GB - Red Shoulder severums



      John 3:16

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      • #4
        Our water is in the low 8.0 and I have angelfish. A 7.2 or 7.8 isn't bad as long as its stable.
        Nothing Kills Evil Like a Sharp Stick...

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        • #5
          Plants won't soften the water to my knowledge. they don't pull out enough minerals to affect the pH. The level of carbonate in the water is important, but they don't pull out enough. If you want to add plants, stick to swords and other easier plants based on light. If you don't want to add plants, don't worry about it. RO water is something like 25
          cents a gallon at most places, so it's not expensive to WC with RO once breeding mode starts.
          75 planted (Being Renovated)
          Endlers
          gobies
          lots of nanos

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          • #6
            Ok thanks, from what I have been reading and from what your replies the actual PH does not matter as much as keeping a consistent PH. Ill try to keep water changes with RO and reach that 7.2 consistently. Thanks again everyone.
            150 gallon - Mississippi map turtles, chocolate cichlids, red spotted severums

            40 GB - Red Shoulder severums



            John 3:16

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            • #7
              The fish will acclimate to it since most are captive bred, unless it was recently collected from the rivers I wouldn't be too sprung on the pH. Lowering it would achieve better vibrancy in coloration and breeding but it would be a constant battle keeping it stable as mentioned above.

              Some things you could add that would help are lots of driftwood, peat/alder cones to the filters or switch to made water like remineralized RO/DI.

              I am keeping some wild caught SA fish in houston tap water and they have shown little to no difference overall compared to when I was intentionally lowering pH/Hardness with Alder cones. I actually think they look better now that I'm not jacking with the water params.
              700g Mini-Monster tank

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              • #8
                Originally posted by troy tucker View Post
                Our water is in the low 8.0 and I have angelfish. A 7.2 or 7.8 isn't bad as long as its stable.
                +1

                Mark
                What are the facts? Again and again and again--what are the facts? Shun wishful thinking, ignore devine revelation, forget what "the stars foretell", avoid opinion, care not what the neighbors think, never mind the unguessable "verdict of history"--what are the facts, and to how many decimal places? You pilot always into an unknown future; facts are your only clue.

                Robert Anson Heinlein

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