drudometkin

I'm cycling my new tank, and it's almost done. I want to get two wild angelfish, but my water is 8.2. Is this a very bad thing or do you think they could live healthy long lives in higher PH water? What could I do to improve the water before I put them in?

Jacko

I would personally say no because if would be stressful on the fish. Though if you could answer these questions it would be helpful.

What is your DH (degrees hardness)? A high pH doesn't always mean a high water hardness.

What is your local pH, if it is any lower you might have some sort of bufferer in your tank and removing that would provide yourself with "maybe" the proper pH.

And if you are stuck on angels then you could do a half and half water change with local tap and RO water.

drudometkin

I don't know my water hardness.

Local PH should be the same since I used tap water.

What is RO water?

Jacko

RO= reverse osmosis, Lacks any bacteria and stuff. Really low pH too, don't know how low though.

There are two ways of getting it:
1.) spending the money on a reverse osmosis filter thingy
-OR-
2.) buy lots of bottled wate labeld "filtered by reverse osmosis.

Butterfly

Most fish that are caught wild are really sensitive to water conditions. angels that are tank bred acclimate much easier to local water conditions.
Carol

Dino

And are also bred in Florida in the 7.8 pH water there.

I would NOT suggest wild caught angels in 8.2.

drudometkin

I got some driftwood so i'm gonna see if that helps to lower my PH.

drudometkin

I just did about a 35% water change and added some new driftwood. The water change helped now the PH is about 8.0. My tap water is about 7.8. Oh I don't have any fish in here yet fotunately.

Isabella

I would not recommend WILD-CAUGHT Angelfish kept in water with a pH of 8.2. Commercially bred Angelfish would be fine if acclimatized properly, but wild-caught Angels have lived in acidic waters all their lives and putting them in this alkaline water would probably be very bad for them. Sure, you could use various commercial products, peat, or driftwood leaching tannins to lower your pH. But remember that all of these (especially the commercial pH adjusters) will cause your pH to fluctuate up and down. A stable pH is far safer for fish than a constantly fluctuating one. The pH fluctuations would add to even more stress for these wild-caught Angels. I'd recommend getting commercially bred Angelfish for you.

In one of my tanks, my substrate (nutrient-rich gravel for plants) has increased my pH to around 8.0. I have commercially bred Angelfish in that tank, and they're fine with this pH.

Callum The Cat

definetley not if u take it down to about 6.6 it might be fine but check what conditions there in at the shop

Peace Out Callum!

drudometkin

This is weird. I was at petsmart tonight and bought a seachem PH tester that you put inside the tank with a suction cup. This tester is saying my PH is 6.6-7.0. Mabye these drop tests I've been using this whole time have been inaccurate.

Callum The Cat

have u done the drip test now as well because druing the cycle the pH drops

Peace Out Callum!

catersun

yea.. I bought one of those too... they suck... seriously LOUSY. take it back and get your money back. they are a ripoff... much better used as a fish toy.

my guys like to play slap the tag... like slap a bull... swims up tags it adn then swims away .. I have silly fish