FishQueen55

I ran the pH test on my water today and it's still reading 8.2. I've did everything possible, but I think it has to do with my water source. I was wondering about the whole peat moss in the filter deal, someone told me that would lower it. My fish seem to be doing fine should even bother with messing with it?

Another question is since the ph is high in my water is there any specific kind of fish that thrive in that water condition, I was thinking more on the freshwater side. I am going to have a 55 gallon tank open because I'm moving my water dragon into a different cage and was needing to fill it with something...

CHoffman

Many kinds of cichlids do good with hard water. Have you tried using drift wood? I bought some at the LFS and it lowered mine a good amount..I also have High PH..but the driftwood seems to help.

fishlover78

I believe baking soda will also buffer your Ph, then use this to keep it stable and where you want it: http://www.aquahobby.com/products/e_stability.php hope this helps! -fishlover78

KyWildFish

Correct me if I am wrong but is baking soda not a BASE. Basic chemicals have a high pH. I can see where it might work as a buffer but it wont solve any high pH problems. The driftwood might do the trick, also do you have limestones in your tank by chance?

sirdarksol

Yes, baking soda is a buffer, and would do very well to buffer a tank. But it also acts to raise the pH.
In general, water with a high pH also has a very high buffer, so there should be no need to add a buffer.
The downside of this is that it's nearly impossible to lower the pH. Driftwood and plants simply don't have enough tannins in them to eat through all of the buffer.
The advantage, however, is that you've likely got a very stable pH, which is good for fish.
Most fish will adjust to a high pH. My pH is 8.2 or higher, and I am keeping tetras, otos, glassfish, and bettas, all of which prefer more acidic water. All of them are doing very well.
On the other hand, if you want, your water would be perfect for African cichlids, which really like the high-pH water. So if you want to go that route, it would be perfect.

Butterfly

A stable Ph is much more important than the "perfect" Ph obtained through manipulation. Ph tends to fluctuate when it's time for a water change when using chemicals to adjust Ph and the fluctuation is very stressful for your fish. Most fish will adjust to whatever Ph you have, and as you stated yours are doing fine so obviously they have adjusted. Also another thing to consider... If you are buying your fish locally they were probably being kept in water at that Ph when you got them.
Carol