matt11390

As to why my pH is so high? The tank is cycled and has been running for a couple of months. It is planted with one piece of driftwood. It is a 33long with eco complete as the substrate.

My ph is around 7.7 and can't figure out why. I began the tank by using r/o water with it's ph being hard to figure. I bought it from a LPS and some days it would read in the high 7's and other days in the low 6's so I am not sure what it truly was. However when I brought it home I used a API ph test and it would always read 7.7. So I am assuming that is what the r/o was even though that seems high for r/o water.

Since the beginning I have been doing water changes with my tap. The tap is right at 7.0. It has been now several water changes with my tap yet my ph is still high around 7.7. I originally was going to do a tetra tank with cardinals but have decided to stick with livebearers for now because of the ph situation. Any suggestions as to why the ph continues to be high?

By the way I don't want to use any powders to lower the ph. I want to keep it at it's natural reading and do the tank from there.

AlyeskaGirl

Fish can adjust to PH. I believe it's Cichlids that need to have the higher PH regardless. Messing with the PH can cause you more probs in the long run, I find it best to just leave it be.

Shawnie

the eco complete is making the ph high its a natural way we recommend to raise ph for africans ..I would leave it be as the fish have done well in it ..you can lower it by adding more driftwood..the tannis brings it down naturally without adding meds

matt11390

Hey Shawnie,

I don't think it is although it could be the eco complete. It is not the eco complete for africans that I am using. I am using the dark substrate for plants. I have used this before in a previous tank and the ph was in the high 6's.

I'm not concerned with lowering the ph. I am happy as long as it is constant. I am just curious as to what is keeping it up. You could be right though.

Shawnie

.ive been doing tons of research for my africans (which im new to)and it says both will raise the ph..but I could be wrong about the plant one although i remember reading that both will help with high ph.....I hope things work out...but seems after 2 months, the fishies are ok right?

matt11390

Yeah, the fish are healthy and doing great

I am not concerned about their health or the ph level. I made sure I acclimated all my fish very carefully. And as long as the ph is constant, no matter if it is high, I am good with it.

Just curious why the ph is staying high. I suppose the substrate is keeping it up there. I sure can't think of anything else it could be.

Angela_96

What type of driftwood is it? I recently found out that Malaysian (sp) driftwood will actually raise the ph if anything.

matt11390

Not sure what kind of driftwood it is. However, I used this same piece in a previous tank that had a ph in the high 6's. This tank is considerably smaller though. My current tank is 33long and my previous tank was 150g.