Help me interpret my tap water numbers

[JollyOtter]

I am in a business park and on a major metro water system and am planning a 75 gallon aquarium setup at my office. I intend it to be a low tech planed tank stocked with 3 or 4 varieties of Rainbowfish.

I have tested (twice each test) my tap water with the API master kit and the GH/KH kit and got the following results:
PH = 8.4
Ammonia = 0ppm
Nitrate = 0ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
KH = 2°dKH (2 drops)
GH 35.8 PPM (2 drops)

If I am understand these correctly, I have water that is soft and basic (Alkaline). The PH has me a little concerned but I have read that a stable PH is more important than the number itself, if the fish are acclimated correctly. Is there anything I should be concerned about or plan for with this water? Any plants and fish that may not do well?

 

[StarGirl]

On the pH put some in a glass and let it sit overnight and gas off. This will give you your true pH what it will be in the tank.

 

[Madeline Peterson]

If you Google "<fish name> water parameters" you can find details about the preferred water parameters of most species of aquarium fish, as well as how sensitive they are to the water parameters. I did this with rainbowfish for you, and you probably need to add a water hardener for them, but the pH should be fine for most species. You will also want to add something to raise the KH. Here's the article for more details on rainbowfish: Rainbowfish - A Complete Care Guide

If you want to keep fish with lower pH requirements, use distilled water and add GH and KH supplements. That's what I did for a while.

 

[jake37]

This isn't always good information as fishes that are tank raised might be tank raised in a different ph and prefer that ph. Usually the ph listed is what is found in their native habitat.

If you Google "<fish name> water parameters" you can find details about the preferred water parameters of most species of aquarium fish, as well as how sensitive they are to the water parameters. I did this with rainbowfish for you, and you probably need to add a water hardener for them, but the pH should be fine for most species. You will also want to add something to raise the KH. Here's the article for more details on rainbowfish: Rainbowfish - A Complete Care Guide

If you want to keep fish with lower pH requirements, use distilled water and add GH and KH supplements. That's what I did for a while.

 

[Madeline Peterson]

This isn't always good information as fishes that are tank raised might be tank raised in a different ph and prefer that ph. Usually the ph listed is what is found in their native habitat.

Not sure how you'd find out what pH they were raised in, given that most fish stores don't get fish locally. Researching water parameters is better than nothing. Also, it is entirely possible for fish to adjust to new water parameters and end up being happier if it is closer to what they evolved to tolerate.

 

[JollyOtter]

On the pH put some in a glass and let it sit overnight and gas off. This will give you your true pH what it will be in the tank.

Thanks. I did not know pH might change after sitting. I will take some water home and test the pH tomorrow.

Here's the article for more details on rainbowfish: Rainbowfish - A Complete Care Guide

Thanks for the link. Looks like lots of good information.