Just realized I have a high pH problem

Almost four weeks into a fish-in cycle with my 20g - 2 Platies, 1 swordtail. Only fake plants. Temp is 77-79. KH is 120ish, maybe a tad higher using the test strips. Water is hard to very hard. Not sure if something changed in the last week or so with my tap but I feel like the last time I checked ph it wasn't this high.

API master kit reading 8.2(ish).

I eventually want to more fully stock my tank with a bolivian ram, a school of danio or tetras, and maybe some bottom friends or shrimp.

Any idea what I should do with this pH? I'd rather not use something like peat moss that will discolor the water.

 

Have you tested the pH of your tap water?
Have you added any limestone or coral sand / crushed coral to the tank. If your tank has ammonia in it because it isn't fully cycled then the ammonia may be raising you pH. Water parameters often do weird things whilst cycling. If you want to lower pH temporarily until the tank settles you could add pH down ( basically just an acid ) but you will have to test and add regularly as it only gives a short term fix.

 

Thanks for quick reply. Should have said, tank and tap tests came up identical so I guess we drink high pH water.

None of that is added to the tank (limestone, coral, etc). Ammonia is consistently at .25, I do water changes every few days and dose the new water with prime and stability.

My filter is a hob with aquaclear sponges and a bag of matrix.

 

My PH is 8.2. I say just leave it. My neon tetras, peppered corydoras, and bettas all do fine in it. They're used to the PH though because all my lfs's have the same PH.

 

My PH is 8.2. I say just leave it. My neon tetras, peppered corydoras, and bettas all do fine in it. They're used to the PH though because all my lfs's have the same PH.

Totally agree. I have that same pH and I’m keeping a wide variety of fish with no issues.

( to OP)
Edit: Plus, Livebearers actually prefer a higher ph. I would say that your tank is doing pretty good pH wise!

 

My PH is 8.2. I say just leave it. My neon tetras, peppered corydoras, and bettas all do fine in it. They're used to the PH though because all my lfs's have the same PH.

Here as well, pH is stable at 8.2, and the fish are not having any issues.

 

Thanks for all of the replies. I'm inclined to just leave it as is since I've read so many times stability in pH is what is most important. I originally had 3 Platies and 3 swordtails. Lfs sold me discus buffer which I used for the first week or so, I wonder if that had something to do with losing a platy and two swordtails.

Note, the remaining three fish seem to be doing great and are real troopers with the fish in cycle.

 

I say leave it as well. I have 8.0-8.2 and have been able to have all sorts of fish, including types that most expert websites declare need a really low PH. What I have heard is that except for super exotic fish, most fish are not wild, but professionally bred and thus are used to higher pHs. I've also heard that keeping things stable is more important. And finally, if you do have higher pH, it will make Ammonia and Nitrites more toxic. I'm no chemist and can't give you the super scholarly information about, but I know enough to know that the higher the Ph, that more important it is to keep your Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates in check.