Acceptable PH

[nowey]

I have a 125 setup and would like to add clown loaches and some burmese boarder loaches. My tap water has a PH of 7.7. I have two large chuncks of maylasian wood, but the PH is always 7.7. Will this be to high? I don't like using chemicalls to alter the PH because this will result in constant changing and may be worse than letting the fish adapt to the higher PH. Any opinions?
Thanks
Tom

[clownloachfan]

7.7 is high for clowns. They might be able to adapt but would be much happier at around 7.0 or lower. If you do not like using chemicals, use peat. This is a natural material that will lower your ph and hardness. Just add it to your filter. You could also have a small tank say 10 gallons with just a heater and a filter with peat in it to lower the ph of your tap water. It will make your water slightly yellow if you do not mind that.

[Diana]

What is the KH of your tap water?

Do not control pH. Lower the KH, and the pH will follow.
If you do nothing about the KH the pH will keep bouncing right back up again.

[nowey]

I got a KH and GH test kit today and here are my readings:
KH 3º or 50ppm
GH 4º or 71ppm

Is this normal? I think I have soft water based on these readings. Should I attempt to lower the PH? (7.7) My concern is that adjusting the PH will result in fluctuating PH each time I change water. I 'm wondering if it would be better for clowns to adapt to a stable PH of 7.7 rather than a constant fluctuating PH? Any Opinions?
Thanks
Tom

[Blue]

Are your decors inert? Test substrate and rocks using vinegar.

[Whitey_MacLeod]

It's unusual to have a high pH with low KH and GH, but it can happen.
GH and KH are more important for the fish than pH, and your levels of these are fine for clowns. I'd stick with the water you have, and loaches should do fine provided you acclimatise them properly. I have very soft water here (KH and GH both <1), so I always drip acclimatise fish over at least a couple of hours.

[chefkeith]

kH and gH look spot on.

pH is often misunderstood. Read this thread- http://aquafacts.net/index.php?option=c ... pic=2818.0

and read this article-
http://aquafacts.net/index.php?option=c ... pic=2636.0

[Diana]

TOm, my water comes out of the tap similar to yours, but none of my tanks maintain that high pH unless I do something about it.
Does your tap water change pH after sitting exposed to the air for a day or two?

I keep my Clown Loaches in the same tank as my Discus. pH 6.8, GH 5 degrees, KH 3 degrees, TDS upper 300s.
I get this sort of water by aging the water for 24 hours in a garbage can with a knee-hi stocking full of peat moss and a fountain pump.
My Lake Tanganyika tank has pH 7.8, GH and KH about 10 degrees. I use baking soda and Seachem Equilibrium to reach these values. TDS 700s.
My Brackish water tank has similar pH, KH and GH to the Lake Tang. tank, but also has the salt. TDS 1100. I use Coralife salt and mineral blend that is used for marine tanks, but in a smaller dose.

I use a TDS meter as well, when I bring home new fish to set up the proper water chemistry in the quarantine tank.

Controling the water chemistry is easy, once you have a feel for it.

Tom, have you measured the tap water pH right out of the tap, and then 24 and 48 hours later?
Do you have any decorations in the tank that might be raising the pH? Limestone and related minerals, corals, coral sand or similar materials are most common.
Driftwood will not usually create such a noticeable shift in pH, the surface area is too small. It can, especially when it is still bleeding tannic acid into the tank, but once it is aged, there is so little effect that it is safe to use driftwood in high pH/hard water set ups.
Test this in a bucket: A few gallons of water and 1/4 cup of peat moss, circulate with a pump or air bubbler and monitor pH, KH and GH for several days. Post the results. If this makes the water that you want to use for the fish then you will need a larger sturdy garbage can. I use a Rubbermaid Brute, 32 gallon, and a set of wheels under it. A small pump (about 200 gph) A spare aquarium heater. Age the water with peat moss before every water change.
If you do not have the room or time to do this, then do not attempt to change the water with concentrated acids or similar methods.

[nowey]

Thanks everyone for the advise. For those who asked, my water is 7.6 out of the tap and stays about the same over time.
Tom

[Diana]

With stable water conditions, I would suggest not messing with it as the easiest option.