Loaches Online Forum

I just took some water samples to the chemistry lab on campus and these were the pH results before and after treatment with Seachem Neutral Regulator:

Aquarium water before treatment: 8.20
Aquarium water after treatment: 8.15

Tap water before treatment: 7.35
Tap water after treatment: 7.25

So therefore my current tank pH is 8.15!! I am very worried for the loaches. I just did a 20% water change with treated tap water, but something is making it basic.
Also, judging by those numbers, my KH is probably high (hard water) because the water is acting as a buffer against the Neutral Regulator.

Any suggestions? Use Peat? pH down?

What sort of substrate do you have? Is it a marine sand?

What are the other water parameters?

i have estes spectra stone substrate, but they are the same rocks i have always had in my tank. unless they break down over age, i don't think they are the problem.

The only new addition i have made to the tank is a artificial log two weeks ago. It is a "Topfin" brand which I rinsed well in hot water.

The ammonia is 0, it does not smell strongly of "fish tank" (I belive that indicates nitrate/nitrite content?) and temperature is a steady 25 C. I don't have any other test kits, but that may change soon...

pH change can be from a few different things.

What is the kH of the tap and the tank water?

If it's not a kH change, then it could be that your tap water is high in CO2 and the tank water is low in CO2. Those pH readings would be typical if you have a high 02 tank with lots of surface aggitation.

CO2/pH changes are normal in most tanks. Test the tank water in the morning and at night. pH is always at the high end at the end of the photo period when the lights go off. My pH swings from about 6.8 to 7.4 daily because of the CO2 changing with the light cycle. (I could drive the pH up to 8.0 if I added alot of surface aggitation, but I want CO2 in the water because I have plants that need CO2).

pH change by CO2 is absolutely harmless to fish. If there is a pH difference because of kH, then that needs to be taken care of.