Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What’s the best way to neutralize ph in a 55-gallon aquarium? It’s basically housing a few Gouramis some blood parrots a clown loach and some catfish. it has been set up for about 2 years. The water coming out of the tap is hard...somewhere north of 7.8. The Ph in the tank right now must be 5 or below! This is a friend’s tank I’m trying to help her with. I imagine some gradual water changes will bring the ph up but once things start to regulate in the ecosystem I would imagine the ph will go too high! Just a little confused about this. I have to do water changes anyway because the nitrate readings indicate it's been neglected for a long time. Thanks for any advice!

Oh yeah...sorry for the double post. I accidentally stuck this in the "Illness, Disease & Parasites" forum as well.

You said your pH is at 7.8 (which is almost neutral) and then you want to neutralize your pH? This is confusing. So you need your system to be running at 5 or less. That would be acidic so you would need to decrease the pH (which they make pH decreasers and sell them at most pet stores). I'm not sure of a more natural way, although I would recommend you get a hold of the water quality first before messing with the pH.
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Phishie
Site Coordinator

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

The ph coming out of the faucet in the sink is 7.8 I don’t consider 7.8 to be almost neutral. I also don’t think it’s acceptable that the ph in the tank is below 6.0. I don’t want to decrease the ph in the tank I want to raise it. I just don’t know the best way of doing it without shocking the fish. I can do gradual water changes but eventfully then I’ll have it up past neutral. I really don’t think the tetras like it that high, do they? Yes there are a few tetras in there I had neglected to mention. Do you recommend powder or drops to neutralize it? Which work better? What are the dangers of stressing the fish?

7.8 is closer to neutral (7) than the 5 or 6 that you said your tank is at. There are also pH increasers sold at pet stores, and I've read that you can use sea shells as a more natural source. All the fish you've mentioned like the pH to be around 7 (all of them fit in the 6.5 to 7.5 range), at least according to my research on reputable sites.

I use the liquid additives because you don't have to worry about solids dissolving. Of course you should mix additives outside the tank. If it were me, I would add some of the pH increaser to about a gallon of water and add gradually. Maybe to do that every day until the pH is at correct level, and then just add that to the water for your water changes along with your other additives (I'm assuming you have city water and add a de-chlorinator to the water you use for your water changes - because that's what most people do, if that's not the case for you, for instance if you have well water, you may not need to add the de-chlorinator, then I would add some pH increaser to your water change water before you add it to your tank).

Stress from pH increases or decreases isn't really the number one fish killer. However, it does cause stress to the fish if it is drastic or outside their intended pH range. If the pH is too acidic, it can interrupt their osmoregulation, enzymes, and gas exchange.

I've attached a link for you on how others suggest you adjust the pH of your water.
Adjusting pH

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Phishie
Site Coordinator

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."

Oh hey, I forgot to thank you for the link and the info! THANKS!! I'm just surprised that doing half water changes on he aquarium didn't rais the ph! Like I said before the Ph coming out of the tap the tap is higher! Now I have a question about how Nitrites and Nitrates affect ph but I think I should probably post that on the Filtration & Water Quality forum! I didn't see that forum before!! duh!

You're welcome.
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Phishie
Site Coordinator

"An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."