Xr4tiCrew Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Currently in my established 10 gallon tank my ph is always around 8.2ish. I would like to get it down a bit but not really sure how to do that. It’s a heavy populated tank with both fish/shrimp and plants. Or maybe it’s fine right where it is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 (edited) From my personal experience, 8.2 ph alone shouldn't cause that much of a problem. Most plants do better in lower ph than 8.2 for sure, but you seem to be keeping low tech ones, so I would not worry much. I keep my tank at 8.2 too. If your fish are local tank bred and your parameters are similar to parameters they have been raised, then I would not worry much. It becomes more problematic if the fish are wild caught, which is kinda common for ottos. Generally, playing with water parmeters, especially in smaller tanks can go out of balance real quick. Outside the question, neons, embers, ottos and a centerpiece betta seems a bit too much for a 10g imo. Especially considering all should be kept in schools except betta. You may want to look on this one 🙂 I feel like otto is likely to have the most potential struggle if it is wildcaught. As wildcaught fish do better in their natural parameters, and ottos aren't likely to be living with 8.2. If you don't hate the tannin look, you may drop a small piece of Indian almond leaf. Your betta, neons and shrimps will enjoy it. Especially baby shrimps 🙂 It may decrease the ph a lil, based on how hard your water is. Edited January 22, 2023 by Lennie 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheSwissAquarist Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 I’d lower it to around 7.5 ish at the very least. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nabokovfan87 Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 On 1/21/2023 at 6:31 PM, Xr4tiCrew said: I would like to get it down a bit but not really sure how to do that. It’s a heavy populated tank with both fish/shrimp and plants. Please list out specific species so we can better advise. What is the substrate you're using in the tank? (Looks like black gravel) What is the PH, KH, and GH of your tank and your tap water? Second to that, aerate a sample of tap water for 24 hours with an air stone so we have an idea of what off gasses, then test KH, GH, and PH again. Once we have the basics, then let's dive into what is recommended and what method to use to achieve that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mmiller2001 Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 You would simply mix your tap water with RO/distilled water. But before this is done, we need to know GH and KH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 I do not fix what is not broken. Changing ph stresses fish. Then at water change you need to match it or it stresses them again. If the fish have adapted and everyone is happy I would personally leave it alone. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remi de Groot Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 On 1/22/2023 at 3:19 PM, Guppysnail said: I do not fix what is not broken. Changing ph stresses fish. Then at water change you need to match it or it stresses them again. If the fish have adapted and everyone is happy I would personally leave it alone. I'm all-in on this one. If you don't have any problems don't change it. Your fish are worse of with fluctuating ph then how it is now. So as long as your fish are fine just leave it the way it is. If you start having some issues with just one species in the tank, just decide to rehome that fish and leave everything else as it is. I have a bit higher ph here as well and was focussing to much on the numbers on my first tank and mixing RO/Tap water. It made change water more complicated (so i did it less then i should) and it was never really stable. Ended up with sick fish. Since i stopped doing that and just leave the water as it is i have way more succes. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RennjiDK Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 Turning the air pump off will drastically reduce ph. The reason it is high is most likely due to the amount of gas exchange in the tank. Turn it off for 24 hours and test ph again. It's my guess that you will be pleasantly surprised. 😀 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xr4tiCrew Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 After all the replies I think I’ll turn off the air pump for 24 hours and retest. I currently do a water change weekly and dose with easy green once a week. I know I’ll get some hate on the amount of fish I have in there but I haven’t lost a fish for over a year now, basically after the tank fully cycled. I have the following fish. Beta, 4 Embers, 5 Neon, 2 Cory Cats, 2 Otos, 1 Balloon belly ram and about 20 shrimp and 2 guppies but those just got moved to my tank for a fish in cycle. I just set up a new 20g long and will move some of the fish to it once it is fully cycled. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remi de Groot Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 On 1/22/2023 at 8:22 PM, Xr4tiCrew said: After all the replies I think I’ll turn off the air pump for 24 hours and retest. I think your fish will be having a harder time without enough oxygen in the tank then with the high PH. May i ask you what the reason is you want to lower the ph after all this time the tank has been set up without issues? On 1/22/2023 at 8:22 PM, Xr4tiCrew said: I know I’ll get some hate on the amount of fish I have in there People hate. Thats what we do. Don't be to bothered about it. More fish in a tank means a bit (or way) more maintainance. As long as your fish seem to be happy and your parameters are fine your good. If i get the feeling that one of my tanks is overstocked i google a video of an breeder aquarium and the thought that my tank is overstocked is gone again. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guppysnail Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 (edited) On 1/22/2023 at 5:30 PM, Remi de Groot said: I think your fish will be having a harder time without enough oxygen in the tank then with the high PH. I agree here. There have been studies of fish immunity being stronger with higher oxygen and even medication being more effective. Being overstocked at night plants consume oxygen and release carbon dioxide and extra fish mean extra carbon dioxide as well as less oxygen Edited January 22, 2023 by Guppysnail 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrick_G Posted January 22, 2023 Share Posted January 22, 2023 I don’t keep German blue rams so this is more a question than advice. I understand that they prefer soft, slightly acidic water and temps in the low to mid 80s Fahrenheit. In this case would it be better to start water changing with part RO water, or just leave things as is and monitor the fish for signs of distress? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xr4tiCrew Posted January 22, 2023 Author Share Posted January 22, 2023 The Balloon Belly Ram is a fairly new addition to the tank, about 3 weeks now. The last 4 days he has not been as active and that is what lead me to lowering the PH a bit. I am going to just keep the tank as is. Getting RO water is only available from one store that I know of and it's a 25-minute trip one way so I don't really want to deal with that. I know I could use distilled as well but again, too much of a hassle every time I want to do a water change. Quoting @Guppysnail if it aint broke don't fix it. haha. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RennjiDK Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 On 1/22/2023 at 5:30 PM, Remi de Groot said: I think your fish will be having a harder time without enough oxygen in the tank then with the high PH. An airstone is not required to provide adequate gas exchange, and most people do not use them. The filter alone will provide enough breaking of the surface tension to allow off gassing of Co2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lennie Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 (edited) On 1/23/2023 at 1:30 AM, Remi de Groot said: More fish in a tank means a bit (or way) more maintainance. As long as your fish seem to be happy and your parameters are fine your good. If i get the feeling that one of my tanks is overstocked i google a video of an breeder aquarium and the thought that my tank is overstocked is gone again. That's true. I agree with this one. I keep my main tank a bit overstocked as well. And with lots of plants assistance, I do weekly gravel vac and water changes, I don't mind. But also, even the sizes of min schools are kinda man-made, I feel like 2 corycat, 4 ember and 2 ottos and 5 neons, with 2 centerpiece fish that likes to establish some sort of territory, does not sound like a good idea to me especially in a 10g. The only group I have that does not meet min group size is 5 sterbais, and even if I see some sort of breeding action and good growth in my 29g, I kinda regret not having at least one more. Well, it was not up to me, they were the last 5 in the lfs and never coming back smh. It is nothing like a hate. It is my personal opinion. And it is those fish' schooling nature. Considering you have a chance to move some into your new 20g, I feel like increasing the current school sizes and seperating the centerpieces sound like a good idea. They just like to be in bigger groups. My rummynose group of 10 is nothing versus Cory's 1000. But probably someone's 4 rummynose is nothing to my 10. The more, the merrier 🙂 Generally breeders overstock their tanks but not with a couple from each schooling fish and centerpiece fishes. I think that's the point where it differentiates with overstocking. This is their home to spend their time in your home whole life unless you are planning to change the tank size over time., not a breeding project. Overstocking with species like some cichlids is also almost the most successful way to go as we know. So yea,the issue is more about school sizes and providing room for establishing territory rather than overstocking, imo I am still kinda new but I haven't seen anyone hating,disrespecting or lecturing someone in such a way here. That's why this has been my fav forum to spend time on so far. Everyone try to be helpful and caring. At the end of the day, we all here caring about our fish friends and enjoying to spend time together by helping and talking to each other. Edited January 23, 2023 by Lennie 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JettsPapa Posted January 23, 2023 Share Posted January 23, 2023 Snails, shrimp, and a wide variety of fish and plants are doing just fine in my 8.2 pH hard water. Unless you're targeting something that absolutely won't tolerate the high pH, like caridina shrimp, I wouldn't mess with it. If that is the case, I'd start with RO water and re-mineralize to the parameters that species needs instead of trying to alter your faucet water. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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