Help! My pH is too low.

[Louise02]

We ordered a new betta; it's due to arrive Friday.  In the meantime, we got a Burkey water filter up and going.  The water coming out of it was too acidic, so I checked the tap water that I put into the Burkey.  Wow!  Our tap water is toxic- pH of about 6.4 (+ammonia +Chlorine).  I tried some RO water that came in at 6.2.

I wish I had known what a pickle I was in before I ordered the betta.  The crushed coral in the betta tank won't impact the pH enough.  I need a new long-term plan, but, with the fish on the way, I need to figure out how to get the pH up.  I am thinking to pull water out of the aquariums with 100% crushed coral substrate.  That water is running at about 7.2.

I made a big blunder here.  Any advice?

[Yoshi]

If you can get your hands on some Seachem Alkaline Buffer that will raise your PH.  Keep in mind it will also raise your KH, so you'll want to see where you're at there before using it.  

[face]

A ph of 6.4 isn’t technically bad my tank is like that as long as you know and are maintaining it accordingly it’s fine as for the chlorine ammonia its from your water company using chloramine how much ammonia do you have?

[Louise02]

On 7/23/2024 at 3:01 PM, face said:

A ph of 6.4 isn’t technically bad my tank is like that as long as you know and are maintaining it accordingly it’s fine as for the chlorine ammonia its from your water company using chloramine how much ammonia do you have?

The Chlorine and ammonia were from the faucet.  I put that water through a filter, which removes both.

[Mmiller2001]

PH 4.9 is this tank. Low pH is not an issue especially with a Beta. Crushed coral is not a solution I would ever implement. Just use what you have and declorinate the water.

Edited July 24 by Mmiller2001

[Yoshi]

People make a good point.  Chasing parameters can be a challenge.  Adjusting something in one area can throw something else out of wack.  The most important thing overall is stability.