Aquarium Tap Health

Aquarium Tap Health

PH of 8.8?

I just bought an API water test kit and tested my aquarium water for the first time. It said the pH was 8.8, which was the upper limit of the test so it may have been even higher. I immediately did a water change but that didn't change much, brought it down to like 7.8. I doubt this is the natural pH of my tap water, how can a bring the pH down to a stable 7.4? Btw the two guppies and two otos SEEM like they are in perfect health.
Could vacuuming gravel effect the pH?

You wouldn't by any chance be keeping African cichlids or saltwater and be using a prepared salt mix for these? Both contain buffers intended to raise the pH, so this might be the source of your pH level (although it still seems a little high - be sure you're not adding too much of the mix to your water - if you have a lot of rock or decor, these take up tank volume so a 75 gallon tank may only be holding 60 gallons of water as an example).

If this isn't your situation, the first step I would take is to rinse out the testing tube with soap and water, and rinse it well. Then get a sample on tank water and sinse the tube a few times with that are repeat the test. It doesn't happen often, but there may have been something in the tube itself which may have thrown your results off. By performing a test, if something on the tube was responsible, it may have partially washed off, thus giving you the lower second reading (after your water change). Also clean a second tube and run a test on your tapwater if that's what you're using to fill the tank to see if there's a difference. If there is a difference of more than 0.1 to 0.2, look to what you might have in your tank.

Be sure you're following the directions on the kit - adding the correct number of drops, holding the bottle perfectly up and down (having the bottle tilted will change the size of the drops, and therefore your results), and waiting the proper amount of time.

The fact that your fish seem to be okay is another thing which causes me to question the accuracy of your test results. As the pH goes above 8, the fish should begin to get a cloudy appearance as they produce excess slime to protect their skin and gill surfaces from the excessive pH. In extreme cases, you'll even see the skin and scales eroding and fins fraying.

You might also have a store test a sample of your water to confirm your results. It's even possible that you have bad reagents in the kit.

While shell and aragonite material will raise the pH some, it won't raise it to that level. I keep both freshwater and marine tanks, and with just coral and aragonite, the pH stables as 7.8. You have something else going on if your pH is above 8.

CHARGE WATER for life ( brings dead water back to life) GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH

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