High PH" best way to lower to around PH 7

Hi iv just setup tank useing most R/O water and 20% tap water! But my water Had Zero KH hardness! So to solve this i added some Tropic Marine Re-Mineral" But this only made the PH higher and not really the KH" it was still around KH 1-2" but PH 7.2( wich i wonted) So to higher the KH but not the PH" I was told to use Bicarbonate of Soda (for bakeing) and it wont change PH"
So put some of this in tank and did tests! The KH as gone up to 4 wich i soft enough for me! But the Dam PH as gone off the scale (blue) way to high for south american!!

Would you just do a Big water change useing just R/O water and no minerals? as dont wont KH higher than 4""

Or is there a better way to lower PH and get thing Stable in the aquarium!

catfishacr said:

Whats your tap water ph?

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Its aound PH 7.2 buddy!

catfishacr said:

If I were you i wouldn't worry about trying to lower the Ph. South American fish will be fine in a ph of 7.2. I keep south american fish in a ph of 8 and they are thriving!

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yes but id like to try and breed the fish im haveing" also they are comeing from a guys tank that is around 6.2 PH" There"s a big gap in the ph of mine and his tank!

Warborg said:

Do you have rocks in your tank? Mainly holy rocks? They drive the PH up.

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In the Tank iv only got 1 big piece of slate and fair few plastic plants" a little bogwood and 6 bags of caribsea taiti black sand!

In the sump iv got carbon/filter wool and bag half of Alfra grog rock!! like larva rock!

duanes said:

Just curious which S Americans you mean, my pH averages 7.8, and I've had many S Americans spawn in my tanks. Everything from Gymnogeophagus and Geophagus (altifrons, iporanguensis), and Australoheros, to Guianacara.

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You got a soft water then? KH/GH i mean mate?
iv got a group of 5 cichla kelberi and going to get a few crenicichla zebrini or atabapo red pikes!