8.4 Ph! Is my fish suffering? How detramenral is this to my juvie fh?

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tooth517

tooth517

Gambusia
MFK Member
Sep 21, 2009
703
15
18
Eaton Rapids , Michigan
Tested water. Ammonia = 0
tested nitrite = 0
tested nitrate = 0
tested high range Ph = 8.4
Is my fish in discomfort?
I have some driftwood, if I put it in will the ph drop enough to make him more comfortable? FH info thread says dont add chems. Is my nitrate supposed to be at zero?
 
Don't add chemicals go natural. 8.4 is pretty bad but a flowerhorn should be able to handle it. Anything above 8.4 would probably be hard to keep most ca/sa cichlids in but africans will thrive in it. Just add as much driftwood to your tank as you can to try to bring your pH down although it will only do some much. Remember when you do a water change you're still dumping in water of a pH of 8.4 unless you treat it beforehand. Stay away from any crushed coral, texas holey rock or anything like that which may be increasing your pH. You can also look into using indian almond, and oak leaves to lower your pH.

As long as your water is clean and cycled your nitrates should read zero. If you're a little over due for a water change and you have some nitrate readings that's okay just be sure to do a water change as soon as you can.
 
Is that the pH of your tap water?

I'd be curious to know what your GH and KH are.

I'm not expert, but he should be fine. If you try to adjust too quickly though, that would not be good for him.

I would just add something to your filter like peat or almond leaves. There are tons of products out there. Just do it gradually.

Or do nothing. I don't think 8.4 is that big of a deal. Especially if that's the pH of your tap water. If you did get the pH down to say 7.5 (my sweet spot) and went with a large water change without adjusting the pH of the new water you could kill whatever is living in the tank.
 
Ok. I have a piece of driftwood I can put in there today. I will also test my tapwater. Its well water since I love in the boonies but I do have a softener. Not sure if that makes much difference.
 
If you kh is high (which it probably is with an 8.4 pH) there's no amount of driftwood that's going to change the pH. You're good. And the plus side is hard water is super stable (hence the reason drifwood won't soften it). My FH has grown faster than my Oscars in super super hard water. My kh is probably higher than yours. Don't get all bent out of shape by pH, kh is what fish feel. And even my Discus have done great in my super hard water.
 
Yeah get a hardness kit to test your gh and kh. I'd assume if you already have fish living in the water it's not that bad. Most flowerhorns prefer a high pH around 7.8-8 anyways. Like irngynt said peat moss in the filter is also a good trick.
 
My tap water tested 7.4 ph. Must be something in the tank (rocks or gravel) that has the ph so high. My other tanks are testing around 7.8-8.0. I may get some peat moss for filter as suggested but other than that I wont change anything. Thanks for all the advice.
 
tooth517;3773140; said:
My tap water tested 7.4 ph. Must be something in the tank (rocks or gravel) that has the ph so high. My other tanks are testing around 7.8-8.0. I may get some peat moss for filter as suggested but other than that I wont change anything. Thanks for all the advice.
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That doesn't sound right at all unless your tank is packed full of texas holey rock or something. I would check the tank again and make sure it's 8.4.
 
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