Ok, so I started my 16 gal tank about a week ago. I used safe start, easy balance, and aqua start all by tetra. I got some live plants and a large log made of some kind of stone. Anyways, I've been testing the water almost every day now and I get my pH at 8.5 and alkalinity at 300 ppm. Now I dont have a super fance test kit just the one that uses the paper. How do I go about lowering this.
How to Lower High pH and Alkalinity
- Thread starter santanag23
- Start date
Welcome to the forum, santanag!
Do you have any fish in your tank yet, or are you doing a 'fishless cycle'? If you don't have any fish in there yet, you would be doing yourself a huge favour by 'cycling' your tank without fish. Not sure what 'cycling' means? No worries, just ask.
For now, your pH and alkalinity are not a worry. Most fish will adapt to anything within a reasonable window. However, the important tests that you should get will show levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Even if you don't want a 'fancy' kind of set up, you should invest in a liquid test kit for these three elements. The paper test strips are really unreliable. Do buy something like the API liquid test kit that will measure ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
Do you have any fish in your tank yet, or are you doing a 'fishless cycle'? If you don't have any fish in there yet, you would be doing yourself a huge favour by 'cycling' your tank without fish. Not sure what 'cycling' means? No worries, just ask.
For now, your pH and alkalinity are not a worry. Most fish will adapt to anything within a reasonable window. However, the important tests that you should get will show levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Even if you don't want a 'fancy' kind of set up, you should invest in a liquid test kit for these three elements. The paper test strips are really unreliable. Do buy something like the API liquid test kit that will measure ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.
The liquid test kit (API) will seem very expensive to you just to test water , but its worthy investment, especially for beginner like you. And as laura said , read about "Fishless cycle" on the internets , but to go through accurate cycle and know when its done, you will need Liquid test kit for near-perfect measurements of Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate.
Basically, when fish tank cycles with good bacteria, the Ammonia drops to 0, Nitrite drops to 0 and Nitrate stays below 10-20. Nitrate here is not that harmful to fish andi its a good source of fertilizer for live plants if you ever plan to keep them. Ammonia and Nitrite will kill fish as it goes through nitrogen cycle.
Good luck with your adventure and do ask any questions that pop up in your mind.
Basically, when fish tank cycles with good bacteria, the Ammonia drops to 0, Nitrite drops to 0 and Nitrate stays below 10-20. Nitrate here is not that harmful to fish andi its a good source of fertilizer for live plants if you ever plan to keep them. Ammonia and Nitrite will kill fish as it goes through nitrogen cycle.
Good luck with your adventure and do ask any questions that pop up in your mind.