# Tap water pH 8.4!!!



## Yurtle (Jul 31, 2006)

I moved a while ago and I finally got a tank up and cycling. I plan to move my P when the tank is ready (900 miles actually), but I have a problem. The water out of the tap here is pH 8.4. I think that is a bit too high for him as he is at about pH 6.7 now. I would like to lower it to about 7.0 and find a way to keep it consistantly at 7.0 with water changes and everything. Do you think my best bet is to use a pH regulator now to get it to 7.0 and then add it to the new water before a change? (I actually have Seachem neutral regulator that came with the tank). Or is there some other way. I live in Georgia so if anyone that lives here that has to deal with he same thing could give me some advice I would appreciate it.


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

Yurtle said:


> I moved a while ago and I finally got a tank up and cycling. I plan to move my P when the tank is ready (900 miles actually), but I have a problem. The water out of the tap here is pH 8.4. I think that is a bit too high for him as he is at about pH 6.7 now. I would like to lower it to about 7.0 and find a way to keep it consistantly at 7.0 with water changes and everything. Do you think my best bet is to use a pH regulator now to get it to 7.0 and then add it to the new water before a change? (I actually have Seachem neutral regulator that came with the tank). Or is there some other way. I live in Georgia so if anyone that lives here that has to deal with he same thing could give me some advice I would appreciate it.


That ph is pretty high. Best bet is investing in something like a regulator like you said unless you want to do alot of dosing and testing. You could also leave it since it would be better stable then fluxuating, but you would have to do a good accumulation process.


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

Yurtle said:


> Do you think my best bet is to use a pH regulator now to get it to 7.0 and then add it to the new water before a change?


Hello Yurtle, I am curious to know more about stated pH regulator. Do you plan on using a computer to analyze the water's pH and automatically adjust it when defined limits are not met?


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## Yurtle (Jul 31, 2006)

That would be ideal, and there are pH meters on the market which let you track your pH via computer. A bit pricey though. I was just referring to a phosphate buffer powder added to the water during changes. I have one from seachem called neutral regulator so thats where the "regulator" came from. I really don't want to have to add a bucket load of the stuff at every water change (25 gal a week) cause all that phosphate is likely to end up as food for algae. I may have to use a pH down product to get the water to ~7 and then add a bit of the regulator to stabilize it. Pain in the ass. As a side note I noticed that if I use brita water (from a filter system that is attached to my tap) the pH is much lower ~7.4. But I am sure the filter wont last to long if I use it to do water changes and I am not sure if the brita water would be lacking in essential minerals. sounds like this is going to be a bit of a headache until I can get a handle on it.

My dream would be to have one of those neptune monitoring systems to constantly monitor pH, nitrate, and phosphate levels and track them over time. But I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon. Thanks for the responses.


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## tiran (Apr 27, 2007)

peat moss is good and it keeps tank at 7.0 and it gives the water a tint like tropical fishes habitat you just have to change it out every month


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## smithgrind_who (Mar 26, 2004)

Yurtle, do you have the option of using purchased RO water from LFS? If you plan on using chemicals to adjust the pH, RO water will keep your TDS low while letting you buffer the water to your needs.

As for my self, I use 50/50 mix of RO and tap water because my tap water seems to be somewhat hard in term of TDS. My pH is constantly 7.2-7.4 using the 50/50 mix and my GH is 7 dH


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## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

smithgrind_who said:


> Yurtle, do you have the option of using purchased RO water from LFS? If you plan on using chemicals to adjust the pH, RO water will keep your TDS low while letting you buffer the water to your needs.
> 
> As for my self, I use 50/50 mix of RO and tap water because my tap water seems to be somewhat hard in term of TDS. My pH is constantly 7.2-7.4 using the 50/50 mix and my GH is 7 dH


If the tank is larger then 75 a ro unit would be better then just buying the water.


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