High PH (GSP's)

[purplecandle]

I am putting some of the rescued GSPs in a bigger tank today. Yes, tank is cycled

All my levels are spot on except the PH..it is at 8.8 or more.

I think the reason for this is that my tap water starts out at 7.5 (well water) and I have added a lot of rock (not live rock) to this tank. All my other tanks have decent PH, but this is the first tank to have such a high ph..so I am sure it has to do with the rocks

I have one product on hand to bring the ph down..."API proper ph 7.5" it is in powder form

Should I use this product..or do I have to remove the rock?

Or can a GSP stand a high ph?

[purplecandle]

Ok, never mind. I retested and the ph is ow at an acceptable level. Perhaps I did the other test wrong or something.

[RTR]

Just in case, for future reference: Never ever under any circumstances use any commercial poduct to adjust/raise/lower the pH. All are a waste of money and may endanger or irritate the fish. None, repeat none, will do the job more than temporarily. Don't waste you money or stress your fish for nothing..

[Pufferfreak42]

The pH of my water, well water also, is over 8 as well, it's better to let the fish acclimate to it than to try to lower it. RTR is correct, don't waste your money.

[purplecandle]

Thanks RTR...

I purchased that product a while ago and had never used it..so I was not sure what it would do. I will throw it in the garbage then.

Why oh why do companies make products that do not do what they say they do?...This seems to be a huge problem in the pet industry.

[RTR]

The problem with these is that do work - briefly. The pH drops (or increases, or stabilizes at some magic number) for hours to (rarely) days, then returns to where the water profile wants it to be. Then the unaware keeper adds more product, and the cycle repeats. The TDS (total dissolved solids) increases, and the keeper is hesitant to change water so the water quality goes down the tubes and the fish suffer. Fish are highly adaptable, let them.

If you must modify water, identify what parameter need to be different and adjust that. Don't play with the pH - it is an indicator only, alone it means nothing.