How to reduce the alkiline in my tank Ph over 8.0?

[Marne]

Hi, i am a fish newbie, dd2 has had a small tank for a month now, we didn't expect the fish to last long as she would not wait any longer (to coplete the tank cycle), she has 4 guppies and tonight the first has died, i tested the water and the alkiline levels are off the scale so probably over 8.0ph. What do i need to put in to lower it slightly? (which tonic etc..)

The pH can fluctuate during the cycle- another reason to wait! What's your tap water pH and hardness? You should leave it to stand for 24hrs before testing to get an accurate result.

It is very difficult to lower the pH of water. Don't mess about with tonics and whatnot, they can make it worse.

How long was the tank set up for before you added the fish? Have you been monitoring the ammonia and nitrIte at all?

The tanks been set up for a month, its only tiny (enough room for 5 guppies), its one of those cube tanks with a built in filter but for the past week the filter has been making odd noises. Our tap water has a high Ph, i tested the water in the tank last week and then again today and its the same (8.0+), we are in a hard water area. I havn't checked for ammonia or nitrate (i havn't got a testing kit). The water seems to be cloudy one day and then clears of the next but doesn't stay clear for more than 2 days.

The tank was only set up a week before we got the fish (i know its no way near long enough but dd1 wouldn't wait), luckily dd1 is not upset by one dying.

I think we may have to just wait and see if the others die and then we can start again with a full cycle before getting more fish.

How tiny is it and who told you there was enough room for 5 guppies in there? Most shops seem to have odd ideas about how many fish you can get in a tank. 5 guppies would need at least 8 gallons/35 litres to be healthy. If you put 5 guppies in an uncycled tank that is too small then it will not be any good for them.

Perhaps you could return them to the shop instead of just waiting to see if they die? Then you could do a fishless cycle and if the tank is big enough, add the fish after the cycle has finished.

DD1 wouldn't wait!!
You buy the fish, not her - they are living animals and you should not put them in a tank expecting them to live less than a month. This is precise reason you have to be over 16 to buy live animals.

The tank is very similar to this (same size i think), we bought it from an aquatic shop and was told it would hold 5-6 guppies or tetra's, is it too small? up until now they have seemed very happy, have no nipped each other and have been feeding ok, would we better of with tetra's instead of guppies?

We plan on buying a larger tank (when we have found the space for one) but wanted to see if we could manage a few guppies first as we have never kept fish.

youngermother- i have only followed the advice from the shop, they told me the water would be ok after 24 hours to put fish into, it was only after we got them that i read that it could take months for the water to be ready. I'm not a fish murderer .

7 litres?! Is that a misprint? Could you measure the tank and tell us the measurements, then I can work out the volume.

7 litres is in no way big enough to keep fish. The only reason these tanks get sold is that there is no law to say otherwise. Unfortunately it doesn't sound like you've been given very good advice from the shop you bought it from. I know people that have successfully returned tanks before stating that they are not suitable for purpose (think this is covered in the Sales of Goods act???)

The RSPCA actually recommend a minimum tank size of 45 litres/10 gallons.

A lot of people start in a similar way, with a small tank to see how they get on. In reality, a small tank is very, very hard to maintain because the water quality can change so quickly. You'd probably find a 45 litre tank much easier, especially if it had been fully cycled first.

Like all pets, you should do research, not just take the advice of someone out to make money.
here states 3cm of fish in 4 litres. here states adult guppies are 2-2.5 inches, ie 5.6+cm. You tank is therefore not suitable for 1 fish.
Please take it back, get a refund under the sale of goods act, research here and enjoy the hobby with living fish in great conditions.

Well, it's true that you should do your own research but it's not unreasonable to expect people in the shop to know what they are talking about. Some shops do give good advice, but they are few and far between.

If you're a total newbie then there's no way of knowing whether the shop is giving you good advice or whether they don't know the head end of a fish from the tail end. The thing to remember is that there's no legal requirement for the staff to know anything about what they are selling and there are no restrictions (yet) on what can be sold as a fish tank. You can argue your case though under the sales of goods act.

Even doing your own research can sometimes fail, there are hundreds of internet sites giving out shitty advice and loads of books that are out of date.

The inch per gallon guideline is a good start there are a lot of other variables to take into account and a lot of times that knowledge only comes with experience. IME the best place to get fish information is on a specialist internet forum BUT some of those are crappy as well! The PFK one is good, as is Fishkeeping.co.uk.