PlanetCatfish.com

Hello all. I've set up a new 55-gallon aquarium not too long ago. I've been doing a fishless cycle. My ammonia has now started dropping back to 0 everytime I add more ammonia. My other readings are:
NitrAte: 40ppm
NitrIte: 10+ppm (off the chart)
Akalinity: 120
Hardness: 120
pH: 8.4+

I've added a medium piece of driftwood, but it hasn't done a thing to lower my pH. The pH in my 10-gallon aquarium is the same, which as been up for about 2 1/2 months. I seriously doubt the pH is going to drop on its own. My tap water is also high, around 8.0-8.4. What can I do to lower it? I want to stay away from chemicals. I've read peat moss can be used. I've also read it's used to tint the water, which I do not want. Can peat be used without coloring the water? Would it have any affect on my pH? Would I be better off leaving my pH as it is, or would it be harmful to any new fish that I will be getting? I plan on a mostly catfish tank: Corydoras, Synodontis nigriventris, Ancistrus, Glass Catfish, but will probably add a few other fish like neon tetras as middle and upper fillers. Thanks.
Crystal

The hardness is a result of the apparently high dissolved mineral content in your water. Adding peat moss may lower the pH, but the coloration comes with it (a little bit wouldn't hurt...it's actually more pleasing to the eye and brings out the colors of your fish). If you don't live in an industrialized area, you might want to consider mixing some of your tap water with rain water to reduce the concentration of the dissolved minerals.

if rain water doesn't work, you might want to invest in a r/o unit. mix some r/o water in with water changes and it should lower things rather well.

i have one tank that has a piece of driftwood that's leaching tannins. basically the same look that peat would give, and i love the look of it! it's really not as bad as you think, once you see it.

I was thinking about the RO systems. I was looking at some last night. I can't afford those prices though. I'm just a poor high school student lol. Is there a way to make one, or something samiliar? I'm almost afraid to try rain water. I live out in the country, surrounded by farmlands, turkey and hog houses (places where they are raised in the thousands). The farmers are forever spraying the excess manure over their farms :/. I don't know what to do. I just lost a Trilineatus cory last night. Thanks everyone for your replies.
Crystal

Actually, if you live in a rural area, rain water is good (since there is no problem of gaseous pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in the rain water).
Collect the rain water in a large open area (make sure it doesn't run off of trees or other structures), and it should be free of any pollutants from manure.

Thank you Silurus, I'll give it a try. It seems to be my only option for now.

you don't necessarily need a RO unit, I find that bottled water stores are quite cheap and many when they know you are using it for a tank, will let you "deposit " the bottle and just pay for refilling (very low cost). When you bring the bottle back, you get your money back.

You would only need a little as you aren't wantin to lower the pH drastically. And as for the tannins, the fish like it, the tank looks more natural, and its not as dark as you think it will look.

There is another option for softening your water. what i use is an water softening pillow. It functions just the same as a water softener for your home. Water runs through the softer media and comes out clean. After the media is thoroughly concentrated with the absorbed minerals the softener unit purges itself with high concentration of saltwater which flush the minerals out of the media and is ready to soften water again. With a softener pillow it has the media in a small beanbag that you just put in your filter or someplace that has good water circulation and after 48 hrs it has absorbed all the minerals it can hold. then you put it in the container it came in which you have put a saltwater concentration in, let it set and recharge for 24 hrs and ready to rinse off and throw into the tank again. very afordable $15 for the big one and works very quickly, for your 55 2 uses will drop hardness 100ppm. But personally i dont believe that 120 hardness is a concern. Maby your tank just hasnt finished its cycle. High nitrite would be evidence of that. I would be patient.

Thanks everyone. I went to the LFS today and talked to the owner, he seems pretty knowledgeable. He told me, the way the water is around here, I'd be better off to leave it be. He said the fish should be fine, and the only reason I'd have to lower the pH is if I wanted to breed, which I'm not interested in yet. So I'm just going to be patient and see what happens when the cycle is finished. Thanks again.
Crystal

P.S. I failed to mention the Cory that I lost was from an established 10-gallon. It may have just been old.

my ph is also very high about 8.4 but its never caused me any prolems. just be sure to keep your ammonia level low as amonnia is more toxic in a high ph enviroment. I have kept many different fish and all have adapted well to the water. but its a good idea to consider water parameters when purchasing any new fish.
btw i have tried every possible way to reduce ph without using an ro unit and have had zero success. now I leave it be
jason

Thanks everyone. I'm still debating whether I should try to change it, or just leave it. What I'm worried about is consistency. I like the softener pillow idea. When it comes to doing a water change though, how would that work? Would I need to soften the water before hand, or whould a 20% or so water change not be enough to effect the water? Or could I just put the pillow back in the filter, as the water change is being done? All of this is very new to me. Thanks again.
Crystal

I just use it whenever my hardness starts to creep up after several water changes. your hardness isnt that bad maby once every few months would do for you i would guess. Depends on your hardness test more than anything whenever it needs it in refrence to your fishs requirements.