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I recently set up a tank (20h) and I have had it running for about two weeks now and can not seem to stabalize the Ph. It is really high, about 7.5-8.0 (my test kit only reads up to 7.6) What should I do to lower the level before putting fish in it? I would like to have the level between 6.8 and 7.2. The lfs told me that this level is ideal for piranah's. The lfs i usually go to just got in about 50 baby piranah's( 1/2 inch max and I would like to get four them. I have been looking for them this small. What can I do to lower the Ph level, Fast. Thanks for all the help you guys offer.
jason

Drift wood will help lower the ph naturally, as so will peat moss in the filters. The only draw back with peat moss and fresh unbleached driftwood is that is will colour the water slightly.
You can also use a water softner but I personally prefer not too.

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TONY
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Well unfortunately there is nothing you can to really to lower the PH fast that wont complicate things horribly in the future... those perfect ph products dont work unless the tank is done with RO/DI water or bottled water where most of the hardness has been removed.... hardness is a ph buffering agent and will cause your water to naturally balance at the ph you stated... there is nothing you can do about it except remove the buffering agent.... to do this you need to filter your water either with a reverse osmosis unit or a de-ionizing unit. If you cant do either of those things I would probably look to house some fish that dont need a low ph like african cichlids and such because it always becomes a pain in the butt to have to do special things to the water to get it to be right... you would have to re treat all top off, and water change water for the life of the tank... and that could get expensive.

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Adam

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