Lowering a high pH

Question
Hi Chris,  first of all let me tell you what my setup is.  I have a 55 gallon tank with approximately 20 fish.  The filter I have is the hang-on-the-back type.  I change around 25-30 gallons every 10-14 days.  The fish I have are all small community fish such as tetras, Mollies, and danios.  I also have 4 Gourmais, 2 honey sunset, and two dwarf.  I have had the tank for about 3 months.  The last time I checked my water all parameters were within range except for pH.  It's really high, like above 8.6.  The fish that I have now seem to do fine, however, I have lost a relatively large number of fish.  I don't know whether that is pH related or not, but either way, I'd like to lower it so it is within a normal healthy range.  I also have hard water, and to bring it from very hard to hard I have started using aquarium salt.  I guess I'd also like to know if this is a good idea or not.  Thanks

Answer
Hi Zach;

That pH does sound pretty high. It's good that you haven't been using chemicals to lower it though. They cause fluctuations that can be very stressful to the fish and don't work long term in most cases. You can add driftwood or bogwood to your tank soften the water instead. What some hobbyists do is use "peat water". Add some peat pellets, available in fish stores, to a pot of water (Not aluminum). Bring the water to a boil and then put the "tea" with the peat into a brand new clean plastic garbage bin full of water. Keep it covered and full all the time. The peat will acidify the water slowly. Use partly peat water and partly tap water to refill your tank for water changes. You will need to test the pH and hardness of the peat water to decide how much to use at a time. Peat may color the water brownish or yellowish. Fresh carbon in the filter will help.

Here is a link to an article about softening water. It is long and a bit tedious, but worth the read if you have time;

http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/docs/filtration/softening.shtml

As your aquariums system ages the water will naturally become softer too. The organic wastes made by the fish will acidify it over time. Salt isn't going to hurt the fish or anything but it really isn't going to soften the water either. The minerals must be removed from the water to soften it and lower the pH. Salt works in water softener machines to "recharge" the resin on a regular basis. It's the recharged resin, not the salt, that softens the water.

Your tank is still fairly new so I really think the deaths are related to "New Tank Syndrome". It's pretty harsh for fish to have to go through. This process takes up to 8 weeks and fish can die or become sick from the effects of it weeks or even months afterward. That's why it's important to start with only one small fish for every ten gallons of tank water and don't add more until the break-in period is complete. If there are too many fish to start it off, waste toxins become so high that the fish become sick or die. Here is a link to my article on new tanks to help you know more about has been going on in your tank;

http://www.xanga.com/Expert_Fish_Help

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins