High Ph Reading

[omordn]

Hello Everyone,

I am back.

28 Gallon Tank
1 Dwarf Gourami
3 Red Eye Tetras
3 Platies
2 Longtailed Albino Plecos
2 Live Plants
2 Light Lava Rocks
Temp 80-82 F Degrees

I lost two Angel Fish in the process for not cycling my tank without any fish. This was my stupid mistake as I am new to this hobby. Anyways, my tank has been up for almost a month now and I understand that my tank is perhaps still cycling. Although, I am still dealing with some water levels that perhaps are not healthy for my fish.

pH between 7.6 - 8 (I did a normal pH test: 7.6 and a high range test: 8 )
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite 0.50 ppm
Nitrate about 5-10 ppm

I was told that I can use Prime to lower my levels but it has been 5 days and I haven't really seen a change. Am I being impatient or do I really need to worry about my levels? Can my fish take these high water levels without affecting them? I know one of my red eye tetras has been acting a bit strange. It is hanging on its own.... hiding from others... and sometimes hangs in this corner of the tank (below the filter) on top. My Angel fish did that right before they died!

What should be my first option to lower my pH?

Ahhh... I wish I would have known before about the fishless cycling.

 

[modaz]

your ph is fine, its your ammonia and nitrites that are the problem, they should both be reading 0, do a 30% water change every 3 days to reduce these down, and you will find that it sorts it out.

 

[omordn]

your ph is fine, its your ammonia and nitrites that are the problem, they should both be reading 0, do a 30% water change every 3 days to reduce these down, and you will find that it sorts it out.

I'll try that... although I forgot to mention that my tap water contains some ammonia and nitrite.

 

[Daveyg1969]

Tap water is a nightmare at the moment, where I live we don't change water over the weekend, as we know people who work for the water company, and they have told us they throw allsorts of chemicals in it over the weekend to make it ok for drinking.
The best thing to do with tap water is add some dechlorinator, and let it stand for 24 hours before use.
Also as Modaz said, you need to get ur ammonia and nitrite down to 0, but juat be sure as you change water, it is near enough the same P.H and temp.