I have a 29 gallon tank and the pH of 8.6 the tap water is 7.4.I want to lower the ph to 7 how do lower it?

The tank has not been cycled yet it has 11 argentine swords 1 wisteria and two chunks of driftwood.HELP!!!!!!!!I really want to have tetras danios and platies I have pea gravel in my tank.I didnt wash the driftwood well but the water is crystal clear

I have a 29 gallon tank and the pH of 8.6 the tap water is 7.4.I want to lower the ph to 7 how do lower it?
The easiest way to drop your pH to 7 is to instead of using tap, use RO/DI or spring bottled water for your tank. Generally it is already at 7 and has a lower hardness than at least Indiana water. Hope this is helpful. Oh, and check the pea gravel with a bit of vinegar. If it bubbles, it's the cause of your pH increase.
Reply:your tank is still in its infancy,i would wait until your amonia and nitrites are zero,before adding any fish.you might try more "aquatic"plants,and maybe another piece of bogwood.platies do need a ph value of 7.8
Reply:Go to you aquatics shop they will seal you a ph test kit and that should come with two solutions one to make the water more acidic and one to make it more alkaline with the instructions. you will have to reduce it very slowly or you will kill the fish you have. one way to start is to change so much water each day. Mind the temperature mind. Go on the net and try Bradshaws the experts. They give you free advice.
Reply:If your tap pH is only 7.4 and your tank water is significantly different, you need to evaluate WHY it is. 9 times out of 10, the pH will DROP in a tank from the plants, driftwood and ammonia, not go up. So it seems to me that there is something in your tank that is raising your pH. Did you use gravel meant for fish tanks? Also, many rocks will raise pH if they are higher in calcium, so unless your rocks said they are safe for freshwater, I'd ditch them.





Not washing the driftwood won't up your pH. I'd suggest removing any decorative rocks that you didn't get at a fish store, do a large water change and see where the pH lands. It should get lower that way. Do NOT play with pH products as they don't buffer your pH, so it will tend to swing around. And a swinging pH is MUCH more dangerous than one that is just high.





Again, it's probably your rocks. Water change, remove any rocks not meant for fish and retest.