My pH level is around 6.8 and I'd like to raise it to the ideal level, especially because my oranda isn't looking too well--he keeps sitting at the very bottom of the tank, motionless, for hours and hours during the day. All the other water tests came out fine, except the pH and total alkalinity, which was 80. How do I fix these things? I heard that it's best not to use chemicals (?) sold at the pet store, if possible. I've been doing partial water changes every other day. And what exactly is the perfect pH level for goldfishes?

Jun

Junasai, the ideal range for goldies would be anywhere between 7.2 and 7.8, but they can stand pH levels outside this "box" quite comfortable as long as it is stable.
What is the pH reading from your tapwater? Have you ever noticed your tank pH dropping to 6.8, or is it always 6.8?
Ways to raise it - if you are into some work every time you do a water change, then ordinary baking soda should do the trick. You add a certain amount of teaspoons with every water change, depending on your tank size. For people like me who tend to be lazy, I'd recommend crushed coral - you put it into a nylon panty hose inside your filter or hang it over the output on your filter, or any other moving area in your tank, like close to an airstone or something. The crushed coral will buffer your pH over a very long period of time, and you only have to replace it every blue moon...

Thanks for the reply! I haven't checked the pH directly from the tap water yet. Actually I don't use tap water, but my drinking water. My drinking water is filtered through a water softening device that uses salt...I'm not exactly sure how it works, but that is the water I put into the tank. I thought it would be better for them than tap water. I do know that when I first set up the tank 12 days ago, the pH level was slightly higher--around 7.0, or 7.2. The crushed coral method sounds really convenient, can I get it at my LFS? As for the baking soda method (if I can't get the coral right away), how much should I put in for my 10-gallon tank?

Jun
P.S. Is it normal for my oranda to be "resting" (if that is what it is doing by lying motionless at the very bottom) like that during the day? These are my very 1st fishes of any kind, so I'm not sure what is normal and what isn't...

The reason your pH is dropping is because you are using filtered water. The filtration system remove all minerals that buffer the water and sustain alkalinity.

If the pH out of your tap is within the normal pH range of 7 - 8 I would use tap water and water conditioner instead. Try doing a 30% change daily for around 5 days and monitor your pH.

It is normal for goldfish to rest and sleep but it is possible your oranda could be feeling unwell. Goldfish need minerals found in regular tap water to be healthy.

Wow! I didn't know that!! Thanks for the info. So tap water is actually better? I'll check the pH of my tap water, and switch to that then. I hope it helps my fish get well... He didn't "rest" at all until yesterday morning--until yesterday, he would be constantly swimming during the day, so I do think something is wrong with him or stressing him out, but I don't know what it is. Maybe changing to tap water will help him!

Jun

pH went up to 7.2 when I switched to tap water!! But my red cap is still not feeling well... I'll keep you posted (in Goldfish Discussion).

Jun