Hey #bettablr I am in the process of building the best home I can for a fish, and have a heated, filtered 10 gallon planted and am fishless cycling it right now and all that good stuff BUT my pH is 8.0. I seem to be getting conflicting information that:
1) bettas should be kept at about 7.0 (this appears to be scientific)
2) bettas can tolerate a wider range of pH’s and 8.0 should be fine (this appears to be anecdotal not scientific) and is “tolerate” the same as “thriving” in this instance?
3) chemical pH balancers ‘do more harm than good’ and shouldn’t be used (this appears to be anecdotal as well, possibly due to incorrect use?).
Is it possible i have a high pH because of the cycling? do ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels affect the pH?
I know anecdotal evidence can have just as much weight as scientific evidence, especially in hobbies, so I don’t want to discount it, but I also know that in hobbies people will push “the animal is fine so you’re fine” mentality and disregard important information so they can keep a pet easily instead of correctly.
most importantly: am I over thinking the pH problem?
@amazingpetenclosures @the-awkward-turt @wheremyscalesslither do you have any insight or can you point me in the right direction? Thank you!!
Imma pass this onto @elemental-kiss since they have some very good information on betta pH the gist is you should have lower pH for bettas. Higher pH puts strain on their little bodies.
Domestic bettas are a hybrid species derived from fish that live in soft, acidic environments. The pH ranges from around 5 to a bit below 7. That is what they’re adapated for and should be kept at. Aiming for a number in the middle of the range is ideal.
Keeping them at a basic, hard pH will negatively affect them and shorten their lifespan.
Chemical pH changers tend to cause large, fast swings in pH, but when used correctly can be safe and effective. You need a kH that isn’t too high or too low- the former will prevent the pH from swinging down, the latter will prevent it from staying stable when you swing it down. 4-7 is the magic number for kH i believe.
Indian almond leaves, blackwater extract, driftwood, and other botanicals leech tannins which stain the water brown like tea and lower the pH. This is what is most recommended to lower pH. Bettas in the wild live in darkly stained water, they will feel much more comfortable in tannin stained water than in clear water. Make sure your filter media doesn’t contain carbon, it will soak up the tannins and clear the water. Mixing R/O water in with your tap can also help lower pH if your tap water doesn’t swing easily or is too hard.
pH of 7 is absolute neutral. Most fish can tolerate it, but very few truly thrive at neutral- because bodies of water, for the most part, aren’t neutral in pH. Bettas certainly are not derived from neutral waters. Decaying leaf litter in their native waters release tannins constantly.
They should always be kept at a pH below neutral, with tannins and heavy planting.
I suggest using dried Indian almond leaves, dried oak leaves, and dark-colored driftwood to stain the water with tannins. Your betta will be much calmer without bright lights shining down on it, for one thing. You’ll have to replace the leaves now and then as they break down, but the old ones don’t need to be removed, they’ll just form leaf litter. Plus, leaves in the water grow lots of microorganisms for your betta to snack on.
To keep the tannins up, don’t do large water changes. Change 25% or less at a time, and that way the tannin level can increase again before the next water change.
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