pH spike! Water change question

Hi. I had a star die and did not get all of it out of the tank. Went to LFS today and had them check my water. The pH was way up. I am doing a 1 gallon water change right now but my question is how much can I safely change out in the next 10 hours? After that I am out for a couple of days.

 

what is you pH at? pH fluctuates throughout the day depending on the lighting etc
What are your other parems at? You SG, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate?

 

LFS said pH was so far out it made no sense to check the other params. The test tube was dark purple and the reading off the charts.
SG 1.23
Hope to take another test sample in later today to get a reading.

 

That I dont understand....the other levels are not dependant on one another...so you can have high pH and high ammonia, nitrites etc.
Did they repeat the pH test? How long did you have the water sample before you took it in to the store? Was it in your car for a prolonged period?

I would recommend you getting your own test kit so you can have it on hand and do it yourself.

How are your fish acting? If it truly was that high, the fish would probably be acting odd....skin being burned, laying lethargic, breathing heavy etc.

In a 8 gal tank, I would not do more then a gallon a day period if that much. I would probably break it off to 1/2g 2x one day if need be. When I first started in my 28g I made a big, big mistake. I misunderstood something that was told to me. I was told that my SG was WAY too high and that I needed to do a massive water change and that I should remove 5g saltwater and add 5g RO water (now I remember being told that specifically but....) So I did. Woke up the next day and everything was dead almost except a few fish. All my inverts (shrimp, crabs) were dead, a couple fish etc..... Well I dropped the SG down too fast and too much. Killed a cucumber that I had (that I should not have had) and nuked my tank (nuked or was killed by SG drop??). So, over the next 2 days, I gradually raised the level back up. I did basically cup water change every couple hours....

I learned in this hobby, dont do anything quick or massive

 

As long as you make sure your replacement water is the same SG as your current water, and there isn't any errant chlorine etc in it; Then Swap out a large amount. 4-5 gallons would definitely work.

Are you dosing with anything that would raise ph?

I've only seen my PH tests read off the charts when i tested my tap water once.

 

Water sample was only in the car maybe 15 min.
I have ordered a test kit.
I will take another sample in tomorrow as my LFS said the recommendation is to wait 24hrs for the tank to stabilize.
Other than that the two clowns seem fine and the shrimp seem happy.
I amtrying to avoid a chemical solution because the tank is so small and pH adjustments can result in huge swings.

 

Using RO from the LFS. The water I used for my change on Monday had been sitting in a sealed plastic jug for a week or so but I doubt this had any bearing. The only dosing I am doing is with garlic once a week (one drop). I have also used marine max (1.5ml) every two weeks to control an ick problem with one of the clowns.

 

that would have actually caused the pH to drop (the water sitting for a week in a plastic jug)

I really think it was a mistaken test I bet. Too many drops, contaminated bottles, etc. If your pH was that high that it wasnt reading fish would be acting funny

good luck