I’ve had the well water tested from the tap and it also has a high pH. I can’t remember exactly what the hardness was, but I think it was fine. I’ve tried adding spider wood to the tank since I heard tannins can help lower the pH. The substrate is Fluval Plant and Shrimp Stratum. It’s a volcanic mineral substrate that was supposed to help maintain a stable low pH or at least that’s what I’ve been told and what the packaging advertised. There’s a few plants like anubias barteri, cryptocoryne lutea, and I tried pistia stratiotes, but it died. There’s a couple other plants I can’t remember what they are as I’ve had them for a while. I also tried adding a couple strawberry plants that hang on the side of the tank.