JennDFK

Hello I am new to the forum... I posted a few days ago and several people told me to get a my own water test kit rather than testing it at the store... so here are my numbers

pH 8.2
Amonia 0
nitrite 0
nitrate 20

So I guess it is the pH... what do I do now?

I know that one of the problems is my gravel. When we first set the tank up we had planned on putting native river fish in it... so we got some gravel from a nearby river (cleaned it)... it is... you guessed it... limestone. The rock structure is also limestone. There is also a sea shell in the tank. I know that I can easily take out the shell and sculpture... but what about the gravel? I really like the structure... is there anyway of saving it. I wouldn't mind getting the gravel out I just don't know how much of a pain in the butt that would be. Any suggestions?

30 gallon hex
4 platies, 2 gouramies, 1 Chinese Algea eater
AquaClear 20-50g filter

Shawnie

awesome job on the test kit jenn!! isnt it much more easy to know yourself instead of relying on others? I know i felt better!!
if you can find a piece of driftwood , that would help bring the ph down naturally ...make sure its the darker brown colored wood because the tannis in it, is what brings the ph down...leave everything the way it is and get the driftwood...just be prepared as the tannis does turn the water a tea color but it goes away in time....I like the tannis look myself, and IMO , meds or ph ups and downs are not healthy for the fish ...

JennDFK

Can I just get something from the local river? If so how do I clean it?

JennDFK

BTW thanks Shawnie!

Jenn

Llama

The best way of cleaning anything for your aquarium involves rinsing it multiple times (to make it chemically neutral) and then boiling it (to kill anything alive)

Lucy

I don't know that much about drift wood but, I've read that hard wood is best. Avoid pine or cedar...anything that has sap in it.
Boil it before adding it to your tank to kill any nasties.

JennDFK

Thanks for all the advice.

How big a piece of driftwood do I need?
How long does it take to see a difference?

One of my gouramies is looking pretty rough. He's been hiding and not eating for days. He comes out sometimes and hangs out at the top, but he's looking thin. I know they prefer lower pH... is there anything I can do to help him out?

Shawnie

size to fit your tank ...and for the fish to be able to have room....it will take a few days for the tannis to leak out but not long....unless the gourami was put in a higher ph from a lower one, they will adjust to most if acclimated ....is the gourami new to the tank? and whats your tap ph? maybe a small water change can help in the meantime

JennDFK

Well I just tested our tap water and it's 8. I've had 3 fish die in the last three weeks.... and the Gourami looks pretty rough, but has been hanging on.

he's been in the tank 3-5 weeks. I'm not sure which dwarf gouramie he is... the first one I got or the second

Shawnie

if you are having fish die, and your tap is that high, and more fish are acting ill, id remove some of the shells and and definitely the limestone structures...it might be a hassle, but will help your fish if its the ph killing them...

JennDFK

I'm not really sure it is the pH that is killing the fish. The Platies, the other gourami and the CAE are doing great... eating well, swimming around, good color, I don't really see the problem.

One of the fish that died was a very small platy. I think he was being bullied by the other male platies in the tank. I didn't relize it when I bought them... but one of the platies is a female and now she looks like she might be expecting. I think the bullying had to do with his lowly status in the group.
Another fish was a dalmation molly--I really didn't even get to know that fish it was only in the tank a week and a half.
The final fish was a Dwarf Gourami. He just started hanging out at the bottom and swimming funny and then he died.

BTW when I looked at the tank pH vs tap pH... I really didn't see much of a difference. my husband thought one looked more 8 the other more 8.2ish...

I bought my fish locally so wouldn't the be used to the pH. I'm not really sure what the problem with the fish might be... just grasping at straws.

agabr123

sounds to me like the limestone is just keeping the pH high rather than altering it. again driftwood is the easiest and safest way to lower the pH so your fish can acclimate to it, but if you bought them locally they should already be adjusted to your pH like you said. however, do you know what day your LFS gets their shipments of fish in? you may have just been buying them on the shipment date

aquarist48

Cypress stumps are great! I had some in my tank years ago that I got from my creek. Stapled LED weights to it then used silicone to attach it to a piece of slate. Worked great. I kept Bream, Red Breast, 18" cat fish and 2 bass. It was sooooo neat. Bream and Red Breast even had fry.

cmoreland

Great thread! I have been wondering how I can bring my PH down from 8-8.2. Our tap water here is extremely hard but the fish seem to be doing ok...I will get a small piece of driftwood to drop in there and hopefully bring it down a few notches.

Thanks!!

agabr123

good luck!

JennDFK

Well I found some wicked looking pieces of driftwood that I'm going to clean up and boil. One has a piece of rock imbedded in it and some really cool twists and turns. We found one nice one for my 30 gallon hex... and a bunch of cool pieces for my 55 gallon that I want to set up in a few months. Thanks everyone!