Emory

Greetings and Salutations!

This here be my first post. I have about a 4 or 6 week old 29 gallon warm freshwater tank. Water chemistry is as follows:

nitrate: 0 PPM
nitrite: 0 ppm
total hardiness: 75 ppm
total chlorine: 0 ppm
total alkalinity: 40 ppm
ammonia: 0 (not sure of unit)
temperature: 78 degrees Farenheit

In the past week I have had 2 black mollies and at least 2 ghost shrimp die. I can't get my stinking pH up. I've done water changes. I read to add 1 pound of crushed coral per 10 gallons but I am apprehensive of adding coral to my freshwater tank.

I am currently medicating with melafix and pimafix proactively while I try to get my pH up. I have 1 pregnant mollie left and she is getting to the head/box body/tail/sit on the substrate stage. I don't want her to die...or abort her babies. I inquired about giving her to one of my husband's coworkers but his pH is only 6.7.

Any help?

P.S. - The tank is cloudy. Is this from the medication?

Shawnie

welcome to fishlore!!!

I dont think the tank has cycled fully yet....did your tank start out with fish? you should have some nitrate readings unless you are fully planted.....what test kit are you using? and never mess with the ph..most fish will acclimate to different ones as long as they are steady and not changing ...why are you medicating? the cloudyness could be from meds, or a bacteria bloom which is normal for new tanks...answering these questions will help ...

Emory

Hi Shawnie!

We cycled with 5 zebra danios. Our nitrAte does read as 0. We are using Jungle all-in-one test strips and then constant monitoring of ammonia and pH inside the tank. The pH inside the tank is a duplication when using the test strips... and they both read the same pH. I have a sword plant, anacharis, duckweed, java moss, and corkscrew. I didn't want to be sticking my fingers in the tank all the time to fill up test tubes. I wash my hands so fanatically I would introduce toxic soap to the tank. Am medicating because I have had recent deaths and the remaining mollie and one platy are behaving as the ones that died acted.

Now what do you think? Should I stop medicating and just let them live with such a low pH?

Shawnie

heres some suggestions ...stop medicating as the deaths could be from your cycle...test strips unfortunately arent reliable and give false readings more than true ones...if you cant get an API luquid master test kit, which tests for everything, get a single api liquid ammonia and nitrite kit to at least rule that out...ph wont kill unless its totally sudden change and running for 4 weeks is more of a stable situation....water change with some prime water conditioner and some vita chem if you can find it, will help them feel much better... if you have ammonia or nitrites that arent being picked up by the strips, the prime will neutralize it for 24 hours until another water change....goodluck and share some pics if you can we adore pics

ps ..what is your ph I dont see it in your first thread

Emory

lol, I thought I had everything covered but I totally left out pH!
ha ha ha~! Guess that would be helpful!

6.2 : (

So no more melafix or pimafix.
Do a PWC. With Prime and Vita Chem.
Do a second PWC 24 hours following the first PWC.

Shawnie

I would continue with daily water changes with prime until you can find out exactly your ammonia and nitrite readings with a more reliable kit...it wont hurt for sure and if they are dieing, then something is surely off...goodluck! and test your tap ph to see how that might be affecting the tank..either way, the ph isnt totally abnormal for fishies to live in

Emory

Went to the LFS and the kit was marked as $29.99 US dollars. I opted for the individual nitrAte and nitrIte test kits. I already have an in tank ammonia and pH monitors (strips but DH was not happy that I was getting the other two kits.)

nitrIte: 0.5 ppm
nitrAte: 5 ppm

Did a 20% WC and replaced with store bought distilled water. Will assess the pH and ammonia again in 2 hours. I will recheck all values again in the morning.

On the plus side, all my fish are swimming, eating, and pooping.

Thank you so much for informing me about the water chemistry strips. You were so right and they were so wrong!

If I understand this correctly, then I am still cycling? Oye... I would never have added my other babies after the zebras if I had known that. Come to think of it I wouldn't have gotten my higher pH tolerating babies, especially.

Thank you so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Emory

Continuing to monitor the water chemistry. No more fish have died. Doing another PWC today.

Gunnie

Sounds like you are doing a good job! Keep up the good work! Next time you need a test kit, print the page with the AP master test kit on the PetSmart web site, and take it with you next time you go there. They should honor the online price.

Matt

You can try adding some lemon juice.

Although this is risky but most times it works

Emory

Added a 1.75 pound chunk of coral rock to the tank. Hardness is up and so is pH.

Yay!

The fish are looking happier.