My tank has a tiny bit of soap

Long story short i was setting up the tank but i forgotten to get rid of the soap frm my hands jow to i get it of my filter is running so do i need to clean the filter also i have sand so do i rinse the sand shld i clean the driftwood also pls help thankfully no fish is in there yet the tank is new its a 48 gallon i do not have white vinegar so how do i get rid of it theres no stain i hope this is nope soap residue. If not i am screwed pls help its urgent

Hi guys i just setup my 48 gallon tank and the next day i found these white stains on the tank please tell me it is not soap scums GUYs pls help and look at it closely ive been researching about this white stain and this is my very first big tank so i closely monitor it u guys can zoom in at the picture and help me out i have 2 fish tanks which they are doing fine but i do not know what is this residue

 

If the soap residue is minute, then probably nothing to worry about.
Soap usually floats. Look for a slick at the waters surface. If present scoop out with a plastic glass or pitcher.
Do several 50% water changes in the coming weeks. Initially stock a few very hardy fish like Tiger Barbs or Rosy Barbs and monitor their behavior.

 

This happened to me before and I justed added some activated carbon and it was fine. Not sure about the driftwood though it might have soaked it in and you might not be able to use it again

 

So i look for soapy residue if there is i do a water change

How often do i do the 50% water change once or twice a week A201

Does activated carbon really work @Agressive Aquatics

 

Do a test If it’s soap get your finger wet and rub it on it if your finger feels slimy or bubbles appear it’s probably soap. If not then it just looks like hard water stains

 

Oh it's nothing, just calcium and mineral residue due to hard water. Use vinegar to scrub it off.

 

Hi guys i just setup my 48 gallon tank and the next day i found these white stains on the tank please tell me it is not soap scums GUYs pls help and look at it closely ive been researching about this white stain and this is my very first big tank so i closely monitor it u guys can zoom in at the picture and help me out i have 2 fish tanks which they are doing fine but i do not know what is this residue

Was the water level once touching that white stains (before the stains appeared) because it looks like the water level is lower if so its normal. It is not soap scum at all but rather dried up water residue which happens in virtually every single tank. To remove it just get a sponge or a towel and moisturize it and wipe it off. No need to worry.

 

If I am seeing it right you have white sand in this tank. It actually looks like floating sand to me. If you just filed this tank up for the first time it could simply be sand that hasn't settled yet. Have you tried taping the top of the water to see if whatever it is will sink?

 

I treat the water with conditioners to remove chlorine and tommorow i gonna buy seachem acid buffer

I am just paranoid about soap entering my tank

 

I treat the water with conditioners to remove chlorine and tommorow i gonna buy seachem acid buffer

Why are you buying an acid buffer?

 

My ph is a little high

Oh wait i just realise thats the opposite of what i need

I need more acid for my fish tank cause it has a high ph value just a little high

 

My ph is a little high

Oh wait i just realise thats the opposite of what i need

What do you consider "a little high"? In most cases it is best to work with what you have instead of chasing a specific number.

 

I need more acid for my fish tank cause it has a high ph value just a little high

Unless your adding a sensitive fish a stable ph is more important than a perfect ph

 

A 7 ph would be nice and does the ph affect the GH and KH

 

A 7 ph would be nice and does the ph affect the GH and KH

Maybe nice but normally not necessary. Actually it is the other way around. gh/kh closely determine pH. Before you add anything it would be best if you research how they affect each other. It is very possible you won't have to add anything to this tank. As I said, it is much better to just work with what you have. If you don't fully understand what the product you are adding will do you may be causing more harm than good.

 

A 7 ph would be nice and does the ph affect the GH and KH

Yes, a 7.0 ph would be nice for most of us but fluctuating ph can be stressful and even deadly to aquarium fish.
And it’s the other way around, KH usually affects ph, not so much GH. Although it’s a little more complicated than that.

 

My ph in this big tank is 8 so i need it to be a 7

 

As said by others, it’s best to not play with your PH and get fish that do well with what you have. If you still want to adjust your PH, there are natural ways to do so. Using chemicals should be your absolute last resort.

 

Ah i see if so may i use catapaleaves then

I am planning to keep fishes that do not withstand high ph

 

Ah i see if so may i use catapaleaves then

I am planning to keep fishes that do not withstand high ph

Sure, you can also add wood and put peat moss in your filter. It will take at least a few days for the PH to go down.

 

And if your source water has a ph of 8, than I would stick to smaller water changes so there is not ph shock to your fish.
Just curious, what kind of fish? There are members here who keep and even breed fish in higher than recommended ph.

 

Catappa leaves to lower pH doesn't work in high hardness. If the pH is at 8, that means the KH (and likely GH) must be relatively high. Catappa only lower the pH maybe by 0.4 in low KH, in high KH they don't do anything.

What are the planned fish? Maybe this is not even necessary. Otherwise an RO unit is advised to keep soft water fish.

 

There are plenty of people who’ve kept and bred even discus in a ph of 8. Keep the ph stable, not necessarily neutral. It’s best to just keep it at 8. The fish will most likely be fine, unless it’s some super sensitive fish only found in blackwater ponds or something. Try to make sure the ph doesn’t change. If you do that, the number isn’t super important.

 

I am planning to keep pearl gourami and glowlight tetras and green neon tetras also ember tetras

 

They’ll do fine in a ph of 8 as long as it doesn’t fluctuate. Again, they just need stable ph, not necessarily low ph.

 

I read that they prefer a ph of 7 puzzling

 

All of those fish prefer a lower ph, but they don’t require it. They’ll do just fine with a ph of 8.

 

Ah i thought it is needed thanks for the help i thought ph would affect their health 8 seems high but thanks for the tip