Still Growing Pains

My new 20 gal planted tank is still losing fish. Its been a month. All cycled. Just did a 25% water change. Only points of interest in my readings are 5ppm nitate, and my water is around 8.2 ph. My big Black Skirt is still breathing hard. But color is good. None of them eating much either. My Amazon swords new growth looks weird too. I enclosed pics

 

Giving this a bump up for you

 

Did you check ammonia / nitrites as well ?

 

Yeah, there was just a bit of yellow for ammonia my same with nitrite. The only one above .25 is my nitrate. Its between 5-10ppm.

 

Is there current / flow? Do you use ferts?
The second isn't a Sword btw.

 

Yeah, that's my Anubus. Its doing well, but the new growth is a bit lighter in color. I use tabs, and leaf green at water changes. I did get the special substrate for plants.

 

And lighting ?

 

That's one area I'm wondering about. I put an Aquion led top on. There is a huge middle light with about 20 leds in it. I don't think my old tetras are big fans of that much light.

 

That's one area I'm wondering about. I put an Aquion led top on. There is a huge middle light with about 20 leds in it. I don't think my old tetras are big fans of that much light.

Maybe not "too much" but not the right spectrum.

 

So, I guess I should look at other lighting. You think fluorescent, or maybe Different LEDs?

 

Ok, I literally just watched fish food float right by my old tetras. I covered some of my lights with tape, I started using Prime. I think I lost more black neons. Ammonia is low, and my ph has settled at 7.4 my plants are showing new growth, but its still off color going to do a 50% waterchange. I am out of ideas, Aside from getting different lights.

 

So, I put my old lights from my 10 gal tank in my 20. Aside from my big Amazon sword( which has see though leaves?), all my plants have new growth. My parameters were spot on yesterday. I just added 3 tetras. But after having fun yesterday, they are hiding like everyone else. They must be stressed, but how?