Tetras are not acting like before

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rickrollxx

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Messages
38
I have a 20g tall planted tank with a fluval aquasky light on it. I just switched my substrate from sand to eco complete and my fish are all staying at the bottom. Even when feeding they don't want to come up to well but will eat. They are better when the light isn't on but they never seemed to have done this before. Could it be the transition? I am a little worried. Thanks for any advise.
 
Actually today. But I always change weekly. Right now the light is off and the fish are swimming more middle to top now. Wondering if light is to bright.
 
Sometimes my fish stay to the bottom if the light is too bright. Plus any new change to a tank may be unsettling to its inhabitants. What are the water readings?
 
Changing substrate can cause a mini cycle.

Also if it had been awhile since the last pwc, sometimes they are affected by the large difference in General Hardness from the concentration of minerals present. Even if you change a small percent each week, over time, there may end up with a large build up of minerals due to more evaporation.

Did you use enough water dechlorinator? If your town uses chloramines it can require double dose and some dechlor products do not treat chloramines. As weather warms us they use it because it doesn't break down as fast in warm temps as chlorine (also why you need more)
 
Hmmmmm. Yes my tank is mini cycling. Ammonia is about .5 and nitrites are about the same. I am using prime as always and the same filter. Should I remove some and add distilled Water? Also, should I lower intensity of the light?
 
If it is the lighting maybe you could add some floating plants.
 
Only lighting change if necessary due to algae, as you would want as much photosynthesis and plants using up the stuff in the water.

Get in gear and do pwc! If your tap water does not have the Nitrites then get changing!

You could use RO water I personally do not like distilled (all because of a plant study showing how distilled water did not grow plants and neither did microwaved water btw, it was a long time ago I reviewed this, so no further details available - not that you asked or even wanted to know, lol).

RODI - reverse osmosis/deionized water available at the lfs saltwater variety usually, ~ .50 per gallon
 
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