Controlling PH in Hospital tank - Aquarium Advice

ryshark · 01-12-2008, 01:59 PM

I am having a real hard time keeping my PH above even 8.0 in my hospital tank with SG of 1.009. It keeps falling down to around 7.8 and then I put in Seachem Marine Buffer which raises it over 8 quickly. I then realized quickly is probably not good. So today I got a drip line going with the buffer. Is there anything I could put in there to help maintaing the PH/alkalinity? Maybe some type of calcareous calcium based decoration or something (if that exists)? Right now all I have in there are the PVC. Or do I need to switch away from the Seachem Marine Buffer? My two tiny clowns in there seem fine, my 3" hippo tang looks way better now but pretty much just lays down on its side half way under a PVC most of the day and night. I can't blame it though it is going through a cycle, my ammonia has constantly been .25 it is now finally starting to drop very slightly but my nitrites are now .25, throw that in the mix with a fluctuating PH and a SG of 1.009... poor fish. I am doing the best I can with frequent PWC every single day since last Friday. Thanks.

JoshsReef · 01-12-2008, 02:23 PM

try using some amquel plus to detoxify your ammonia and nitrites untill your cycle completes. Also I would not worry about your PH, just keep it stable and your fish will do fine while in the QT

**melosu58** · 01-12-2008, 03:44 PM

Why are you doing Hypo? Just wondering. Ick?

ryshark · 01-12-2008, 03:52 PM

Yes my tang has ich. I hit 1.010 two days ago and got to 1.009 yesterday but I still see a few white spots. I thought the parasite "explodes" at low salt levels. Is this only after it falls off the fish? I put some food in the tank and the tang is much more active now, but I am still going to go get some of that Amquel+ today. That sounded like a good suggestion, thanks.

**melosu58** · 01-12-2008, 04:09 PM

Read this on the QT and Hypo procedure. HTH

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-08/sp/index.php

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/20...ture/index.php

ryshark · 01-12-2008, 11:09 PM

I put some of that amquel+ in my QT. My tang seems more active now. My ammonia and nitrite readings are about the same though. Does anybody know if I am suposed to get lower readings after adding that stuff or am I getting the same readings because it "detoxifies" it and does not actually remove it?

ryshark · 01-12-2008, 11:12 PM

Melosu, the article you sent says 1.009-1.010 has been reported to kill the parasite in 14-days. So that makes sense why I am still seeing a couple white spots on the tail fin. Thanks for the article.

JoshsReef · 01-13-2008, 01:03 AM

You will still get the same readings. it does not change the amount of ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates in your water it just makes them harmless. It gives you a chance to cycle your QT without having to worry about the safety of your fish.

cmor1701d · 01-13-2008, 11:52 AM

When I did hypo I had to do 2x/day 10% pwc's to keep things in check. I did one before leaving for work and another after dinner. That was in a 30 gal so it was only about 3 - 5 gallons each time. I always had at least 2 buckets of mixed sw ready to go. After a week or so the biowheel kept the ammonia and nitrite in check but I still did a daily pwc for pH and nitrate export.

Total PITA but worth it.

When I got my blue tang and put it in QT it always went under a piece of pvc whenever I approached. It took about 3 weeks for it to get comfortable with me being near the tank. Now it will eat nori out of my hand in the main tank.
If you are on the other side of the room and very still does it come out from under the pvc? It might just be uncomfortable with its new surroundings.

ryshark · 01-13-2008, 02:33 PM

Yes, if i am away from the tank across the room it will come out sometimes. Or if I put food in there it will come out. I'm used to it being an active fish in my main, not a fish that lays on its side half way under PVC most day. But it sounds like yours acted the exact same way. My has only been in there for a little over a week, I know you said it took yours 3-weeks to get used to it. As long as it survives this 6-weeks and makes it back into my main and does not get Ick again, I will be very happy. This morning my PH was down to 7.4, I don't know if I sould leave it be like Josh recommended or add a drip line with some buffer. What I did so far was a 10% PWC with a PH of 8.0

01-12-2008, 01:59 PM	#1
ryshark Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 567	Controlling PH in Hospital tank I am having a real hard time keeping my PH above even 8.0 in my hospital tank with SG of 1.009. It keeps falling down to around 7.8 and then I put in Seachem Marine Buffer which raises it over 8 quickly. I then realized quickly is probably not good. So today I got a drip line going with the buffer. Is there anything I could put in there to help maintaing the PH/alkalinity? Maybe some type of calcareous calcium based decoration or something (if that exists)? Right now all I have in there are the PVC. Or do I need to switch away from the Seachem Marine Buffer? My two tiny clowns in there seem fine, my 3" hippo tang looks way better now but pretty much just lays down on its side half way under a PVC most of the day and night. I can't blame it though it is going through a cycle, my ammonia has constantly been .25 it is now finally starting to drop very slightly but my nitrites are now .25, throw that in the mix with a fluctuating PH and a SG of 1.009... poor fish. I am doing the best I can with frequent PWC every single day since last Friday. Thanks.

01-13-2008, 11:52 AM	#9
cmor1701d Aquarium Advice Addict Community Mentor Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Belle Mead, NJ Posts: 3,927 Images: 43	When I did hypo I had to do 2x/day 10% pwc's to keep things in check. I did one before leaving for work and another after dinner. That was in a 30 gal so it was only about 3 - 5 gallons each time. I always had at least 2 buckets of mixed sw ready to go. After a week or so the biowheel kept the ammonia and nitrite in check but I still did a daily pwc for pH and nitrate export. Total PITA but worth it. When I got my blue tang and put it in QT it always went under a piece of pvc whenever I approached. It took about 3 weeks for it to get comfortable with me being near the tank. Now it will eat nori out of my hand in the main tank. If you are on the other side of the room and very still does it come out from under the pvc? It might just be uncomfortable with its new surroundings. __________________ Click here to Vote for Aquarium Advice on AquaRank . Vote EVERY day! Click Here for a list of commonly used acronyms and abbreviations. ____ Cmor

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01-12-2008, 02:23 PM	#2
JoshsReef Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northern Kentucky Posts: 227	try using some amquel plus to detoxify your ammonia and nitrites untill your cycle completes. Also I would not worry about your PH, just keep it stable and your fish will do fine while in the QT

01-12-2008, 03:52 PM	#4
ryshark Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 567	Yes my tang has ich. I hit 1.010 two days ago and got to 1.009 yesterday but I still see a few white spots. I thought the parasite "explodes" at low salt levels. Is this only after it falls off the fish? I put some food in the tank and the tang is much more active now, but I am still going to go get some of that Amquel+ today. That sounded like a good suggestion, thanks.

01-12-2008, 11:09 PM	#6
ryshark Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 567	I put some of that amquel+ in my QT. My tang seems more active now. My ammonia and nitrite readings are about the same though. Does anybody know if I am suposed to get lower readings after adding that stuff or am I getting the same readings because it "detoxifies" it and does not actually remove it?

01-12-2008, 11:12 PM	#7
ryshark Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 567	Melosu, the article you sent says 1.009-1.010 has been reported to kill the parasite in 14-days. So that makes sense why I am still seeing a couple white spots on the tail fin. Thanks for the article.

01-13-2008, 01:03 AM	#8
JoshsReef Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Northern Kentucky Posts: 227	You will still get the same readings. it does not change the amount of ammonia, nitrites, or nitrates in your water it just makes them harmless. It gives you a chance to cycle your QT without having to worry about the safety of your fish.

01-13-2008, 02:33 PM	#10
ryshark Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Southern California Posts: 567	Yes, if i am away from the tank across the room it will come out sometimes. Or if I put food in there it will come out. I'm used to it being an active fish in my main, not a fish that lays on its side half way under PVC most day. But it sounds like yours acted the exact same way. My has only been in there for a little over a week, I know you said it took yours 3-weeks to get used to it. As long as it survives this 6-weeks and makes it back into my main and does not get Ick again, I will be very happy. This morning my PH was down to 7.4, I don't know if I sould leave it be like Josh recommended or add a drip line with some buffer. What I did so far was a 10% PWC with a PH of 8.0