ysic_liz
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hi everyone,
ok so there's a long and sad story to this but I hope you can bear with me.
In November last year I bought a freshwater Aquastart 320 (28litre tank).
Came with heater, undergravel filter and aquarium gravel. Set it up, washed gravel and put it in, put in the aquarium water conditioner (and bacteria drops) and Let it run for a bit over a week according to instructions.
Against my better judgment I bought too many fish at once (1 Siamese fighter, 1 golden sucking catfish and 10 neon tetras). On the same day I bought a thermometer (mistake #2 - shouldve already bought it).
So of course I cooked my fish in 30 degree celcius heat, poor things. The neons all went over a few days, the siamese nearly a week, but my catfish survived.
During that time I managed to bring the water temp down by using water changes and floating ice in ziplock bags.
Thinking all was well again, a couple of weeks later I bought another fighter and two platys.
But within three days both platys died.
It wasn't until then I was told I should check my ph - it was through the roof -about 8 I think. Quite a pretty blue colour - would like it in other circumstances lol.
Since then, I still have both my Siamese and my catfish (what a trooper) but I'm worried about them because I think they're developing fin rot - have used a multicure for bacterial/fungal infections but nothings changed. I can only think that it's the ph. Have been using ph down (a little at a time) but it would not change. I even took everything out of the tank (2 plastic plants and a castle) just in case they were the cause. No change.
Finally managed to find a good fish shop and the guy tested my gravel saying it was calciumbased and was bringing my ph up.
Ive now changed my gravel and done a water change but two days later the ph is still too alkaline. I think it might have come down a little but it's hard to tell the difference between shades of blue and then your mind starts playing tricks.
I don't think my fish have gotten any worse, but they're not better either. There is a little bit of chasing going on but not enough as far as I can tell to cause both of them to have bad their fins nipped.
I've heard that carbonate hardness can be the cause of ph not coming down but was told not to worry about that but just to use ph down. I've also heard from some people that alkalinity is not too bad, but I've also heard that fighters have to be at ph neutral.
I don't suppose there could be something wrong with the tank itself?
On my home now from work so hopefully when I get home it's come down a little.
Sorry about the length of this post but I've had so much conflicting advice that Im at my wits end thinking "what have I gotten myself into!"
hope someone can help.
Thanks!
L
ok so there's a long and sad story to this but I hope you can bear with me.
In November last year I bought a freshwater Aquastart 320 (28litre tank).
Came with heater, undergravel filter and aquarium gravel. Set it up, washed gravel and put it in, put in the aquarium water conditioner (and bacteria drops) and Let it run for a bit over a week according to instructions.
Against my better judgment I bought too many fish at once (1 Siamese fighter, 1 golden sucking catfish and 10 neon tetras). On the same day I bought a thermometer (mistake #2 - shouldve already bought it).
So of course I cooked my fish in 30 degree celcius heat, poor things. The neons all went over a few days, the siamese nearly a week, but my catfish survived.
During that time I managed to bring the water temp down by using water changes and floating ice in ziplock bags.
Thinking all was well again, a couple of weeks later I bought another fighter and two platys.
But within three days both platys died.
It wasn't until then I was told I should check my ph - it was through the roof -about 8 I think. Quite a pretty blue colour - would like it in other circumstances lol.
Since then, I still have both my Siamese and my catfish (what a trooper) but I'm worried about them because I think they're developing fin rot - have used a multicure for bacterial/fungal infections but nothings changed. I can only think that it's the ph. Have been using ph down (a little at a time) but it would not change. I even took everything out of the tank (2 plastic plants and a castle) just in case they were the cause. No change.
Finally managed to find a good fish shop and the guy tested my gravel saying it was calciumbased and was bringing my ph up.
Ive now changed my gravel and done a water change but two days later the ph is still too alkaline. I think it might have come down a little but it's hard to tell the difference between shades of blue and then your mind starts playing tricks.
I don't think my fish have gotten any worse, but they're not better either. There is a little bit of chasing going on but not enough as far as I can tell to cause both of them to have bad their fins nipped.
I've heard that carbonate hardness can be the cause of ph not coming down but was told not to worry about that but just to use ph down. I've also heard from some people that alkalinity is not too bad, but I've also heard that fighters have to be at ph neutral.
I don't suppose there could be something wrong with the tank itself?
On my home now from work so hopefully when I get home it's come down a little.
Sorry about the length of this post but I've had so much conflicting advice that Im at my wits end thinking "what have I gotten myself into!"
hope someone can help.
Thanks!
L
