No pH altering chemicals!! Your pH is a little high, but it ok for most tropical fish. pH altering chemicals are not good. They can easily cause pH crashes... and they alter the pH very quickly. Swings in pH are far more dangerous to fish than having a steady pH that might be less than ideal.
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- Thread starter JoeD
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
pH is still high, the ammonia and nitrites are are at 0.15, but how can I lower my pH naturally while cycling with fish? COnstant PWC's???
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
Yes, today the pH was 7.8 The API booklet says (6.0 - 7.6) so maybe I'm being overly cautious?? I lost all 3 Zebras and 1 Platy so far and want to avoid any other losses...
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
Keep 5 neons and 2 platties... THey all seem happy!
glassbird
Aquarium Advice Freak
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- Jan 23, 2009
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- 449
Just want to say that fort384 is giving you excellent advice...every time I think of something to contribute, fort beats me to it!
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
I am super grateful for ALL of the advice Fort and other people have provided! Great Site!!!
Since I got a package 20gal Tank complete with filter, biowheel, Heater, LED lights and Temp strip.
My concern (and I'm sure I know the answer) is the Temperature Strips total Crap?
Also My buddy has a tits looking aquarium and was quick to say use
API Stress Coat +
API Stress Zyme +
API Aquarium Salt
After all I am learning I am skeptical to add anything but a lil Prime...
As the "Fish-in Cycle" is proving to be a stress. I am seriously (against my wife's approval) considering pulling the fish out to do it right. If I do will I need to ditch the water and clean the rocks??
Since I got a package 20gal Tank complete with filter, biowheel, Heater, LED lights and Temp strip.
My concern (and I'm sure I know the answer) is the Temperature Strips total Crap?
Also My buddy has a tits looking aquarium and was quick to say use
API Stress Coat +
API Stress Zyme +
API Aquarium Salt
After all I am learning I am skeptical to add anything but a lil Prime...
As the "Fish-in Cycle" is proving to be a stress. I am seriously (against my wife's approval) considering pulling the fish out to do it right. If I do will I need to ditch the water and clean the rocks??
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The stress coat stuff isn't going to hurt if you use it. If the fish are healthy, it is not required. I personally never add anything to my tanks but prime (aside from fertilizers for my plants). The key is keeping the water clean and healthy... and the only way to do that is PWCs. I change about 50% once a week (obviously while you are cycling with fish, it takes much more than that). I think a lot of problems are experienced in the hobby when people overstock their tanks, don't do regular PWCs in sufficient quantity, and then turn to chemical solutions to fix the problems (although it doesn't fix the underlying causes/issues... it just puts a bandaid on whatever the real issues are).
The aquarium salt is not necessary either. It won't hurt anything if used properly, but I doubt it would help much either. Very few fish need it to be at their best.
If you return the fish and do a fishless cycle, there would be no need to ditch what you already have started... it should be fine.
The aquarium salt is not necessary either. It won't hurt anything if used properly, but I doubt it would help much either. Very few fish need it to be at their best.
If you return the fish and do a fishless cycle, there would be no need to ditch what you already have started... it should be fine.
Are you talking about those little stick on thermometers? I am sure it is probably fine. Something like this?
Like pH, constant temp is more important than exact temp. Most tropical fish do pretty well in a fairly wide range of temperatures. If you are keeping the tank in the 70s, it is probably fine.
Homedog98
Aquarium Advice Addict
I got a little one that I just stick in the front of my tank that I got at my LFS for 2 bucks!
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
Yeah that's the one. Just picked up one of those fancy glass jobs for 3 bucks at PS anyhow.
Now that I'm a few weeks into the cycle, I'm hoping I'm in the clear. Noticed a lot of debris today from my PWC and the fish are having a field day eating it all. I am going to skip feeding them today. Is it better to work the gravel vacuum to properly get that stuff during my PWC's?
(I've been just siphoning the water and not cleaning the gravel)
Now that I'm a few weeks into the cycle, I'm hoping I'm in the clear. Noticed a lot of debris today from my PWC and the fish are having a field day eating it all. I am going to skip feeding them today. Is it better to work the gravel vacuum to properly get that stuff during my PWC's?
(I've been just siphoning the water and not cleaning the gravel)
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
BTW ya'll Am I the right place with my postings or should I be in different forums or something?
In a newly setup tank, the gravel probably doesn't need to be cleaned much... but it won't hurt to siphon some of the "crap" for lack of a better term up out of the gravel.
What is your ammonia, nitrites, and nitrate testing at?
What is your ammonia, nitrites, and nitrate testing at?
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
Just did a PWC 10 minutes ago should I wait a bit to do my testing??
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
Ammonia 0.1
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 2.0
pH 7.6
High pH 7.6
Temp 78
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 2.0
pH 7.6
High pH 7.6
Temp 78
Homedog98
Aquarium Advice Addict
Yikes. Get that ammonia down! Do another 50% pwc.
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JoeD
Aquarium Advice Regular
Really!? The tank is less than 2 weeks old and I am cycling with fish. I read to make sure the ammonia was less than 0.2 during this time!?!?
Homedog98
Aquarium Advice Addict
Woops sorry, misread the last post. I thought it said 1 not .1 My bad! You should be fine, but keep watching and test EVERY DAY. If anything gets too high, -nitrates, then do a water change.
Looks good! Like homedog said... just keep an eye on it. You will be through the cycle in a couple weeks... the fact that you are already seeing some nitrite is a very good sign.
Remember, anything about 0.25ppm (ammonia or nitrites) means a PWC is in order. Nitrates are safe up to about 20-40 ppm.
Remember, anything about 0.25ppm (ammonia or nitrites) means a PWC is in order. Nitrates are safe up to about 20-40 ppm.
