Jobin13
Aquarium Advice Regular
So I recently bought a 6 gallon tank to do a small planted community tank with Dwarf Emerald Rasboras and Chili Red Shrimps. With the hopes of adding Celestial Pearl Danios later. Was going to only have about 6 fish total.. 3 DER and 3 CPD, and 3-5 shrimps.
I started my tank and fishless cycled it...(well it appeared to be cycled at the time). I went and picked up 2 DER from my local fish store (thats all they had), and I immediately lost a fish over night. I then did a water test and it appears to be okay:
pH-6.8
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-60
I brought the fish back, they replaced it, and I got 4 more for a total of 6 DER. I also got 2 shrimp. My tank was running well for about 3 days, I was doing 15-20% water changes every day up until this point because of minute levels of nitrite in the water. I then lost both shrimp overnight and immediately knew something was wrong. My pH had dropped below 6 in a matter of hours... I had some signs of water chemistry issues but nothing to be overly concerned with (ammonia- >0.25, nitrite-0 nitrate-60). I did a water change to raise the pH and added Seachem Stability and Prime because i wasn't sure what was going on. I then left for the weekend and had my girlfriend take care of the tank. Her readings were:
Friday pH: 6.6
Ammonia: >0.25
Nitrite:0.25
Nitrate:5
Saturday pH: 6.6
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 10
Sunday morning pH: 6.4 (she added 1/4 scoop of sachem neutral regulator)
pH after: 6.8
ammonia: 1
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: 10
I came home sunday night and checked it again because she said it started to build ammonia.
Sunday night pH:6.2
ammonia: 2
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
I immediately did a 50% water change. and added a dose of Seachem Prime and stability.
After that my water has been fluctuating terribly. Yesterday my water levels read
pH: 6.6
Ammonia:2
nitrite:
Nitrate:0
treated again with prime and stability.
This morning they were
pH: >6
Ammonia:4
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:0
Conducted a 50%water change, and treated again with Seachem Prime and Stability.
I'm scared to loose my DER. I was bummed about the shrimp but I really like these guys. Since this weekend they have been handing exclusively under my pre filter sponge.
Any thoughts on what I should do??
I started my tank and fishless cycled it...(well it appeared to be cycled at the time). I went and picked up 2 DER from my local fish store (thats all they had), and I immediately lost a fish over night. I then did a water test and it appears to be okay:
pH-6.8
Ammonia-0
Nitrite-0
Nitrate-60
I brought the fish back, they replaced it, and I got 4 more for a total of 6 DER. I also got 2 shrimp. My tank was running well for about 3 days, I was doing 15-20% water changes every day up until this point because of minute levels of nitrite in the water. I then lost both shrimp overnight and immediately knew something was wrong. My pH had dropped below 6 in a matter of hours... I had some signs of water chemistry issues but nothing to be overly concerned with (ammonia- >0.25, nitrite-0 nitrate-60). I did a water change to raise the pH and added Seachem Stability and Prime because i wasn't sure what was going on. I then left for the weekend and had my girlfriend take care of the tank. Her readings were:
Friday pH: 6.6
Ammonia: >0.25
Nitrite:0.25
Nitrate:5
Saturday pH: 6.6
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0.25
Nitrate: 10
Sunday morning pH: 6.4 (she added 1/4 scoop of sachem neutral regulator)
pH after: 6.8
ammonia: 1
Nitrite:0
Nitrate: 10
I came home sunday night and checked it again because she said it started to build ammonia.
Sunday night pH:6.2
ammonia: 2
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5
I immediately did a 50% water change. and added a dose of Seachem Prime and stability.
After that my water has been fluctuating terribly. Yesterday my water levels read
pH: 6.6
Ammonia:2
nitrite:
Nitrate:0
treated again with prime and stability.
This morning they were
pH: >6
Ammonia:4
Nitrite:0
Nitrate:0
Conducted a 50%water change, and treated again with Seachem Prime and Stability.
I'm scared to loose my DER. I was bummed about the shrimp but I really like these guys. Since this weekend they have been handing exclusively under my pre filter sponge.
Any thoughts on what I should do??