Dipstick Strip Results/Need help!

[nurselady]

Hi,
I use the Jungle brand dipsticks to test my ammonia , and I have a 5-in-1 test strip for nitrate/nitrite, hardness, total alkalinity, and pH.

I thought alkalinity was measured with pH, so why separate on the strip?
MY nitrAte is way high, unsafe according to the strip, hardness is soft, total alkalinity is way LOW, as well as pH.

I have algee in my tank, all over the rocks and air stone. The pleco does not eat it. I just added an algee eater and a snail. WHAT should I do to correct my levels??? I did add some liquid pH UP, about 50 drops. I have a 10 gal. and it says 10 drops per gal.

I am considering a 29 gal tank in the near future.

Any advice appreciated.

Nurselady...but I am a human nurse, not fish!!!

 

[possum]

Plecos come from the amazon where the water is soft and acid so the ph should be fine. But i dont think a pleco will be happy in a 10 gallon for very long and maybe not in a 29 for too long either.

 

[SixFootDaisy]

The pleco is going to grow way too big for either of those tanks. Just as possum said.


What other fish do you have in the tank? And how long has it been established?

Start doing 10% water changes....

What are your other levels?

 

[possum]

Also if you do have some other fish that like higher PH then the pleco will also be just as happy.

 

[jokerfac]

I thought alkalinity was measured with pH, so why separate on the strip?

Because low alkalinity does not mean you will have a acidic pH. For instance my alkalinity is about 5-6 dH, but my pH is about 8.0 or higher. Alkalinity indicates the pH buffering capabilities of your water. Increased alkalinity means it takes more effort to change your pH, but easier to keep you pH stable. If you alkalinity drops below 3 dH, your tank may experience drastic pH swing which is bad for your fish companions.

 

[TankGirl]

What exactly are the levels? I find the dip-strips to be somewhat unreliable, as they are affected by dampness and other factors. High nitrates means do more water changes, and that should resolve the algae problem, because nitrates are what plant materials use as a fertilizer (that is why spent tank water is an excellent thing to water houseplants with). You have another thread going about dealing with your pH, but we need the actual numbers to see what is going on.

 

[nurselady]

what are the best test kits to use....the sticks are so handy. i will retest and submit the numbers tomorrow. fish are fine. and my pleco is small..about 2.5 inches only ---if that.

 

[TankGirl]

I use Aquarium Pharmaceuticals liquid reagent type test kits, where you put drops of fluid into a test tube of tank water, and match the color. I think there are better test kits out there, but the AP tests are readily available.

 

[bsuball41]

I thought alkalinity was measured with pH, so why separate on the strip?

Because low alkalinity does not mean you will have a acidic pH. For instance my alkalinity is about 5-6 dH, but my pH is about 8.0 or higher. Alkalinity indicates the pH buffering capabilities of your water. Increased alkalinity means it takes more effort to change your pH, but easier to keep you pH stable. If you alkalinity drops below 3 dH, your tank may experience drastic pH swing which is bad for your fish companions.

What are some ways to increase the alkalinity of the water? Mine is currently at about 3 dH and I'd like to bump it up to 8 or 10 or so.

 

[TankGirl]

Baking soda is the easiest way, but I would not go that route unless there is a real issue at hand, rather than just a test strip that says it is not "ideal." You can also put crushed coral in the filter to increase buffering capacity.

 

[bsuball41]

You read my mind - the only reason why I was interested in changing it is because the test strip said it was lower than ideal.

So I'll just leave it alone, as I haven't had any major problems - thanks!

 

[TankGirl]

You are welcome! It is generally better for the fish if you don't try to manipulate the water chemistry, unless there is a real problem.

 

[ducas005]

Also if you do have some other fish that like higher PH then the pleco will also be just as happy.

In my (limited) experience pleco catfish usually do not do well in high alkaline waters (such as when you mix aquarium salt). Would be interested to know if others faced similar problems.

 

[TankGirl]

Plecos are very adaptable and can do well in a broad pH range as well as hard and soft water, but I have no experience keeping them in a tank with salt, so maybe someone else will help with that. I know cory cats are sensitive to salt.

 

[Allivymar]

I can't speak to long term exposure to salt, but suckermouth cats like plecs can handle salt for short periods. My guy was (along with his tankmates) treated for ich with a combination of high temps (88F) and high levels of salt (3 ppm) for 2 weeks with no negative effects. However, they aren't brackish fish, and I wouldn't recommend keeping them in a tank with brackish levels of salt for any extended period of time.