Gh/kh/ph. Clamping angels.
- Thread starter Kelly5978
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
IsabellaRows
Aquarium Advice Regular
Is your PH normally that high? Are there other fish in the tank? What size is your tank? If you don't already, add some salt to the aquarium and that may help with them being stressed. Check for signs of parasites or infection.
I don't recommend using salt in your tank as many species are sensitive to it and you didn't list your stock. Also if you have plants they also are not very tolerant to salt.
Have you recently added any new stock? Do you see any parasites? Any other symptoms? Have you tried a WC?
Have you recently added any new stock? Do you see any parasites? Any other symptoms? Have you tried a WC?
Are all your angels with clamped fins? Are they eating? Also check for any signs of white stringy poo. I recently had to remove 3 angels from my tank with those symptoms in order to save the rest.
molliwopp
Aquarium Advice Addict
Adding salt for any old reason is going to cause more problems than making anything better. Salt can used as a treatment for some paracites ect but adding salt is definitely not something you just do and wont help with stress, its more likely to cause it unless brackish and its dependent on the fish.
My ph is typically 7.2-7.4. I mix tap with RO to get it there. Do I need to adid acid and/or alkaline buffers to make it more stable? I was told the tap water buffered, but I mix 1/4 tap with 3/4 RO. Also, is lowering my gh to make my angels happy actually hurting them by making the water nutrient deficient? Maybe that's what's causing me trouble. Only 2 keep clamping up, mostly. It comes and goes. That why I keep thinking ph shifts are part of the problem.
Thanks. Was just worried because: 1. They keep having HTTL symptoms. I treat them, they get better, but it comes back. 2. I have rams trying to breed, but the eggs never make it (I read they require REALLY SOFT WATER). 3. The ph was 8.2 that day when I tested. Why is it fluctuating so greatly? I test replacement water to match gh, kh, ph and temp. The 1/4 of each gallon of new water that is tap, I have aged at least 2 days. Typically longer. Is there a point when you're not using enough tap? Finally, if I wanted to start using RO only, how would I buffer that? And what would need to be added? I've always been afraid of buffers, but I want my rams eggs to hatch.,..and I definitely don't want huge ph fluctuations! Don't buffers keep it steady? I do know that one time I tested, the kh was 3, gh 7, and ph was 7. I understand that the kh is used up by the fish, and that's just the capability of the water to buffer. But, if it fluctuates....doesn't the ph fluctuate also? I wish I could get the water perfect (lower gh), and then put something in to keep it there. Any magic cures like that?
If your kh is 4 or above you have plenty of buffers in the water. I try to keep my tanks at a kh and gh of 4 but most of my tanks run normally with a kh of 3 and all do very well. If you go with RO water only you would use a product like Seachems Equilibrium if you have a planted tank or Seachems Replenish if it's a fish only tank. You add the amount of the product to achieve the kh/gh readings you want. It's not hard. Also if you add Indian Almond Leaves to your tank and leave the tannins in the water this helps soften your water and I've also found it tends to get fish like my rams and angels in the spawning mood a few days after I add fresh leaves to the tank.
I've been talking to seachem about going to straight RO water with buffers, but I'm afraid to screw it up. By mixing my tap with RO, my kh is always 4-6. My goal is lowering the gh, without pillow softeners,,,,,which I've heard are bad. I already have lots of driftwood in the tank, but my purigen sucks out the tannins. How can I lower the GH, while using purigen? I'm getting wrapped up in scientific stuff that's over my head! I just want soft, stable water. But, my purigen is awesome (fish look like they're floating in air, not water), and keeps my nitrates below 10. So, anyone have an idea how to lower the GH? Mine is 8. This is because my tap water is 20. Now do you see my dilemma? Less tap water would mean less buffer, bringing kh low, and here come the ph fluctuations. But, I can't get the gh down any other way with purigen in! Suggestions welcome!
3 of my tanks run with a Kh of 3 and have a stable ph. Up the amount of RO and see where your Kh ends up at. You can always add a pinch, and I mean a pinch of baking soda to increase your Kh if needed. I Gh of 8 with a Kh of 4-6 is not overly hard. So try more RO less tap and see if you can find the level you want that way.
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