Help!

[tombraider23]

PH: 6.0
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20

This is our first planted tank and it is struggling. We did a water change yesterday and used store bought water instead of our filtered water. Over night one of our fish passed away so I ran tests this morning and the Ph is extremely low! What's the recommended way to bring it up? Long hair algae? We purchased a canister filter last week and I've read mixed reviews on what media to use. Currently we have filter floss and bio balls. Any help is appreciated!

 

[Caliban07]

PH: 6.0
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20

This is our first planted tank and it is struggling. We did a water change yesterday and used store bought water instead of our filtered water. Over night one of our fish passed away so I ran tests this morning and the Ph is extremely low! What's the recommended way to bring it up? Long hair algae? We purchased a canister filter last week and I've read mixed reviews on what media to use. Currently we have filter floss and bio balls. Any help is appreciated! View attachment 290842

You can put crushed coral in your canister filter.

 

[Bert2oo1]

PH: 6.0
Ammonia: .50
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20

This is our first planted tank and it is struggling. We did a water change yesterday and used store bought water instead of our filtered water. Over night one of our fish passed away so I ran tests this morning and the Ph is extremely low! What's the recommended way to bring it up? Long hair algae? We purchased a canister filter last week and I've read mixed reviews on what media to use. Currently we have filter floss and bio balls. Any help is appreciated! View attachment 290842

I'd suggest never using water from anywhere but your tap. Unless u want to buy it all the time. By buying the water u caused a massive ph swing resulting in killing your fish.

Are u dosing ferts etc?
How long are the lights on for?

 

[tombraider23]

We learned our lesson. Our Rainsoft water system needs new filters and we can't purchase them until Monday. It didn't cross our mind that store bought would be a big issue, our mistake!
Lights are on about 8-10 hours a day normally. Since the algae outbreak I've lowered that to 3 hours a day.
Will any crushed coral work?

 

[venymae]

if your tap pH is normally not an issue I would not add coral. It hardens your water slowly over time.

 

[Caliban07]

We learned our lesson. Our Rainsoft water system needs new filters and we can't purchase them until Monday. It didn't cross our mind that store bought would be a big issue, our mistake!
Lights are on about 8-10 hours a day normally. Since the algae outbreak I've lowered that to 3 hours a day.
Will any crushed coral work?

You can buy at the fish store. Water from a store is often RODI water so it has nothing in it mineral wise. A rapid change in total dissolved solids is more likely to cause harm than large ph fluctuations.

 

[Bert2oo1]

We learned our lesson. Our Rainsoft water system needs new filters and we can't purchase them until Monday. It didn't cross our mind that store bought would be a big issue, our mistake!
Lights are on about 8-10 hours a day normally. Since the algae outbreak I've lowered that to 3 hours a day.
Will any crushed coral work?

Are u dosing fertilisers like seachem excel and seachem flourish?

 

[tombraider23]

Yes on excel & flourish. As well as potassium nitrate & monopotassium phosphate.

 

[Bert2oo1]

Yes on excel & flourish. As well as potassium nitrate & monopotassium phosphate.

Someone will correct me if I'm wrong but I'm pretty sure u don't need to dose potassium nitrate if your dosing flourish as it has that in it?

By dosing both maybe your nitrates are getting too high cause algae? Not sure on that though.

Do u do 50% weekly water changes?

Hair algae is a pain to get rid of. I'd suggest dropping the lighting like u have and also take out the drift wood and give it a good scrub with a tooth brush to get rid of any algae on it. Try and remove as much as u can from the tank.

The canister should help a lot.

Make sure your not dosing more than what your plants can consume.