bellatrixferox
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Jan 13, 2013
- Messages
- 9
I have a strange phenomenon happening here. Doesn't seem to be affecting much, but I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on it.
This is long, so I apologize in advance.
I tested my water this AM before doing my water change because my Jack Dempsey looked a little washed out. The Ph was unusually high (8.8 approx). Normally it's around 8. Ammonia/nitrate/nitrite was 0/0/0 as usual. I proceeded with my water change, and on a whim I tested the tank water again at 50% empty. And got the normal reading of 8. Not really sure how that's even possible. I tested the water coming out of the faucet, and got 8. My first assumption would be that the faucet water was higher than usual during my last water change (another 50% 2 days ago, I'll get to that in a minute). But....the difference at the lower level doesn't really make sense. The readings were done with a Master Test kit, so I'm reasonably sure they're accurate.
The tank is a 56gal column (so, tall and narrow). There are 4pcs driftwood, an aerator, several live plants-- all of which allegedly keep the Ph down. There is one JD in the tank, and 1 king tiger pleco.
The reason for my water changes is because I treated the tank with victoria green this past week. I thought my JD might have some sort of external parasite, because she's got a red spot on her head and missing scales. The more I look at it, the more I think she just scratched herself on a rock or something (eyeroll). She's very assertive and active, never hides. She also showed exactly zero signs of being sick otherwise. Very active, great color, excellent appetite, no clamped fins, etc. The washed out color this morning may have been an overreaction by me, actually, I had just turned the lights on. I don't think the treatment was a factor in changing the Ph. Reason being, a couple of weeks ago I did a water test before my change and also got a high reading at the top also. I did not test the water again at the halfway mark that time. And.....1 week or so after the high reading, I did the same thing (tested the water prior to the water change) and got my regular Ph.
My fish seem pretty fine. And as I'm typing this my JD's color is coming back lol. She already ate voraciously this morning as well. The different levels at the different levels is just very weird to me.
This is long, so I apologize in advance.
I tested my water this AM before doing my water change because my Jack Dempsey looked a little washed out. The Ph was unusually high (8.8 approx). Normally it's around 8. Ammonia/nitrate/nitrite was 0/0/0 as usual. I proceeded with my water change, and on a whim I tested the tank water again at 50% empty. And got the normal reading of 8. Not really sure how that's even possible. I tested the water coming out of the faucet, and got 8. My first assumption would be that the faucet water was higher than usual during my last water change (another 50% 2 days ago, I'll get to that in a minute). But....the difference at the lower level doesn't really make sense. The readings were done with a Master Test kit, so I'm reasonably sure they're accurate.
The tank is a 56gal column (so, tall and narrow). There are 4pcs driftwood, an aerator, several live plants-- all of which allegedly keep the Ph down. There is one JD in the tank, and 1 king tiger pleco.
The reason for my water changes is because I treated the tank with victoria green this past week. I thought my JD might have some sort of external parasite, because she's got a red spot on her head and missing scales. The more I look at it, the more I think she just scratched herself on a rock or something (eyeroll). She's very assertive and active, never hides. She also showed exactly zero signs of being sick otherwise. Very active, great color, excellent appetite, no clamped fins, etc. The washed out color this morning may have been an overreaction by me, actually, I had just turned the lights on. I don't think the treatment was a factor in changing the Ph. Reason being, a couple of weeks ago I did a water test before my change and also got a high reading at the top also. I did not test the water again at the halfway mark that time. And.....1 week or so after the high reading, I did the same thing (tested the water prior to the water change) and got my regular Ph.
My fish seem pretty fine. And as I'm typing this my JD's color is coming back lol. She already ate voraciously this morning as well. The different levels at the different levels is just very weird to me.