Hello,
I am trying to figure out what is going on in my tank. I have a newly cycled 47 gallon tank with the following readings:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5ppm
I decided that I wanted to have some soft water fish (german rams). My tap water is generally hard. I have RO installed under my kitchen sink so I figured if I did half RO and half tap that would soften the water enough to home these beautiful creatures. So I went to work doing just that. I took out half of the water in the tank and then added RO water back into it. My tap water readings are as follows:
Tap Water
GH 11
KH 8
PH 8.2
After I added the RO..
1/2 Tap & 1/2 RO
GH 8
KH 4
PH 7.6
So I finished up last night figuring everything was okay and put the little guys in. I checked the water this morning and the readings were as follows:
GH 8
KH 8
PH 7.2
Then this evening I noticed the fish breathing hard and floating at the top of the tank so I measured again:
GH 9
KH 4
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5ppm
What am I missing? Why are my fish not doing well? Is there anything I can do to save the little guys? I have theories but nothing concrete. Could it be the KH and PH fluctuations?
Any help is much appreciated. They are going downhill fast.
Thanks!
I am trying to figure out what is going on in my tank. I have a newly cycled 47 gallon tank with the following readings:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 5ppm
I decided that I wanted to have some soft water fish (german rams). My tap water is generally hard. I have RO installed under my kitchen sink so I figured if I did half RO and half tap that would soften the water enough to home these beautiful creatures. So I went to work doing just that. I took out half of the water in the tank and then added RO water back into it. My tap water readings are as follows:
Tap Water
GH 11
KH 8
PH 8.2
After I added the RO..
1/2 Tap & 1/2 RO
GH 8
KH 4
PH 7.6
So I finished up last night figuring everything was okay and put the little guys in. I checked the water this morning and the readings were as follows:
GH 8
KH 8
PH 7.2
Then this evening I noticed the fish breathing hard and floating at the top of the tank so I measured again:
GH 9
KH 4
PH 7.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5ppm
What am I missing? Why are my fish not doing well? Is there anything I can do to save the little guys? I have theories but nothing concrete. Could it be the KH and PH fluctuations?
Any help is much appreciated. They are going downhill fast.
Thanks!