115 Gallen tank/ Long term fish gasping/

[davidwolf]

115 Gallen tank/ Long term fish gasping/

My fish are always gasping on and off. I bought a salifert oxygen test kit to find out the oxygen level. The color turns yellow to orange on the big tank. It makes no sense because the color chart is purple. But when I test my small tank and tap water it works and turns purple.

The 115 Gallen tank has three air stones in it because I have been trying to increase the oxygen level due to the fish gasping. The water conditions look good to me.

I run Ro water

PH 6.6 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm
nitrate 30 ppm
KH 40 ppm
Tds 251ppm

 

[davidwolf]

filter

I run an fx4 canster.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Please give as much information as you can requested from the "unhealthy fish" sticky.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forum...his-32451.html

You havent mentioned nitrite. Are you seeing any improvement after water changes? Any other symptoms?

I would contact salifert and ask them about your abnormal test results. See if they can cast any light on why you are getting readings that dont correspond to whats on the chart.

With 3 airstones and a big filter I dont see oxygen levels being an issue if you are getting plenty of surface agitation.

How are you remineralising the RO water?

 

[davidwolf]

Hi

I now so happy got nitrite under control at 30ppm


How are you remineralising the RO water?

I have not because my TDS is at 250. If I put Equilibrium in, it will go up to 300 400 TDS. Unless I should put it in any way and my water pretty hard all ready.

I have only done four water changes of 50% with the RO system already. wonder it takes time for the water to soften and drop TDS to be safe to use Equilibrium. Unless I don't know what I am talking about.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Nitrite is 30ppm? Are you getting mixed up with nitrate?

TDS of RO water should be very low. Are you saying your RO water is 250 TDS or your tanks water is 250 after these water changes?

Lets say your tank is 250 and your RO is 20. A 50% water change should result in a TDS of about 135. What exactly are you seeing? Is it dropping after your water change and then going back up over time? Is using RO for your water changes having no effect on TDS in the tank? Are you sure your RO water is RO?

Also remember that TDS is measuring all solids dissolved in the water and not telling what is actually in there. Some dissolved solids will be more harmful than others.

 

[davidwolf]

update

I check and again nitrate is at 30ppm. It use to be high and is now under control after the Fourth water change. It stays in the orange color now and not the red color on the test kit.,

My fish tank's current TDS level is at TDS 250. Last week it was in the 350s before the 50% water change. Notice the TDS goes up about 40-50 TDS week

The Ro water system gave off a TDS level of 18

I feel The tank is slowly changing over to Ro water. It shocks me how hard is the water still after four water changes. Did a Gh test with a strip and a chemicals test kit and still hard.

 

[Aiken Drum]

What is your nitrite?

Was you seeing this gasping before you started using RO water for your water changes?

Does your fishes behaviour improve after your water changes? Even if only for a short while?

 

[davidwolf]

Hi

What is your nitrite?

Just did a nitrite test 0 ppm sky blue color

Was you seeing this gasping before you started using RO water for your water changes?

Yes really badly and lost much fish from the beginning because the nitrate was very high because the tap water nitrate was coming out of the tap 40-50ppm. The Ro drops the tap water nitrate to 0 ppm. With the Ro water fish have gasping a lot less and doing much better and have not lost a fish yet but gasping still goes on

I know when the fish are ready to go to the hospital tank when the fish starts to hide in a corner and sit on the rocks to concern energy because of all the gasping. Not all fish gasp the same, some do more than others and some do less and not at all. Going to do a water change and see if that might make the fish gasp.

Does your fishes behaviour improve after your water changes? Even if only for a short while?

Going to do a water change today and watch and see how they react after the water change.