please help me out, I dont know what is wrong with my angelfish

[fishfanatic]

This is the Ph of my tap water. But keep in mind I have pressurized co2 witch changes Ph. I have turned off the co2 and the lights and the auto fert dosers...

[kaiofcanada]

Ouch! That is a big jump from the tap especially since you have been doing alot of water changes lately. That means that you must have something in your tank that is causing the change. The Co2 wont change it that much unless you are doing something crazy. I assume since you arent reporting all of the fish gasping that you dont have that trouble.

What decorations do you have in the tank? natural and man made???? Many aquarium safe decorations arent really safe. They break down over time and can leak out some really bad stuff that can affect your water conditions.

[sherlock1315]

I have an angel and I think yours is stressed due to either poor water quality or mabye you've been stressing her out with all of the water changes. Red spots are probably from high ammonia so I highly suggest that if you don't already have it, get the API master test kit and check everything. I know my PH is usually off and nothing happens but that may also be a cause of stress. Have you done anything new to the tank? How big is it? Do you have any other fish with it? Are you using an airstone? Do you have live plants?

[sherlock1315]

Oh nevermind I didn't see the test kit pics.

[karen21]

Originally Posted by fishfanatic

It took a Ph reading (I don't very often)... could this be the thing that is stressing her out? (I can't tell what Ph that is)

Please can I ask for my reference, why there are two tests, and so different?
I can see one is too alkaline, and the other too acid.

[fishfanatic]

Originally Posted by karen21

Please can I ask for my reference, why there are two tests, and so different?
I can see one is too alkaline, and the other too acid.

One is the Ph and one is the high range Ph.

[fishfanatic]

Originally Posted by kaiofcanada

Ouch! That is a big jump from the tap especially since you have been doing alot of water changes lately. That means that you must have something in your tank that is causing the change. The Co2 wont change it that much unless you are doing something crazy. I assume since you arent reporting all of the fish gasping that you dont have that trouble.

What decorations do you have in the tank? natural and man made???? Many aquarium safe decorations arent really safe. They break down over time and can leak out some really bad stuff that can affect your water conditions.

I have nothing man made in the tank. I have dw and that is it

[karen21]

Originally Posted by fishfanatic

One is the Ph and one is the high range Ph.

Do you mean "water-hardness" and PH?
I may be lost in translation, as most posters are American, and I am Uk!
Thanks, Karen x

[karen21]

Over-stocking is my only humble contribution..

[karen21]

My contribution, as I have been having trouble with Ph, and is my guilty confession.. Too many babies, and a Plec that pooped a lot for my tank size

[fishfanatic]

Originally Posted by karen21

Over-stocking is my only humble contribution..

If you look at the first post on 'fishfanatics 40 gallon high tank' (I think that is what it is called) it will tell you my stock list, tank size and a few other things

[fishfanatic]

I don't really know what to look for when it comes to things that change Ph? I dose pps pro, I have specialized substrate, and drift wood. Does any of that change Ph? I have a lot of plants but i don't think they change Ph. In my filter I have nothing but biomax and poli- fill

[fishfanatic]

Should I continue to do pwc? I ask this because the Ph swings are going to stress the fish even farther.

[fishfanatic]

Any thoughts about continuing with the pwc?

[kaiofcanada]

I would definitely keep with the pwc, but instead of suggesting large water changes of 50% or more, I would stick to 20% daily so that you don't ph shock your fish and kill them.

I am still concerned that you pH is so high given that you have been doing daily water changes. Typically driftwood will slowly lower your pH.

What type of specialized substrate are you keeping?

The other things you have all seem good and should not affect your pH. The only other thing that I can think of is how you change your water. Do you use a python or siphon? Do you use a bucket? Is that bucket ONLY used for your aquarium (never used for anything else)?

[fishfanatic]

Originally Posted by kaiofcanada

I would definitely keep with the pwc, but instead of suggesting large water changes of 50% or more, I would stick to 20% daily so that you don't ph shock your fish and kill them.

I am still concerned that you pH is so high given that you have been doing daily water changes. Typically driftwood will slowly lower your pH.

What type of specialized substrate are you keeping?

The other things you have all seem good and should not affect your pH. The only other thing that I can think of is how you change your water. Do you use a python or siphon? Do you use a bucket? Is that bucket ONLY used for your aquarium (never used for anything else)?

I don't know what the substrate is called. It was sold by PETCO until it was discontinued...

As far a pwc go I use a python I take the water out (with python) then I put prime in the aquarium then refill the aquarium...

[fishfanatic]

This is the substrate I got...

[fishfanatic]

http://www.activflora.com/
I have the red and the black.
It says "will not alter pH"

[kaiofcanada]

fishfanatic...you have all great stuff in your tank filters, substrate, even your ferts...I am racking my brain to think of what could be increasing your pH like that. None of the things I have asked about so far would raise pH or have such an affect on it.

I guess I would only ask where you got your driftwood and how you cured it before adding it to your tank? and if you have any rocks or stones?

I really hope we can figure this out.

How is the angel doing today?

[fishfanatic]

Originally Posted by kaiofcanada

fishfanatic...you have all great stuff in your tank filters, substrate, even your ferts...I am racking my brain to think of what could be increasing your pH like that. None of the things I have asked about so far would raise pH or have such an affect on it.

I guess I would only ask where you got your driftwood and how you cured it before adding it to your tank? and if you have any rocks or stones?

I really hope we can figure this out.

How is the angel doing today?

I have 3 peaces of dw, 2 of them came with plants on them from petco, and one of them came from frosters and Smiths. I socked it in water for about a month (changing the water every few days).
I don't have any rocks..

Her fins seem to be a little more spread out today. I think turning the lights off and leaving the co2 and ferts off helped a lot. Today she did nibble at some food. Tomorrow I am going to get some melafix (I think that's what you said to get?). I have not done a pwc yet today (I was waiting for the answer to the pwc question).