Unknown problem after water change...

[saa5886]

I just did a water change after seeing elevated levels in all params (I'm sure its due to adding a new fish, which I expected to have to do a water change for)...
I used the filtered fridge water like always, and added prime. The temp of the water is 77 degrees.
Heres the weird thing... since I've done the water change, my cory cat is laying on his side acting like he's about to die.

My params before:
PH-7.0
Ammonia- 0.5
Nitrite-1.0
Nitrate-10

My params now(80% water change):
PH-7.6 (why?)
Ammonia-0.5
Nitrite-.25
Nitrate-10

First of all, WHY are my stats still claiming to be practically the same (with exception to nitrite) when I just did an 80% change?? Why did my PH rise??

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

A few questions:

1) What brand of test kit are you using, and how old is it?

2) The fact that you have any level of Ammonia / NitrItes indicates that your tank is still cycling. How long has it been up for?

3) Size of tank, type of filtration?

4) What de-chlorinator are you using?

5) Have you tested your tap water?

Get back on these, it will help clear up the picture a bit.

You may have some ammonia in your tap water. That could be why that changed.

Your tap pH could be high. Mine is off the scale >8.8 on API, but drops to about 7.8 in a few days after a 50% PWC on my 55g. My drinking water RO is about 7.9-8.1.

 

[Raimond]

An 80% water change is huge. This should have reduced your levels to near zero unless as suggested you added as much back into the tank from the water you added or your test kit is not working well. RO/DI water is the way to go, even if you have to buy it. Using water from your filtered water from the frig is not much better than tap as most systems only use carbon to help with the taste of the water. If you can not get RO/DI than find a water dispensing station, normally outside of a store like WalMart. Hopefully you let the water warm up before putting it the tank. Any change to water parameters will cause your fish to stress which is not good. I do not do more than 30% at a time, I may do 3 in a row of 30% a day apart if needed but not all at once. Others may see it differently but thats what I was taught.

 

[saa5886]

i know neither one of you are too familiar with my setup and tanks...

I use my fridge water because i have tested it, and its zero everything with a 7.0 PH...

I use a brand new API liquid test kit...


Nevermind everyone, im not sure what the cory's deal was, but hes fine now...

 

[jsoong]

I can explain the ammonia ....

0.5 of ammonia is not much & can easily be test error. Also, chloramines (disinfectant in tap water) breaks down to ammonia+chlorine with any dechlor ... those are bound & harmless, but will read positive (like 0.5) in a salicylate test (like the FW API). So I wouldn't worry too much about the ammonia. <To prove it to yourself ... mix Prime with plain tap water & test for ammonia .... If you really need to test for free ammonia, buy a Nessler kit (Salt water ammonia - 2 reagent bottles) ... but it really is not necessary>

The nitrites coming down from 1 to 0.25 is just right for a 80% pwc.

I have no idea what is happening to the pH or nitrates ... something is off in your fridge filter??

To be safe, you need to parameter match the water with a big pwc like 80% .... That means testing the change water against the tank water BEFORE you put it in .... If the parameters are off, you need to do a series of smaller pwc's, or put the change water in slowly ... like over 1/2 hr+ so the fish can adjust. <The cory prob got a bit shocked with the para change but had now adjusted.>

 

[Raimond]

Hey Saa5886,
How is the tank/fish now? Better I hope, pics yet?

 

[mellowyellow]

I tried to scoop my cory up off a rock pile since I was having trouble keeping the water temps down because my air conditioning broke, yada, yada, yada and almost all my fish died. He was resting I suppose, because as soon as I touched him he bolted. lol. Who knew?

 

[Raimond]

Cooling your tank

Put a fan on your tank and it will cool off several degrees in no time. This will cause more evaporation though.

Oh yea, I noticed you are from the Eastern Shore, I grew up in Hampton Va. Not far away...