martiniduck
Aquarium Advice Activist
I have had my tank up and running for 8 years. I always had lots of luck with fish and no major problems. The past year or so I have not had any luck with fish. Any fish I put in the tank will not last more than a few weeks. I'm talking hardy fish like patties and jollies. I have hard water, and I use water that goes through a salt softener. My ammonia is 0, my Nitrates are 0, but my Nitrites are always pretty high. I only feed the fish a few flakes 2 times a week. The only fish that have lasted is a striped sucker mouth about 1" 1/2 long and a ghost shrimp. The tank is 29 gallon and has a hanging filter and two overheads with an underground filter. I use a Python system to do water changes every week and dechlorinate as I am filling the tank. Could the build up of salt from the softener over the years be the cause of the problem?