Strange new water quality problem (acidity & nitrates)

[Everett]

Hello all,

I've noticed lately that my tank water has been pretty acidic and high in nitrates. I've been pretty regular about water changes, but don't vacuum the gravel (since I can't make my suction pump work well enough to do it). Can I get something to keep the acidity down? Also - I think that I might have went from distilled water to 'drinking' water (no chlorine). Any possibility of this contributing to the ph balance?

Any insight would be appreciated. Fish are healthy but I'd like to be proactive about the water quality.

BTW - my tank is not planted.

-e-

 

[krap101]

Distilled water isn't good for the aquarium, because you need some of the minerals, especially for buffers (reduce pH swings). R/O (reverse osmosis) water is the best.

How are you trying to use the vacuum? Actually getting the uneaten food will help your nitrates significantly (try to keep them under 40)

 

[JustOneMore20]

What is your pH? And what fish do you keep? It is usually best to leave the pH alone unless its way out of range. Some people actually want an acidic pH. The change in water may have contributed to the pH drop.

I agree with Danny on vacuuming up the leftover food and fish waste. That should help your nitrate problem.

I also think you should test your water for nitrates to make sure it doesn't have any (or atleast a small amount).

 

[StuG]

If your having trouble figuring out how to get the gravel vacuum to work go to youtube and watch some videos on it. I did not like the idea of sucking fishy water up with my mouth, so watched some videos on how to do it, and now it gets easier and easier every time.
The lady in the below video seems a bit too brutal for me, but it does show you the basic principals of how to get the thing to work.
YouTube - Water Siphon Demonstration

 

[krap101]

That would never work in my tank... my gravel is too light, and I'd probably kill a cory each time..Anyways, keeping your finger on the other end isn' necessary, but keep in mind how full your bucket is, and that the hose doesn't fall and spray water everywhere.

 

[StuG]

You mean once it's started you don't need your finger over the end? Or you just don't need to do that period?
And yes, I agree, there would at least be some mightily stressed fish if I did it as roughly as that, but I have found the basic principal to work ok for me. Although my tubing is longer also, which makes the actual flow a bit gentler.
I'm always open to better methods though!!!

 

[krap101]

I just fill the tube up with water, raise it above the edge of the tank (you don't need to raise it to your head, and shouldn't because if you don't fill it up quick enough, the siphon won't start.
Tubing length doesn't determine how much water flows. It's mostly the diameter of tubing, then height of the tank up to a point.

 

[StuG]

ok, sweet, thanks for the pointers.
My apologies for hijacking your thread Everett, didn't mean to do that.

 

[HN1]

One word... Python.

 

[mfdrookie516]

One word... Python.

one word... agree!

 

[Everett]

Thanks for all of the help. I'll comment on the comments in order...

I've been using distilled water since I set up the tank (4 months ago) with no ill effects. The acidity only went up with the switch to 'drinking' water (the stuff you buy in machines outside of the supermarket). Today the pH seems to be about 6.5.

The video is a good representation of how to get the siphon going - I'll give this a spin tomorrow. Note that the nitrite levels are very low; it's just the nitrates that are a bit high (> 40; < 80).

J.O.M.20 - I have:

Red fin shark
Clown loach
Dojo loach
African dwarf frog
Knight Gobi
Halfbeak livebearer

It's a 10 gallon tank (just got the gobi & clown loach) so it's about at capacity.

StuG - no worries, the more good ifor spread in the thread, the better.

I'll report back tomorrow after the vacumuming and water change.

-e-
-e-

 

[krap101]

How are you judging "at capacity"? Any one of those fish and the tank would still be too small, but with all of them, it's a problem waiting to happen.

 

[Everett]

I went by the 1" per gallon rule. Before adding the clown loach and knight gobi, the four previous inhabitants have been living in relative harmony for about three months (although as the red fin shark has grown in size and boldness, he's now replaced the dojo as the king ). It remains to be seen how the new fish will impact the balance of the aquarium. I'm taking daily water readings to make sure that I don't get a ammonia / nitrite spike. They all seem to get along, though. -e-

 

[krap101]

The inch per gallon rule is meant to be used with their maximum size, and alot of them get over a foot.

 

[mfdrookie516]

the inch per gallon rule sometimes works, on rare occasions.. it actually usually only 'works' with fish like small tetras. Most of the fish you have will certainly outgrow your tank, and are more than likely very uncomfortable already. Bala sharks reach over a foot and need a huge tank, clown loaches get to be 5-6"+ and need alot of room to swim, the goby is a brackish fish. The dojo loach might be ok in a 10g, but would definitely appreciate more room.

 

[Everett]

I didn't get a Bala Shark for the exact reason that it gets so big. The fish do seem a little quieter these days, maybe due to being crowded? I didn't know that the Gobi was a brackish fish; what to do now?

Anyways, today I'm going to vacuum and do a water change, and maybe add a little pH balancer.