Hi everyone. After neglecting my tanks for way to long, I'm basically starting over.
I started my tanks in a city where water quality was perfect. Then moved (with fish and tanks) into a place where PH is way too high. Adjusting the PH down turned out to be a loosing battle, and eventually both of my tanks have been overcome with alge -- no matter what I do I cannot keep them clean...especially since my alge eaters keep knocking off.
At this point all of my fish have died (primarily from old age) except for an angle, clown loach, coolie loach (this little guy is at least 12 years old!), and two really cool catfish that I don't know the proper name of.
This time around I am picking exclusively fish that can live with PH range around 8, and not going to mess with trying to bring it down. I am also totally knocking down the tanks, one at a time, cleaning well, and starting over. I know, fairly drastic but I've given up trying to beat the alge living in the tanks now (would probably be easier if I didn't have live plants I don't want to kill along with the alge). As far as the plants go, I'll be using a plant-safe alge killer on them in a small 10 gallon until they don't have any appreciable crud, then rinse off well and into the main tanks.
I started my tanks in a city where water quality was perfect. Then moved (with fish and tanks) into a place where PH is way too high. Adjusting the PH down turned out to be a loosing battle, and eventually both of my tanks have been overcome with alge -- no matter what I do I cannot keep them clean...especially since my alge eaters keep knocking off.
At this point all of my fish have died (primarily from old age) except for an angle, clown loach, coolie loach (this little guy is at least 12 years old!), and two really cool catfish that I don't know the proper name of.
This time around I am picking exclusively fish that can live with PH range around 8, and not going to mess with trying to bring it down. I am also totally knocking down the tanks, one at a time, cleaning well, and starting over. I know, fairly drastic but I've given up trying to beat the alge living in the tanks now (would probably be easier if I didn't have live plants I don't want to kill along with the alge). As far as the plants go, I'll be using a plant-safe alge killer on them in a small 10 gallon until they don't have any appreciable crud, then rinse off well and into the main tanks.
