Ok, I've read and read and read, was going to do saltwater then changed to freshwater. I've put more effort into this than I did either of my dog purchases, so I'm pretty sure my heart is in the right place, but I'm still confused about what I should do. I have a 55 gallon tank that was up and running for a week without fish and I currently have a dwarf gourami, 2 mollies, 2 guppies, an angel, and a clown loach over the last two weeks. I test my water every other day and it seems the parameters are fine. But after lossing two fish (another dwarf gourami and angel) I took my water to Petsmart to be tested they say my ph is too high. I'm not sure what to do, my test says its in the low range. My water is a little cloudy, and I know I need to do a water change today, but do I need to worry about the ph?
confused!
- Thread starter kelleyfish
- Start date
Are you using a liquid pH test kit or the little strips? Generally, it's more important to keep a consistent pH rather than a specific pH. There are exceptions, of course, and it doesn't apply in the extremes.
I've been using the little strips and they look to be the same ones that the lfs people are using too.
If your LFS is using strips, I'd not go back there. That smacks of a lack of professionalism. The fact that they have told you that everything is fine except for the pH tells me that they have no bloody clue what they are doing.
There is no way your tank is cycled if it has been up for less than a month and you will start losing more fish if you don't start monitoring the water parameters closely.
Buy a liquid test kit and do your own water tests. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master Freshwater kit is the best bang for your buck and it's fairly accurate.
Here's an article on cycling your tank:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26051
Roan
There is no way your tank is cycled if it has been up for less than a month and you will start losing more fish if you don't start monitoring the water parameters closely.
Buy a liquid test kit and do your own water tests. Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Master Freshwater kit is the best bang for your buck and it's fairly accurate.
Here's an article on cycling your tank:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26051
Roan