Need help with water readings and Bala Sharks

[Casey96SS]

I just got done testing my water with my new AP test kit.

I have a 29 gallon tank with two Rosey Barbs and two 2-3 inch Bala Sharks. The tank has been up about a year. 25 to 30% water change every two weeks.

Here are my water readings.

PH: 8.2
Amonia: 0 PPM
Nitrite: 0 PPM
KH: 20 dKH (358 PPM)
GH: 7 dGH (125.3 PPM)
Water Temp: 74 degrees

PH of my tap water is also 8.2.

My two barbs have been in the tank for a year. I keep loosing Bala Sharks to fin rot. The Balas do not seem stressed by the other fish. The two Balas currently in the tank have fin rot and I feel their time is limited although they seem happy.

Is the high PH killing my Balas?

From my research, it sounds like there is not an easy way to consistantly keep your PH normal. Chemicals are only temporary. I have also read that fish do not like change in PH and it is best to make them adapt to your water.

I have been trying to figure out what has been killing my Balas. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[JamisonBWolsh]

Not to sound bad or anything but:

1.)a 29 gallon tank is to small for a bala shark.
2.) ph is way too high!

http://freshaquarium.about.com/library/profiles/blfw0103.htm

check this link for info on bala shark.

fin rot is a sign of water quality. A fish can get diseases easier if the water is bad or if stressed. Whats your nitrates like?

[ewok]

welcome to the board! (or in my case bored ;) )

i would have to say IME the ph is way too high for balas, i have not found them to be very tolerant of high ph at all. i would definately be looking into ways of lowering it somehow. peat moss is pretty cheap and would bring it down, but i am not sure how you would use it for or with water changes with a higher ph water. maybe if you added it to the water and circulated it over night?

i hate to say this, but this is almost one case where i might recommend actually decreasing water changes. the organics and other stuff in the water will actually drive the ph down somewhat naturally...... this goes totally against most of what i believe in though.

i would look for a suitable organic source like peat moss or maybe some kind of driftwood in hopes it would bring it down somewhat. i am pretty sure that's what's causing the bala problem.

good luck

[Casey96SS]

Thanks for the replies.

I am not sure what to do about my situation. From what I have read, it sounds like it is an ongoing and risky battle to keep your ph lower. Maybe I will try some peat moss in my canister filter at my next water change to see if it helps. I just don't want to make the ph start shooting all over the place.

I took my water readings about 10 or 11 days from the last water change. So I think if a go longer between changes, the fish will still be exposed to the high ph for a considerable amount of time. I used to go three weeks between changes and the fish seemed like they would get stessed in the third week.


If these balas die I will probably give up on them until I move out of this town or the tap water changes. They were very enjoyable fish to have in the tank.

[ewok]

can i interest you in some nice africans? ;)



Originally posted by Casey96SS
Thanks for the replies.

I took my water readings about 10 or 11 days from the last water change. So I think if a go longer between changes, the fish will still be exposed to the high ph for a considerable amount of time. I used to go three weeks between changes and the fish seemed like they would get stessed in the third week.


this is totally not making sense here, the whole statement is sort of wrong. you said your tap ph is 8.2 to begin with. it may go up for a bit after it outgasses, but doubtfully much considering where it is. the kh is also brutal, so softening it will be hard to do.

what else is in the tank for objects? anything that can leech out ph? coral, some kinds of sand.... shells... do you use co2 or have plants? rocks?

i have a feeling we are missing something here. over 3 weeks even in a lightly stocked tank the ph might be starting to slip a little, maybe not tho because of the high kh. why the fish would be stressed after 3 weeks just doesnt make sense unless something is causing the ph to continue rising........

i still sort of think some kind of organics to soften the water might be an idea...... used properly i don't think you would have wild swings except possibly going up at water changes.......

maybe some type of filter or prefilter setup, ro/di and tap water mixed would probably be good, but it is also something to experiment with. unfortunately i haven't encountered these problems myself so i have no clear-cut answers.

[cacti]

Do you have power filters on your tank that will catch debris and keep the water clean? :)

[Casey96SS]

I don't think my ph continues to raise. It seems to stay at 8.2.

I have gravel, two fake plants, and a rock I got at my LFS in the tank. All have been in the tank since the beginning 1 year.

My filter in a Filstar XP-1 canister filter.

I thought of something this morning. My friends have a water softner installed at their housing a few blocks away. I was thinking I cold take some readings on their tap water and maybe use it when I change my water.

[cacti]

If you keep clean water free of debris then you should not have fin rot. Look closer at how clean your water is although I don't know the effects of high ph on fins, fish.