A Cursed Tank?

[Dev]

Your Nitrates are at 0 and so is your alkalinity? You're probably ending up with pH fluctuations as well as a cycle then if those strips are accurate, which they usually aren't. I'm not sure if bettas would mind either one, but fancy guppies would probably fare poorly. What's +TH; total hardness?
There are buffering minerals available for those that don't want to mix down with tap water, although I'm unfamiliar with them. Call up your water company if you haven't yet to be sure that they're adding chloramines as well as chlorine, you could be saving yourself a lot of hassle. As I understand it though, chloramine is just ammonia and chlorine bound together; so yes, water dechlorinaters that only remove chlorine will still leave ammonia behind. The ones that remove chloramine, though, convert the ammonia into ammonium which is relatively harmless. I may not be up to date with that info though so will have to look around more to re-verify.

 

[bluekrissyspike]

This may sound weird, but is there anything that I could add to the RO so that it would work? + doesn't the water conditioner stuff cause the chloramine to break down into ammonia or something?

if your tank is cycled it won't matter, especially being a planted tank

 

[Canuck]

I think he is saying gH (total hardness) and alkalinity is 0. Fish need minerals, hardness in the water to survive. If everything is zero I'm surprised the shrimp are alive.

 

[Fish Hobbiest]

could the potting soil have anything to do with your parameter fluctuations?

 

[cam191919]

it sounds like the water is the only variable that could be a problem, maybe try a new source. what kind of shrimp, out of curiosity

 

[Lupin]

A better test is the water test kits that actually give you the amounts (I've been very happy with the API freshwater testing kit).

Yep. Retest again with API. This would be my advice before more advice on adjusting the water parameters is poured on. Test strips are grossly inaccurate.

 

[Dev]

Most LFS will test your water for free as well, if you're unable to purchase a test kit at the moment. Of course make sure they're using a liquid kit or digital reader first.

 

[colinsk]

Alk = 0 sounds like a problem waiting to happen. I don't have any experience making water from RO for fish. But, If I was taking a stab at it I would add baking soda until the KH was around 5 and CaCl until the GH was measurable (like 7 or something). The fish experts here can help you more. Tap water is much more likely to have a balance of ions.

Personally I would start doing 25% changes with tap water (with a water conditioner) weekly for a few months. This will make a slow change for your shrimp and will start to move you off of RO water.

RO water has no ability to dampen the pH swings caused by your plants going from photosynthesis to respiration every 12 hours.

 

[The Zigman]

If you are testing positive for No2... Nitrite, then the tank is atill cycling.
Nitrite is as lethal for fish as ammonia.

the snails and shrimp in the tank probably havent put a big enough bioload on the tank to cycle it, ESPECIALLY if it is heavely planted... the plants will absorb nitrates...

I would reccommend getting a good test kit, (API Master kit is what we all would suggest) and retesting the water.

Does your tap water contain Chlorine?
Do you treat your Tap water?

I wouldnt worry too much about the RO thing, My 125 gal tank is about 85% RO..

 

[Yerdua]

Thanks everyone! I'll get my water (tank + tap) tested and myself an API freshwater kit. See what the numbers are and start adding tap as needed... cool!