So much for reestablishing my tank....
- Thread starter James0816
- Start date
James,
you have 0 kH nad 0 gH
you have 0 buffering capacty. this will explain why your pH is dropping kh buffers the water.
your pH will be extremely unstable and the pH will drop
double check the tests(kH is really important measures carbonate hardness a kH of 3-4 would get the water stable)
this is coming from a well with no filtration??
btw folks....RO water is used quite often by breeders..they wll add back buffers to help keep the water stable..
crushed coral will add calcium which will add to the kH of the water and the water will stop fluctuations in ph(or in some cases a steady drop as waste builds up) it is often used added to the filtration system usually in a bag or something.
the issue is how much is too much. many breeders add in buffers via buffer additives(seachem makes a line of buffers)
you have 0 kH nad 0 gH
you have 0 buffering capacty. this will explain why your pH is dropping kh buffers the water.
your pH will be extremely unstable and the pH will drop
double check the tests(kH is really important measures carbonate hardness a kH of 3-4 would get the water stable)
this is coming from a well with no filtration??
btw folks....RO water is used quite often by breeders..they wll add back buffers to help keep the water stable..
crushed coral will add calcium which will add to the kH of the water and the water will stop fluctuations in ph(or in some cases a steady drop as waste builds up) it is often used added to the filtration system usually in a bag or something.
the issue is how much is too much. many breeders add in buffers via buffer additives(seachem makes a line of buffers)
Lupin - thanks - on both threads.
Not to steal James thread here - but I've serious concerns about this well, because a large percentage of my outdoor container plants that are watered heavily from this well are also not thriving - no matter how well tended and fed - they start yellowing and weakening. There has been a huge population explosion here in the past several years, and I wonder about the water table - and I wonder too about the former quarry that they converted to a subdivision. Many factors - so I'm well leery.
Hope you can sort this out, James! Wish I knew more for your sake, but it is trial and error sometimes. For the sake of comparison though, you could set up a small nano (my favorite type tanks) and see if you have any trouble maintaining it with only bottled water. If you don't have trouble with that - it might shed light without investing a lot of money in bottled water for a larger tank. (I'm talking like a cheap 3 gallon Nano made out of a Lee's Critter Keeper)
Not to steal James thread here - but I've serious concerns about this well, because a large percentage of my outdoor container plants that are watered heavily from this well are also not thriving - no matter how well tended and fed - they start yellowing and weakening. There has been a huge population explosion here in the past several years, and I wonder about the water table - and I wonder too about the former quarry that they converted to a subdivision. Many factors - so I'm well leery.
Hope you can sort this out, James! Wish I knew more for your sake, but it is trial and error sometimes. For the sake of comparison though, you could set up a small nano (my favorite type tanks) and see if you have any trouble maintaining it with only bottled water. If you don't have trouble with that - it might shed light without investing a lot of money in bottled water for a larger tank. (I'm talking like a cheap 3 gallon Nano made out of a Lee's Critter Keeper)
This might not be your state - but this might give you an idea of what can be tested for in a well:
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/dwg/welltest.htm
http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/water/dwg/welltest.htm
just got home and found the other minnow guy gone. guess i coulda figured that one out. after doing some reading up on things, it seems like coral may help me out. if i read correctly, it will help with the buffer as well as ph. i stopped by petsmart on the way home and picked up a small bag. thoughouly rised out 1/4 cup and placed it in one spot in the tank for testing. will let stew in the tank for about an hour before taking my first readings.
also tested the water that was sitting in the jug for the past 24 hrs. really no change in the parms. maybe a very slight increase in nitrite but that could be the test strips. gonna drop test in a minute.
drop test still says 0. so my conclusion on plain water sitting out for 24hrs has no effect.
with that, i doubt PRIME will help either.
also tested the water that was sitting in the jug for the past 24 hrs. really no change in the parms. maybe a very slight increase in nitrite but that could be the test strips. gonna drop test in a minute.
drop test still says 0. so my conclusion on plain water sitting out for 24hrs has no effect.
with that, i doubt PRIME will help either.
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Hmmm.....
A couple of strange things I see here. I read quickly over your posts when you had the prior fishkill and now this new thread about restocking. One thing I noticed is....from the numbers you report on your pH, it seems to be bouncing around like mad. On 7/11 you post that it is 6.5. On 7/12 you post that it is 6.6. On 7/13 it is 7.0. and once on 7/16 it is 6.2, and at another later time on 7/16 it is slightly over 6.0. If your ph truly changes so much, nothing is going to ever survive in your water. These are huge swings in the fishy world.
Also, IMO you don't need salt unless one of the fish isn't feeling well. I read that you are adding 1 teaspooon to every 5 gallons, so that would be about 6 teaspooons for your 29 gallon tank? What you don't say is how big your water changes are, how often the water changes are, and how much salt do you replace back into the tank when you do a water change? You may be also overdoing it with the salt...and live plants will surely die with salt in the water.
Added: Just went back to check your previous posts, thought that you had said you had a pleco. For sure plecos do not like salt, just an fyi for the future.
Debbi
A couple of strange things I see here. I read quickly over your posts when you had the prior fishkill and now this new thread about restocking. One thing I noticed is....from the numbers you report on your pH, it seems to be bouncing around like mad. On 7/11 you post that it is 6.5. On 7/12 you post that it is 6.6. On 7/13 it is 7.0. and once on 7/16 it is 6.2, and at another later time on 7/16 it is slightly over 6.0. If your ph truly changes so much, nothing is going to ever survive in your water. These are huge swings in the fishy world.
Also, IMO you don't need salt unless one of the fish isn't feeling well. I read that you are adding 1 teaspooon to every 5 gallons, so that would be about 6 teaspooons for your 29 gallon tank? What you don't say is how big your water changes are, how often the water changes are, and how much salt do you replace back into the tank when you do a water change? You may be also overdoing it with the salt...and live plants will surely die with salt in the water.
Added: Just went back to check your previous posts, thought that you had said you had a pleco. For sure plecos do not like salt, just an fyi for the future.
Debbi
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thx for the added info.
for the ph...at the time i was using the API strips. that color of orange is so darned difficult to read. this could have caused my numbers to be scewed a little. have since switched to the API drops. much better for me to read.
for the salt...done...no more adding salt. petsmart got me to using it in the first place...said it would be good for the fish..."like gatorade" is how one associate put it. everyone here tends to shy away from it so that is good info to have.
for the ph...at the time i was using the API strips. that color of orange is so darned difficult to read. this could have caused my numbers to be scewed a little. have since switched to the API drops. much better for me to read.
for the salt...done...no more adding salt. petsmart got me to using it in the first place...said it would be good for the fish..."like gatorade" is how one associate put it. everyone here tends to shy away from it so that is good info to have.
petsmart always recommends salt, and i think i know why.
while many fish can TOLERATE salt, most freshwater fish really shouldn't have it. (some in certain circumstances is sometimes OK)
BUT most of the time if you go to petsmart and look at the fish they have, quite a few of the "freshwater" fish that they have are actually BRACKISH water fish.. my guess is they tell you to just add some salt to your tanks so that you can keep whatever fish you want to together, and they dont have to fight with you.
while many fish can TOLERATE salt, most freshwater fish really shouldn't have it. (some in certain circumstances is sometimes OK)
BUT most of the time if you go to petsmart and look at the fish they have, quite a few of the "freshwater" fish that they have are actually BRACKISH water fish.. my guess is they tell you to just add some salt to your tanks so that you can keep whatever fish you want to together, and they dont have to fight with you.
question using coral.....
if adding to the tank filter....should you add it the same media bag as the charcoal or use a seperate bag. if seperate....placed in front or in back of the current filter bag. i only ask since i have a bio sponge thingy (love the techinical jargin) in front of the filter.
currently i have added a small amount to the tank as substrate. adding very slowly so i can monitor the progression and stop as needed. i also have i placed in one set area of the tank instead of scattering it about. will make it easier to remove if i have to. if i reach stable mass...then i can mix it accordingly.
if adding to the tank filter....should you add it the same media bag as the charcoal or use a seperate bag. if seperate....placed in front or in back of the current filter bag. i only ask since i have a bio sponge thingy (love the techinical jargin) in front of the filter.
currently i have added a small amount to the tank as substrate. adding very slowly so i can monitor the progression and stop as needed. i also have i placed in one set area of the tank instead of scattering it about. will make it easier to remove if i have to. if i reach stable mass...then i can mix it accordingly.
