What the hell is wrong with my fish
- Thread starter buzzword
- Start date
Doing a great job on this OTS walk-through, budrecki.
Kudos :thm:
Only one comment: As Galaxie pointed out the nitrites could be because of the strips. Skip the salt. It will add to the TDS problem that he already has. He's doing the water changes to get the nitrates down and that should control any nitrite spike for the time being. Wait until he gets a liquid kit, find out for sure, then add salt if necessary.
Roan
Kudos :thm:
Only one comment: As Galaxie pointed out the nitrites could be because of the strips. Skip the salt. It will add to the TDS problem that he already has. He's doing the water changes to get the nitrates down and that should control any nitrite spike for the time being. Wait until he gets a liquid kit, find out for sure, then add salt if necessary.
Roan
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Roan Art said:
I agree with this thread's contents but I won't be so quick to dismiss 'pH shock' just yet. ..and I use the term 'pH shock' loosely, btw. If a fish is transferred from a pH range between let's say 6.8-7.2 to a pH of 8.4, there could very well be considerable stress and/or death. The pH shouldn't be ignored when transferring fish from one source of water to another with differences in parameters.(pH 'acidity/alkalinity', KH 'buffering capacity', and TDS). The pH reading gives a general idea as to where things are or are going with our water parameters and shouldn't be ignored until one masters their tank maintenance and water params are rock solid and stable. I rarely test my pH anymore either, but I don't have problems with my tanks either. I know the pH and kH of my tap water and my tank's water pretty much mirrors those params.
Anyway, I'd also like to add that your pH is rather high...though that could be due to your tap water being high pH (test your tap water's pH)...or possibly you have some rocks, decorations, crushed coral, etc in the tank causing it. What specifically do you have in your tank? Most all the livebearers in the tank will do fine in a pH range between 7-8. Tetras and rasboras generally do not do as well when the pH goes above 7.5...especially new arrivals that come from very different water parameters. Ask your fish supplier/store what the pH of their water is.
A pH of 8.4 is really only suitable for some african cichlid species and marine fish. Other fish can be kept in this range but they need to be acclimated to it very slowly and carefully. Also, high pH in a tank with 'old tank syndrome' is unusual as these conditions usually cause a pH crash well into the acidic range....but since you've only been topping off the tank rather than doing water changes, the minerals left behind during water evaporation may have been building up. Each time you just add water to the tank, you're adding more minerals to the water compounding the situation. Start doing your water changes and after some time hopefully things will begin to stabilize.
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Ditto what she said.Roan Art said:
Also only one comment…
Here's a good article on salt. In the section on Nitrite Toxicity (scroll down), it explains how little salt is actually needed to counteract Nitrites. Half a teaspoon will counteract 1ppm in an 80g. Go for a whole teaspoon, just to be sure. 80 teaspoons (1 and 2/3s cups) is heavy overkill and adding to TDS without a good purpose.
cyberbeer65
Scratch Glass!
I'd like to make one comment also...You may want to think about adding more filtration.With your current filter I don't think you have enough filtration on that 80 gal setup.
Slappy,
Nod nod and you are right, but when someone doesn't qualify their statement then I have no clue if they are parroting what they have heard, or are referring to the types of extremes as in your examples. Therefore, so that we don't get into a long-winded discussion about pH that takes away from the purpose of this thread, I figured the best course of action would be to point them in the direction of that article.
If they have more questions or want to argue the point, perhaps they can start their own thread.
Roan
Nod nod and you are right, but when someone doesn't qualify their statement then I have no clue if they are parroting what they have heard, or are referring to the types of extremes as in your examples. Therefore, so that we don't get into a long-winded discussion about pH that takes away from the purpose of this thread, I figured the best course of action would be to point them in the direction of that article.
If they have more questions or want to argue the point, perhaps they can start their own thread.
Roan
But ofcourse, Roan. 
After reading that particular thread, I felt the need to make a few points concerning 'pH shock' and it's inclusion as a possible reason for Buzzword's tank problems.
After reading that particular thread, I felt the need to make a few points concerning 'pH shock' and it's inclusion as a possible reason for Buzzword's tank problems.
Nod, but it's osmotic shock, not pH shockSlappy*McFish said:But ofcourse, Roan.
After reading that particular thread, I felt the need to make a few points concerning 'pH shock' and it's inclusion as a possible reason for Buzzword's tank problems.
New thread?
Roan
Agreed. 'pH shock' is a loosely used generalized term that was already explained in the thread you posted, so no new thread really is neccessary.
