flash_liam Posted October 11, 2005 Report Share Posted October 11, 2005 Over the last week or two the pH in my 3ft tank has been dropping. I did a 20% water change a few days ago and have gradually increased the pH back to about 6.8-7.0 but every day it seems to have dropped again. Today it is about 6.4!! Any ideas what could be causing this? Liam. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 How long has it been set up? Have you any driftwood in there? It has been known to drop pH. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mustcooktea Posted October 12, 2005 Report Share Posted October 12, 2005 How are you increasing the ph? Have you tried testing your tap water and then testing it again after letting it stand? MCT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash_liam Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 It's a 6 month old tank... was cycling really nicely up until this episode. We're on rain-water, usually about 6.6 but recently has been about 6.4 for some reason. I use pH up to increase the pH, no drift-wood in the tank. I found a dead glow-light which was hidden inside an ornament, I'd say it had been there for a week or so (got so many tetras it's really hard to keep track of them all!). I got it out, but it was already decaying. I'd say that's what was causing the pH to drop? I did quite a large water change (about 30%) and vacuumed up as much of the dead fish as possible. The next day I changed the filter (was due to change anyway). Ammonia and Nitrites are both fine, and today the pH seems to be ok, however.... I've just found one of my Golden Algae Eaters vertical and with a dark green stomach (and obviously dead) in pretty much the same place in the tank. I've whisked him out. Is it likely my tank has some nasty disease? I haven't added any fish etc. for quite some time, but maybe the dead glow-light caused the algae eater to get sick? One of the other algae eaters seems ok, but the third one is hiding in the corner and not moving much. I hope they're ok Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Simply having fish in a tank will cause the PH to drop. If your water is very soft it becomes more obvious because of the lack of buffering capacity in the water. So, to combat the PH drop you need to either stop using very soft rainwater(Not an option), remove the fish(Not really an option), or add something like crushed oyster shells to your filter. You can buy it from most pet shops as bird grid, $10 for a kilo or two. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrshanepaul Posted October 13, 2005 Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Could be that or something contaminated that part of the tank. Perhaps they got stuck?? I guess you will have to Sherlock Holmes it. Personally I think it was Col. Mustard in the living room with the lead pipe... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash_liam Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 That damned Col. Mustard! I knew he was up to no good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash_liam Posted October 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 13, 2005 Ok, this is getting more ominous... This morning the other two algae eaters were dead pH, Ammonia and Nitrites are all still fine, temp is 26c and the tetras and gourami's seem happy enough. The khuli's also seem to be ok. Could it be an infection in the gravel, or the water? Or maybe the spirulina discs I had been feeding them? Here is a photo of the fish after being extracted from the tank. The black lump at the top of one of them is a pebble, but notice how the stomachs are all dark green... I'm not too sure what to do now (there aren't any algae eaters left, so no risk of any more of them dying...) I've got a new 3ft tank which I was going to set up with electric yellows, but now I'm thinking maybe I should set it up with new gravel and transfer my current fish into it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Hi A ph of this level will not kill fish when you say ammonia, nitrates are fine? what are they? How much and how often are you feeding? /Bruce Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash_liam Posted October 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Hi Bruce, Ammonia and Nitrites don't even register on my tests, the water doesn't change colour at all, so they are less than 0.5 ppm (ammonia) and 0.25 ppm (Nitrites). My fish get a pinch of food twice a day (there are about 30 tetras, 2 pearl gouramis and 4 khulis) and I have shrimp pellets for the bottom-feeders, they get a few (4 or 5) every few days. I had recently bought these spirulina pellets for the algae eaters and had fed them one or two every few days, which is why I thought it could be them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 If this is sudden, and occurred soon after using the wafers, I would stop using them and see if the fish come right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash_liam Posted October 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Yeah, I think it may have been the wafers. It said they were for Algae eaters but I have my doubts... There's an Algae Eater in my brother's tank and we've stopped feeding that the wafers. I'll need to something else to keep the tank clean now... might wait a while though just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Spirulina wafers should be OK but perhaps this packet was contaminated or something. I know I bought some bottom feeder wafers once, not the usual ones I buy, and found the fish barely touched them and they very quickly fouled the tank. Will never use them again! Mind you, I believe they went off the market soon after :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash_liam Posted October 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Oh damn.... just found two dead khulis... There are just two khulis left now. All the tetras and the two gouramis still seem ok. I think I'll start preparing the other 3ft tank, I'm guessing it's a parasite or infection of some sort in the gravel?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 14, 2005 Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 Quite possible if it is affecting the bottom dwellers. I wonder if the wafers weren't eaten, rotted, and have polluted the substrate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash_liam Posted October 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 14, 2005 They might have... I'll do a thorough vacuum of the bottom and see if that makes any difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flash_liam Posted October 17, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 Ok, I thoroughly vacuumed the tank, under ornaments and everything. There was still a lot of green flakey powder all through the gravel (this is the 3rd lot of vacuuming since I used the pellets I think). I'm pretty sure they were the problem. The two remaining khulis now seem to be fine, and the algae eater in my brother's tank seems to be much happier now that he's not getting the pellets either. So what's this forum's protocol when it comes to slagging off products that kill your fish? Can I name names? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted October 17, 2005 Report Share Posted October 17, 2005 It may not be the brand itself, just that your fish didn't like them and/or you overfed We do not slag off products. I do not see a problem with someone saying they found X brand good but the fish did not like Y brand. Everyone's fish have different tastes and what works for one does not necessarily work for another. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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