How can I fix my pH and KH water problems?

Question

Here is the D.L. on what I have:

60 G tank with adequate filtration & aeration. In this tank, I have a 10" Pleco, a dozen Neons, 3 Cory Cats...and now only 2 Cherry Barbs & 1 Hatchet Fish. (Over a month ago...I lost a couple Hatchet Fish...and in the last couple of days I lost 4-5 Cherry Barbs :(

Regular cleaning:

I try to replace 10% every week or so...but usually end up doing 30%+ monthly(ish). (Like I did 4 days ago.) I use API Stress Coat+ with Stress Zyme & Conditioner Salt, when changing water. (I use the ammt. suggested...or a little less.)

Recent changes:

I was told (over a month ago) when my water was tested @ my local fish store...that my water levels were off. I purchased pH Stable (to raise my KH levels) & pH Precise 7.0 Neutral Controller, as they suggested. I have used pH Stable @ 1/2 to 2/3 recommended dosage (because of the sensitive fish I have) a few times and pH Precise only once (again @ a reduced dose). I saw very little change in my water chemistry.

Also, if it makes a difference I had double the recommended filtration, until a couple of weeks ago...when I got a new (smaller) tank...that needed one of my two filtration units.

Because I could tell my Cherry Barbs were not acting "normal" (they were hiding in plants much more then normal, over the last week)...I did a water test, 35% water change...(and again, added a 2/3 dose of pH Stable...after testing the next day and seeing levels were still low.)

It seemed too late, because I then started losing the previously mentioned Cherry Barbs. A couple of them seemed to be gasping, one had strange white spikes protruding from his dorsal fin...and a couple seemed to have pinecone disease. (Swollen w/ scales sticking out.) Yesterday, I noticed one that had red wounds on it...and this morning it was still alive...but had guts or something coming out of its side.

I am a bit discouraged. I care a lot, and try to do what I can...but I have had this tank for less then a year...and still consider myself new at this. If you know from experience, what I am doing wrong...I need your help!

Current water conditions:

Tap water pH: 7.6 with KH of: 1 1/2 dH

Tank water pH: 6.4 and KH of: 0

*Do I just need to do more water changes? or add more pH Stable or Neutral Controller? Am I simply over feeding them...or...do you think they had a disease? What can I do NOW, with my remaining fish...that will be safe for all...and hopefully prevent future problems?

PS. Neons & remaining Cherry Barbs seem to be a little red @ the gills...but I am not really sure on that. (...and I see occasional rubbing on rocks etc. from a few fish...but not very often.)

Answer 1

Yes.. do more water changes. The random infections, gasping fish etc are all signs of poor water quality.

Your tap water sounds fine for fish keeping. Leave it alone, just a bit of water conditioner in case it has any chlorine residue. The cocktail of buffers and salts you are mixing up is not doing your fish any favours.

In fact throw away the pH and hardness tests, and the 'fixers'.. your tap water is in the 'normal' range.

Chasing a tanks pH up and down the scale is almost certain to kill most fish.

Check the tank for ammona or nitrate buildup. That will be due to a filter problem or not enough water changes. With a big p**p machine pleco in there you may need to change much more than 10% per week. My 200l tank has several medium size plecos, but I try and do 50% per week changes.

Get your fish into some nice clean water as soon as you can and things should work much better.

Ian

Answer 2

First, stop dumping chemicals into your tank.  Most of these contain enough salts to choak a horse.  Use ONLY a water conditioner/dechlor.  More is just more not better.  Pitch the PH chemicals as well.  Your water is going to be what your water is.  You are going to have this problem due to once your carbon removes the PH up PH Down from your tank, you are back to where you started without fixing the problem.  you should be more concerned with the Ammonia and nitrite levels than with the PH.  Fish can live in a wide range of PH levels.  Let it go.Secondly, a 25% water change once per week is a water change not 10%.  25% no more no less.  Also, what else is in your tank?  Wood?  Shells?  Peat?  Plants?  Items like these change the PH in the tank as well as some gravels.  If your tap water is reading at 7.6 then when you test itis a  6.4 it is something in your tank causing this.  

Your fish are suffering from dropsy, more than likely from the lack of routine water changes and too many chemicals being dumped into the tank.

Not much but clean tank water that can help them.  You said something sticking out of its side?  A parasite?  

What are your ammonia readings?  Red gills are a sign of ammonia poisoning.

How exactly were your water levels off?  Ammonia 0 Nitrites 0 Nitrates Less than 60  PH can vary should be 7.4 like your tap.

Adding so many chemicals with salts plus aquarium salt is too much for your tank at once.  Use only a water dechlor/conditioner.  NOTHING else when doing your water change.  Test your water and remove any WOODS you have in the tank.  Your PH should work its way back to normal.  If you like the woods you have in the tank you may need to add a bag of shells to your filter.  This will counter act the negative of the woods with the positive from the shells.