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Hey guys
I have a 10 gallon aquarium with a HOB filter and an air pump/stone running. I have had some issues with keeping fish alive in it the past week, but my RCS seem to be perfectly fine and thriving. I've tried to add pygmy corys, but failed, and tried galaxy rasboras, and failed again. They appear fine the day/night I add them (acclimated over 2 hours) and seems within 24 hours they are up at the surface of the water a lot, sometimes gasping, then die. April has been a huge help and has pretty much held my hand throughout this whole ordeal. I thought some of you may have some words of wisdom or ideas and can chime in as well to help me out.
Tank is cycled.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <5
Temp: 74F
Original pH of the tank was pretty low, 6-6.4, compared to the water the fish came from and thought this may be the cause of the first deaths - maybe pH spikes and crashes in the tank. The pH of my tap water is about a 6.4, and I have learned that Vancouver water is super soft and basically has no buffer. Did a ~20% PWC, got some aragonite/crushed coral and added it to the tank to help buffer the water. I didn't add much, probably about a teaspoon. The day after, pH rose to about 6.8-7. Good! So tried some strawberry raboras. Same thing ended up happening - they ended up swimming at the surface of the water within 24 hours and died. I had 1 lone survivor that outlived the 24 hours, but died shorty after doing a 10% PWC after I removed the other dead guys. One of six shrimp has also died since, but the others still are super red and actively foraging about.
I tested the water this morning, and saw the pH was at a wopping 8. Then I thought, okay, it must have something to do with the water changes and shocking the fish with the low tap pH water versus the high pH tank water. What I don't understand is why is the pH getting so much higher than my tap water? I only put a little amount of buffer in there, and I also have a pretty sizable piece of mopani driftwood in there which should be lowering the pH from what I've read... and I'm scared to do more water changes or remove the aragonite/crushed coral in case it shocks the shrimp and they end up dying too
. There's also 2 marimo mossballs, java moss, and an anubias in there if that makes a difference.
Lastly, when I'm doing a water change, do I need to be adding some of the aragonite into the newly conditioned water before adding it into the tank? Because I've just been using conditioned tap water (conditioned with Prime) during my PWCs. I also have not managed to lower the pH of the tank at all with the 20% PWCs. I am just really confused. I've been reading up on pH all day and just get more confused the more I read. I know steady pH is better than messing around with it, but I fear with Vancouver tap water I NEED to add something to buffer it and prevent these pH fluctuations.
I don't want to put in any more fish until I figure out what's wrong, but I'm worried my BB will die off with only 5 RCS in the tank right now (I know this is a super tiny bioload). Can I put a pellet in the filter as a source of ammonia until I figure this out?
Sorry for the many many many questions. I just am so new to this and I need help.
Help, someone, anyone!
I have a 10 gallon aquarium with a HOB filter and an air pump/stone running. I have had some issues with keeping fish alive in it the past week, but my RCS seem to be perfectly fine and thriving. I've tried to add pygmy corys, but failed, and tried galaxy rasboras, and failed again. They appear fine the day/night I add them (acclimated over 2 hours) and seems within 24 hours they are up at the surface of the water a lot, sometimes gasping, then die. April has been a huge help and has pretty much held my hand throughout this whole ordeal. I thought some of you may have some words of wisdom or ideas and can chime in as well to help me out.
Tank is cycled.
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: <5
Temp: 74F
Original pH of the tank was pretty low, 6-6.4, compared to the water the fish came from and thought this may be the cause of the first deaths - maybe pH spikes and crashes in the tank. The pH of my tap water is about a 6.4, and I have learned that Vancouver water is super soft and basically has no buffer. Did a ~20% PWC, got some aragonite/crushed coral and added it to the tank to help buffer the water. I didn't add much, probably about a teaspoon. The day after, pH rose to about 6.8-7. Good! So tried some strawberry raboras. Same thing ended up happening - they ended up swimming at the surface of the water within 24 hours and died. I had 1 lone survivor that outlived the 24 hours, but died shorty after doing a 10% PWC after I removed the other dead guys. One of six shrimp has also died since, but the others still are super red and actively foraging about.
I tested the water this morning, and saw the pH was at a wopping 8. Then I thought, okay, it must have something to do with the water changes and shocking the fish with the low tap pH water versus the high pH tank water. What I don't understand is why is the pH getting so much higher than my tap water? I only put a little amount of buffer in there, and I also have a pretty sizable piece of mopani driftwood in there which should be lowering the pH from what I've read... and I'm scared to do more water changes or remove the aragonite/crushed coral in case it shocks the shrimp and they end up dying too
Lastly, when I'm doing a water change, do I need to be adding some of the aragonite into the newly conditioned water before adding it into the tank? Because I've just been using conditioned tap water (conditioned with Prime) during my PWCs. I also have not managed to lower the pH of the tank at all with the 20% PWCs. I am just really confused. I've been reading up on pH all day and just get more confused the more I read. I know steady pH is better than messing around with it, but I fear with Vancouver tap water I NEED to add something to buffer it and prevent these pH fluctuations.
I don't want to put in any more fish until I figure out what's wrong, but I'm worried my BB will die off with only 5 RCS in the tank right now (I know this is a super tiny bioload). Can I put a pellet in the filter as a source of ammonia until I figure this out?
Sorry for the many many many questions. I just am so new to this and I need help.
Help, someone, anyone!