Water parameters (Water change)

[Bill Stock]

I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few
water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the odd
mad dash. This only seems to last about 15 minutes or less. I'm very careful
about matching the temp of the new water being added, so I've been wondering
what else it might be. I tested the tap water and it has a PH of about 7.0,
while the tank after the change was around 7.4. Given a 50% change the
original PH was likely around 7.8 or less. I imagine this is the source of
the problem, but it be something else I can't test? The tap water was very
cloudy (dissolved gasses) today, which likely explains the lower PH.

Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else?

[Tom Randy]

On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 14:41:17 -0500, Bill Stock wrote:

> I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few
> water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the odd
> mad dash. This only seems to last about 15 minutes or less. I'm very careful
> about matching the temp of the new water being added, so I've been wondering
> what else it might be. I tested the tap water and it has a PH of about 7.0,
> while the tank after the change was around 7.4. Given a 50% change the
> original PH was likely around 7.8 or less. I imagine this is the source of
> the problem, but it be something else I can't test? The tap water was very
> cloudy (dissolved gasses) today, which likely explains the lower PH.
>
> Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else?


What are the OTHER parameters? Ammonia? Nitrites? Nitrates?

[Bill Stock]

"Tom Randy" > wrote in message
. ..
> On Sat, 29 Jan 2005 14:41:17 -0500, Bill Stock wrote:
>
>> I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few
>> water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the
>> odd
>> mad dash. This only seems to last about 15 minutes or less. I'm very
>> careful
>> about matching the temp of the new water being added, so I've been
>> wondering
>> what else it might be. I tested the tap water and it has a PH of about
>> 7.0,
>> while the tank after the change was around 7.4. Given a 50% change the
>> original PH was likely around 7.8 or less. I imagine this is the source
>> of
>> the problem, but it be something else I can't test? The tap water was
>> very
>> cloudy (dissolved gasses) today, which likely explains the lower PH.
>>
>> Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else?
>
>
> What are the OTHER parameters? Ammonia? Nitrites? Nitrates?

Ammonia and Nitrites are always 0, Nitrates not so good. I tested them today
and they were 5+, but this was after a 50% change yesterday (feeding the
plant tank) and a 50^% change today. So i't not uncommon for the Nitrates to
be around 40, despite weekly water changes.

[humBill]

I have a number of baby comets in my pond which are going to need to come
out. Recently I had the brainstorm that with them being less active in the
cooler water, perhaps now would be a good time to try to catch some of them.
I very gently put my brand new black net in the water and after waiting a
few moments I threw a little food in. Normally this would resemble a pirana
attack and between the mass of fish and their attention being on the food, I
thought I would scoop up a net full of fish and release all the non-culls.
Instead, very few of the fish would even approach the area. I think fish
come to have a sense of what is 'normal' and apparently they recognized the
net as not being normal - danger Will Robinson. In fact after quite a while
I only netted two little feeder size fish, who probably just hadn't
developed a sense of normal.
This is all a long way of saying perhaps they are at attention with a
water change in general. If the pH is quite different, I don't know how
much of it is 'psychological' and how much physiological, but I am not
surprised that they consider it a danger situation - a change from the norm.
I have heard that if you are adjusting pH you should not strive to change it
by more than .2 per day. So yes, my guess would be that adding water that
is .8 different could be problematic and the cause of their skiddishness.
Bill

"Bill Stock" > wrote in message
...
> I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few
> water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the odd
> mad dash. This only seems to last about 15 minutes or less. I'm very
> careful about matching the temp of the new water being added, so I've been
> wondering what else it might be. I tested the tap water and it has a PH of
> about 7.0, while the tank after the change was around 7.4. Given a 50%
> change the original PH was likely around 7.8 or less. I imagine this is
> the source of the problem, but it be something else I can't test? The tap
> water was very cloudy (dissolved gasses) today, which likely explains the
> lower PH.
>
> Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else?
>

[Bill Stock]

"humBill" > wrote in message
m...
>I have a number of baby comets in my pond which are going to need to come
>out. Recently I had the brainstorm that with them being less active in the
>cooler water, perhaps now would be a good time to try to catch some of
>them. I very gently put my brand new black net in the water and after
>waiting a few moments I threw a little food in. Normally this would
>resemble a pirana attack and between the mass of fish and their attention
>being on the food, I thought I would scoop up a net full of fish and
>release all the non-culls. Instead, very few of the fish would even
>approach the area. I think fish come to have a sense of what is 'normal'
>and apparently they recognized the net as not being normal - danger Will
>Robinson. In fact after quite a while I only netted two little feeder size
>fish, who probably just hadn't developed a sense of normal.
> This is all a long way of saying perhaps they are at attention with a
> water change in general. If the pH is quite different, I don't know how
> much of it is 'psychological' and how much physiological, but I am not
> surprised that they consider it a danger situation - a change from the
> norm. I have heard that if you are adjusting pH you should not strive to
> change it by more than .2 per day. So yes, my guess would be that adding
> water that is .8 different could be problematic and the cause of their
> skiddishness.
> Bill

I was wondering if it was partly psychological, but I don't think that's the
case. They used to get a little spooked when the water was receding, but
they seem to be used to it now. One of the small ones even attacks the
siphon, seems to think it's another fish sucking on his rocks.

I may have to consider the G-Can water change method.

[Cyril The Squirrel]

In article >, says...
> I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few
> water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the odd
> mad dash. This only seems to last about 15 minutes or less. I'm very careful
> about matching the temp of the new water being added, so I've been wondering
> what else it might be. I tested the tap water and it has a PH of about 7.0,
> while the tank after the change was around 7.4. Given a 50% change the
> original PH was likely around 7.8 or less. I imagine this is the source of
> the problem, but it be something else I can't test? The tap water was very
> cloudy (dissolved gasses) today, which likely explains the lower PH.
>
> Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else?
>
>
>
How do you know the fish reaction is a problem?

I've done water changes and the fish become more active, it maybe a
natural reaction to fresh water as this is sometimes the trigger for
breeding in the wild.

[Bill Stock]

"Cyril The Squirrel" > wrote in message
. ..
> In article >, says...
>> I've noticed that the fish have been a bit skittish after their last few
>> water changes. They all huddle together close to the bottom and do the
>> odd
>> mad dash. This only seems to last about 15 minutes or less. I'm very
>> careful
>> about matching the temp of the new water being added, so I've been
>> wondering
>> what else it might be. I tested the tap water and it has a PH of about
>> 7.0,
>> while the tank after the change was around 7.4. Given a 50% change the
>> original PH was likely around 7.8 or less. I imagine this is the source
>> of
>> the problem, but it be something else I can't test? The tap water was
>> very
>> cloudy (dissolved gasses) today, which likely explains the lower PH.
>>
>> Is the .4 PH change the problem or could it be something else?
>>
>>
>>
> How do you know the fish reaction is a problem?

I ain't no fishpert, but I know the difference between spooked and horny! :)

Seriously, it's similar to the reaction I saw when I moved them between
tanks. Although it doesn't last nearly as long.

> I've done water changes and the fish become more active, it maybe a
> natural reaction to fresh water as this is sometimes the trigger for
> breeding in the wild.