"Gill Passman" wrote in message
...
Reel McKoi wrote:

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I'm getting some really strage readings. I'm starting to think it's the
aquarium fertalizer tabs I'm using. I don't know what effect they're
having on the water values. Plus, I have no idea how accurate this test
(strips) kit is:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 160
Nitrite: 1.0
PH 6.2

The second kit (liquid) says the PH is 7.2. That's quite a difference.

It's crazy but the fish, after the original few died, are thriving.

I can't see how the Nitrate can be so high with all the plants in this
tank. It's loaded with a mix of plants.
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What are the nitrate readings from your tap water? It could be that you
are adding nitrates with the water changes.......

I'm getting 20 right from the tap, yet when I spoke to the water company
some time back they claim it should be, and always is, zero. It's water
from a very deep aquafer and then filtered to remove things like nitrates.
So unless I buy special filtering to remove nitrates I'm stuck with at least
20 (according to this test kit).


Seeing as you have said your water is quite hard in the past I would think
that the 7.2 is probably closer......unless there is something in your
tank that is lowering the pH.....a good test is to test a sample of tap
water immediately and then 24 hours later - this will give you a possible
indication as to what is happening......my tap water has a much higher pH
after sitting for 24 hours than it does when run directly from the tap -
but my water is liquid rock....

From experience, mine does also. They add carbon dioxide (if I remember
right) to lower the PH to prevent pipe mineral corrosion. In 24 hours it
usually goes up to 7.6 to 7.8.


I'm not suprised that your remaining fish are thriving.....unless it was a
disease which would eventually carry off all of them, the fish that have
survived are those that were strong enough to acclimatize to the different
water parameters....but I wouldn't be happy with the nitrite reading - you
need zero on that one....and the nitrates should be lower

I'm not happy with it at all. Nitrites should be at zero as they always are
in this tank. That was a real surprise.

Your nitrates are still a bit high.....what are you adding as plant
fertilizer? It could be nitrates in your tap water or it could be what you
are adding in for the plants.....

It's probably both but there these fish are so small and the GF and pleco I
removed were large - no problems then! These tabs are by Tetra. I stopped
using the Miracle Grow when I did the major cleaning and massive water
change before buying the new fish. But even with the MG it was never that
high. It stayed around 20 to 40, and 0 nitrites.

again, fish can gradually get used
to high nitrates even if not the best for them but a sudden rise (like if
you buy new fish) could well account for the deaths....

This is true.
--

RM....
Zone 6. Middle TN USA
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