water quality

My 100L Tank has a PH of 6, at least this is what it reads when testing (using API Master Test Kit). I was wondering if I should go about trying to raise the PH and if so, what the best way to go about doing this is?

I just heard from a friend that our town has really bad water, and when she had a tank, she only used store water and added hardness. We get this pink stuff that collects in the shower. She said it's actually a form of bacteria. I have been treating my water with Prime and then for PH with...

Hello! I have a 20 gallon with a male Betta, 6 rummy-nose Tetras, and a Nerite snail. I check my water regularly, and everything is fine, save for the hardness. My GH is weirdly low at 1.5 dGH, while my KH is very high at 15 dKH. I use API Proper pH 7.0 as a pH buffer, which claims to cause...

My pH is over 8 right out of the tap, which obviously makes things a little difficult. What are some good ways of lowering it? I've heard adding catappa or oak leaves is a great, natural way to do so, but I don't really want brown water in my aquarium. Is there something similar that doesn't...

Hi. I've started a tropical aquarium for the first time and I've had it running for 2 weeks without fish. I bought a test kit that measures the GH, KH, PH, NO2 and NO3 levels. However they're all wrong The levels are showing they're this.. GH - 180ppm KH - 180ppm PH - 8.0 NO2 - 0.5ppm NO3 -...

As some of you may have read my excessively long posts, I have had a terrible problem with ammonia with one tank reaching 8 ppm. Of course I neutralized it with prime and amguard - but ALL three of my tanks seem to have lost their cycling. Most likely due to the addition of too many fish at...

Hi, I'm running am air stone in my 105L tank but whenever I turn it on it disturbs whatever is on the water surface and makes the water look awful My question is, should I just run it and see if it's all filtered out or should I keep it off? Thanks

Hello, a question re. infusoria I've been culturing from hay and tankwater. I have a thriving colony of paramecium and other small life to feed my guppy and minnow fry. My question is -does the addition of these tiny critters, and the bacteria they're feeding off, affect or benefit the chemistry...

I recently started up a tank. I used to keep bettas with my grandma (mostly just helped her feed them lol) and didn’t realize what care went into fish keeping. That being said, I had an impulse moment and bought a betta. I had him in a ten gallon alone but wanted to start a community because he...

Hi all, this is my first post so please forgive me If I've posted this in the wrong area. 2 days ago I purchased some Tetra fish to go into my cycled shrimp and Kuhli loach tank, all the new tetras seemed to be doing fine until today when I awoke to find all of the newly purchased tetras dead...

hi, I'm on a well water system, which gives me a very high PH (7.8) my fish require of a PH of at least 6.5- and the overall hardness reads at 140. I've managed to get the ph down to 7.3 and just lower the hardness slightly by using oak leaves. And though my fish seem to live fine in it, my...

Found a veil tail boy on craigslist, owners are moving long distance and can't (don't want to) pack the tank. He's currently in this 3gal but the owner says "tank is dirty with algae but nothing a hot water rinse wouldn't get rid of." My concern is this: I'm transporting him 25 miles, from a...

Hi guys !    It seems it about time for me to get a new test kit, so i was wondering if any body has had any experiences with a particular kit witch has made you go " WOW , that's awesome" or "CHRIST , that's naf "  i'd prefer to make up my own test kit of different brands this time so i can get...

Hi to all.   I have posted this info in my planted tank journal but thought I would also post it as a seperate topic.   I did a water hardness test on my tap water last night to help me start making choices on plants and fish and need some help in understanding what these figures mean in real...

I am being pulled in a million directions and no store seems to be helping, and i am spinning out of control! I just want answers!!!   My take normally:    20 gallons Ph: 6-6.2 kH: ? gH: ? Ammonia: 0ppm Nitrites: 0ppm Nitrates: 0ppm   The fish I have are:   3 Neon tetras (it was 4, that's what...

Hi   I have a 10 gallon tank that has been set up since January. It currently has: 2 x Dwarf Gouramis 2 x Dalmatian Mollys 2 little catfish bottom feeder fish, not sure exactly which one, and 1 Platy.   Last week 3 Platys died, and I have no idea why. I would like to get some more fish, but want...

Hi Everyone,   Quick question I need some help on.   My tank is 30 days old now and I did a fish-in cycle (not many fish). Ammonia has been zero for 1.5-2 weeks, nitrates have fallen to 0 in the last few days but nitrite continues to climb until I do a partial water change. Usually it gets to...

Hi Everyone,   I'm new to this forum so please excuse me if I have put this in the wrong place.     My brother used to keep tropical fish when we were kids, so I have a little bit of knowledge about tropical fish and their care, but wanted some assistance with my water quality results.     I...