Everything Is Stable In The Tank

[mistyash]

I have a 55g planted tank that I set up about a month ago. I started it in a tank that was given to me after all of her fish died in a power outage. I started it up with filter bacteria already present, and a live substrate. I've been checking pH, Nitrites, nitrates and ammonia daily. All readings have stayed at 0, and the pH is about 7.4 the temp. is 78F. why am I losing fish?

I'd like to get the pH down a bit, but I honestly don't think that could be the problem. for one, they aren't dying of shock. If they're going to die, it takes about a week, and it's very sudden. one moment they're happily swimming, and the next they're laying on the bottom. please help me! Most of the fish look perfectly happy, and they're getting more colorful than they were in the store, but some just don't make it, and I'm starting to pull my hair out.

 

[Mikaila31]

What type of test kit are you using? strip/liquid?

I wouldn't mess with the PH, 7.4 is perfectly fine.

 

[mistyash]

I'm using a liquid test kit. When I brought a fish back to the store a few days ago, he used a test strip to check the water, and it confirmed what I've been seeing.

 

[OldMan47]

If most of your fish are fine but some of each group you bring home die, I would be looking at the source of your fish. If you had a true water problem or some disease running rampant in the tank, it would affect all the fish. If you bring home 5 fish and 3 of them up and die, I would worry more about the quality of fish you are bringing home. I am a bit surprised that your nitrate readings are at zero, it is something that we almost never see. A 7.4 pH is fine for almost any common fish. I have my pH at 7.8 because of the local tap water and have no trouble with almost any fish that I bring in.

 

[Littlemonkey]

What are the fish? Did you get all at the same time and from the same LFS.

 

[fatheadminnow]

I agree with oldman47,

But what also seems strange, like stated above, is your level of nitrate which is at zero?

With a fully cycled tank, you should at least being seeing 5-10 ppm of nitrate IME, and others as well.

Nitrate with a reading of zero would indicate that your tank is not fully cycled!?

Do you add any other chemicals to your tank other than water conditioner?

Would you mind elaborating a little more how you went about on getting the mature filter media?

-FHM

 

[Athena]

Just wondering if perhaps the reason for a zero nitrate reading could be because it's a fully planted tank. I've heard a few other members mention a zero reading for nitrate and they have highly planted tanks.

If that's the case, nothing wrong with a zero reading, as the higher the reading the more water changes we have to do.

Just a thought...

Mistyash - could you let us know what the stock level is (what fish/how many/when they were added to tank etc, thanks)

Athena

 

[loraxchick]

i had 0 levels across the board for around 7 months with loads of plants...it can be done.

 

[OldMan47]

Yes, a heavy planting can give zero nitrates regardless of the bioload. I have tanks that get nitrate added to help my plants grow because there are not enough fish to feed the plants.

 

[mistyash]

Yeah, sorry about the zero there. It's been between 5 and 10. My tap water is at 5, so I think of a 5 as 0.

I'm kinda sad to tell you what I have for stock, because of how many I've lost. I started by introducing 9 Platys over a few days, to cycle the tank. Next came 4 guppies, Later 6 Neon Tetras, and 6 Rummy nosed tetras, 3 bala sharks, 3 cory cats, and a pair of dwarf gourami. I've lost 2 platys, 2 guppies, 1 shark, the male gourami, and several of the tetras. I'm not counting tetras though, because I think they've just been going into the filter (I have a seaclear eclipse, and I think they've been going over the gate into the filter), but i'm going to move the tetras to a 10gallon.

 

[mistyash]

As far as the mature filter media goes, the tank was already running before I got it. The filter's built into the back, and there were bio balls in there (where I got my family of snails). They really didn't get a chance to dry out during transport, and I had it aquascaped and running again quickly. Oh, and I used an aquatic plant soil that came with water in the bag, and was supposed to have bacteria in it. I can't remember what it was called, but I could look it up. hope that helps