Help! Kh And Gh Have Risen Dramatically!

[silverchild23]

Please Help

We're not sure what to do as this has never happened before.

We have a mature 240L tank, with 4 angels, 4 keyholes, 2 blue rams and 2 BN plecos, and have just recently had it planted a medium amount. It seems like the tank has suddenly jumped in gH and kH and the pH isn't bearing up too great either.

Previously: kH = 7, gH = 10 (dH), pH = 7-7.5 Now: kH = 10, and gH = 13/14 (dH), pH = 8

I have no rhyme or reasoning why they have jumped seemingly overnight (but could've been last couple of days). all I can see is it being one of a number of factors:

1. The Plants (planted last week)
2. Our large rock in the tank (it is a boulder / two pieces of green slate - been in there for a month)
3. Two little stones in there from the garden (been in there 2 months - nothing happened before)
4. Recent medications. Recently we have medicated with flubinol 15 & later with Aquapet No.9
5. A Recent addition of substrate root tabs for the plants.

That's all I can think of. We haven't added salt and we do not use CO2 for the plants. Please help, because it seems to be affecting the blue rams and we just cant understand what it could be. Has anybody had similar experiences before? and how did they deal with them? We were going to do a waterchange tonight, although we only did the last waterchange on Saturday night (weekly 30%).

Other Details: Eheim Pro II filter, 26.5-27C temp, Nitrite = 0, Ammonia = 0, Nitrate = 20-30

Please Help - Thanks

 

[ICEEGRL]

It shouldn't be the flubenol 15. I use that and it hasn't changed any of my readings. I don't know about the other one though. I would try doing another water change and see if that helps. If not check your tap water. Are you using any liquid ferts or anything like that?
You can try removing the rocks and doing a water change. Then check the water. If it goes back down you would know that is what it was. If you just check one thing at a time you will have a better chance of finding the problem.

 

[silverchild23]

It shouldn't be the flubenol 15. I use that and it hasn't changed any of my readings. I don't know about the other one though. I would try doing another water change and see if that helps. If not check your tap water. Are you using any liquid ferts or anything like that?
You can try removing the rocks and doing a water change. Then check the water. If it goes back down you would know that is what it was. If you just check one thing at a time you will have a better chance of finding the problem.

We used liquid ferts previously for the plants before the root tabs - why, do they generally raise the water hardness?
I'm going to take the rocks out and check them with vinegar before putting them back in - something I should have done in the first place. Is there anything I can do to lower the hardness on top of the water change? I'm just really worried about one of the rams as he's almost hyperventilating.
thanks

 

[The-Wolf]

two pieces of green slate

that could be the reason.
green slate gets its green colouration from the abundance of copper in it
that could very well be effecting your water parameters

I wouldn't worry about a high KH as this is the buffer for your pH
and therfore a higher number means a more stable pH.

I would be worried about the pH rising though.
a course of 10-20% water changes every day untill the pH retuns to the
previouse level would be the best thing you can do.

I'd also remove the green slate and get a lfs to check the copper levels too,
just in case.

 

[ICEEGRL]

I would put in an air stone for now. I find that helps my fish cope while I am hunting the problem.
After testing the rock remember to clean it really well. You don't want to add it back with vinegar on it.
Adding driftwood could help I think.
I would do a few water changes first before adding anything else. It could have just been something in your water. Just go 1 step at a time until you find the problem. If you do too much at one time it makes it harder to find the cause.

 

[silverchild23]

two pieces of green slate

that could be the reason.
green slate gets its green colouration from the abundance of copper in it
that could very well be effecting your water parameters

I wouldn't worry about a high KH as this is the buffer for your pH
and therfore a higher number means a more stable pH.

I would be worried about the pH rising though.
a course of 10-20% water changes every day untill the pH retuns to the
previouse level would be the best thing you can do.

I'd also remove the green slate and get a lfs to check the copper levels too,
just in case.

Oh No!
I just thought after reading about it that all slate was inert
so best thing now is to take out the slate and do a large water change?
Thank you.
What about the gH - is that a bad thing?

 

[The-Wolf]

YOUR GH should also come back down after a few water changes.

yes you are correct slate, in itself is inert, it is the impurities in slate that often are not.
green and red slate are the worse as they contain copper and iron respectivly

 

[silverchild23]

YOUR GH should also come back down after a few water changes.

yes you are correct slate, in itself is inert, it is the impurities in slate that often are not.
green and red slate are the worse as they contain copper and iron respectivly

Ok thank you guys.
I've got the airstone on anyway tonight, so hopefully that might help.
Just about to do the water change now.
I'll leave the slate out I think until I get closer to a cause.
What is the best slate to go for then rather than the red or the green?
Thanks again.

 

[ICEEGRL]

black

 

[silverchild23]

Well the poor ram died last night
He just got more and more hyperventilating (not at the surface) and eventually passed.
This was after a 30% waterchange.
I also read somebody elses post last night describing the heavy breathing and white stringy poo so I thought best to dose flubinol 15 too. No avail.
I've been looking for info on green slate (and its chemical makeup) as it doesn't seem to be making a difference to the water and none of the other fish are sick - even the other blue ram. I have bought a copper testing kit just to make sure. I'll do that tonight.
Do you think it may just be down to buying a slightly sick fish in the first place? We only got him a week ago.

Also, the other blue ram seems healthy, should I get her another male? I know it's hit and miss whether they'll be compatible.