Help quick

[Ashkay]

I definitely agree with essjay. Increasing water changes to 50% (I know for my large tank I have the submersible heater right about at the 40-50% line so I know to just take out that much water every time). Back when I was much younger and inexperienced, I would do water changes every 3 weeks and it was terrible on my fish

Wow ok I never knew that a lot of people would say only do partial changes once a month. Or 2-3 weeks

 

[Ashkay]

Yes, a partial 40%+ water change should help. Make sure the live plant is still in some de chlorinated water, or it will most likely die.

I just threw that plant away it looked like it was dying anyway

 

[Stefan3289]

I recommend doing it partial changes weekly. I always aim to do all three of my tanks (usually two I have a quarantine running) on Saturday. And if i get busy I then do it Sunday. If you find that you forgot, try do it during the week, with higher % of water changes. You can then skip the coming weekend, and restart the cycle the weekend following. Does that make sense...?

 

[Essjay]

I just did the ph test. The test kit only gives 4 test tubes. I’ll test the high range test shortly.

If that was the ordinary pH tester you don't need to do the high range one as the colour is right at the bottom of the ordinary pH chart. It's only when it shows the highest colour on the ordinary pH that you need to check with the high range.


Your pH is very low for livebearers and it suggests you have very soft water. If you could confirm what your hardness is by looking on your water provider's website it would be a great help.

 

[Ashkay]

I just did the ph test. The test kit only gives 4 test tubes. I’ll test the high range test shortly.

The hardness hasn't been given yet. If you are referring to the pH, I wasn't sure whether it was the high range test or not.

@Ashkay Can you tell us please which of the pH testers you used, pH or high range pH.
And can you look on your water provider's website to see if they give your tap water hardness, please.

This is all the info I can find in my city about the hard water. Not sure how accurate?

 

[Ashkay]

This is all the info I can find in my city about the hard water. Not sure how accurate?

EWG's Tap Water Database: What's in Your Drinking Water?

Look up your local water system to find out which pollutants might be of concern, and find suggestions on the best kinds of home filters to remove those chemicals.

www.ewg.org

 

[Ashkay]

EWG's Tap Water Database: What's in Your Drinking Water?

Look up your local water system to find out which pollutants might be of concern, and find suggestions on the best kinds of home filters to remove those chemicals.

www.ewg.org

I’m not sure what I’m looking for in the tap water in my city but this shows all the stuff in it. If you don’t mind taking a look.

 

[Ashkay]

If that was the ordinary pH tester you don't need to do the high range one as the colour is right at the bottom of the ordinary pH chart. It's only when it shows the highest colour on the ordinary pH that you need to check with the high range.


Your pH is very low for livebearers and it suggests you have very soft water. If you could confirm what your hardness is by looking on your water provider's website it would be a great help.

Oh ok. Well I posted some info about the water hardness on this thread . Not sure what I was looking for but everything in the water is on there

 

[Ashkay]

Oh ok. Well I posted some info about the water hardness on this thread . Not sure what I was looking for but everything in the water is on there

EWG's Tap Water Database: What's in Your Drinking Water?

Look up your local water system to find out which pollutants might be of concern, and find suggestions on the best kinds of home filters to remove those chemicals.

www.ewg.org

 

[Essjay]

11 grains per gallon is the hardness. There are two units used in fish keeping, ppm and dH. Your 11 grains per gallon convert to 188 ppm and 10.5 dH. This is middling water, ideally it should be a bit harder for livebearers, but it's not nearly as bad as your pH made us think it was.

I am curious as to why your pH is so low. You can see the exact shade, is it really 6.0? I would have expected it to be around 7 with that hardness.
Can I ask you to test the pH of your tap water please, bit a freshly run sample and some that's been allowed to stand in a galss overnight.

 

[ClownLurch]

Hi
I think if you go to the farming and tap water page and enter your zip code in the box in the top RH corner it may show what we need to know.
Stll do a 50% or so water change though.

Ignore me. Essjay knows her stuff.

 

[Ashkay]

11 grains per gallon is the hardness. There are two units used in fish keeping, ppm and dH. Your 11 grains per gallon convert to 188 ppm and 10.5 dH. This is middling water, ideally it should be a bit harder for livebearers, but it's not nearly as bad as your pH made us think it was.

I am curious as to why your pH is so low. You can see the exact shade, is it really 6.0? I would have expected it to be around 7 with that hardness.
Can I ask you to test the pH of your tap water please, bit a freshly run sample and some that's been allowed to stand in a galss overnight.

the darker tube is I just did with my tap water from my sink. And the lighter I did again from my tank. I’m not sure what happened this morning I just got home and kinda freak because I thought some of the babies were acting strange . I may have did it wrong or maybe did a wrong solution. But this is it as of now .

 

[Essjay]

That's what I would have expected. Thank you for redoing the test.

it is worth leaving some water to stand overnight as it may well change as things gas out of the water.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I just threw that plant away it looked like it was dying anyway

There was no need throw it away... it could have still recovered. Anyway, your choice.

 

[Ashkay]

There was no need throw it away... it could have still recovered. Anyway, your choice.

I was actually going to the pet store for another product they didn’t have in stock so I just Bought a tiny $6 plant. Checking out she said to place the roots beneath the gravel. I don’t have gravel they are small rocks. So it wasn’t staying very well. But I just got rid of it because stems were falling off anyway. And as I did pull it up the bottom was darkish grey.
But anything that may cause extra nitrate or anything I just don’t need.
The babies look a lot better it was actually only one who was laying on top of its little house and kept swimming at the bottom. They all seem like they are doing well.