New Tank Issues And Bad Water Supply!

[Bristlenose]

Hi please help,

I have recently (over a month ago) set up my new tank a Roma 200 litre with Fluval 205 external filter. I have previously had a tank about a quatre that size for over 5 years (so I know the basics). With my new tank its been a disaster.

Ammonia and Nitrite I can get under control, but my tap waters Ph is very high, 8.2, I try Ph down and it drops before spiking again. This is not after a water change or anything either. The first inhabitants over a week ago were two small angels that quickly began to struggle, one went back to the shop in the hopes that the other would be fine, he later started to hang near the surface struggling to breath and then had tiny spots of white appear on the fins. So I treated for white spot, he died soon after. I then moved 4 tetras from my old tank in after treating the tank for white spot, one died and now a week later two are struggling, Ammonia and Nitrite are zero, the tanks water is now clear. I am thinking gill flukes as tetra's are usually ok with different Ph levels no? they are near the surface just moving fins frantically to stay on the spot and breathing quickly, no white spot or other signs.

Any suggestions.

Also I was wanting to keep some Rams, but they like soft water, any options?

Cheers all.

 

[elisew]

I`m afraid I can`t help you with the illness side of things as I`m not experienced enough to give the right advice but I`m sure some of the more experienced members will be able to help you though.

I`ve kept Rams and currently have 5 (1m 4f) German Rams and 1f Apisto in my large community tank and they have been pretty hit and miss for me. I`m now slowly converting the tank to a higher amount of RO water over the coming weeks. The water in my area is hard and I`ve bought the RO system to enable me to give the Rams the softer water that they need to survive. That may be an option you can think about once you have your tank sorted out, obviously it would be a really bad idea to keep Rams at the moment while you`re having so much trouble.

I hope you manage to sort out the problems that you`re having

 

[RustedKnight]

Rams should adapt to your water easy enough. If they're brought up in the UK they'll almost certainly be acclimated to harder water.

 

[KittyKat]

What decor do you have in the new tank?

Using buffers is a recipe for disaster. I suggest you stop trying to change the pH that way and try to make sure that there are no calcium leaching rocks in the tank, then add bogwood and plants. Over a few months, the bogwood and plants will lower the pH to level more suitable for SA fish.

 

[Bristlenose]

All decoration etc is fish safe plastic.

How much is a reverse osmosis unit? what make is good and can do this size tank? how much softer would it make the water, to what ph level?

As for illness All the symptoms appear to be whitespot based but I treated the whole tank and cannot see white spots at all, any ideas?

Thank you!

 

[KittyKat]

What about the substrate? Is it gravel? Sand? What sort?

 

[Bristlenose]

What about the substrate? Is it gravel? Sand? What sort?

Its a black stone, fish safe bought from pets at home.

 

[KittyKat]

"Fish safe" doesn't mean pH neutral but I think it might just be your tap water.. have you tested it after leaving it to stand in a glass for 24 hours?

 

[Bristlenose]

"Fish safe" doesn't mean pH neutral but I think it might just be your tap water.. have you tested it after leaving it to stand in a glass for 24 hours?

yep it is much the same, either 7.8 to 8.2 depending on the day. I have been looking into some of the filter media's you can buy for the 205 fluval external, there is one that apparently lowers ph that you put in the filter, needs changing monthly however.

 

[KittyKat]

You could always filter with peat.. do you have a link to that media?