Ph

[mpoulton12345]

Hi everyone, i've had my tank set up for 3 weeks now. its 36x12x18 inches. after a week i had the water tested and it was fine so i bought 10 black neon tetras. yesterday i had another sample tested and it was fine apart from the ph being a bit high (7.5) so i bought 6 harlequin rasboras. But this morning i found one of the tetras was dead. any ideas why? Is the PH a bit high for tetras, if so what should i use to bring it down?

Matt

 

[breezer40]

How did you cycle the tank?

 

[mpoulton12345]

I'm not sure. the shop i went to said leave the tank for a few days to get the right temperature then take a water sample in. They tested it and said it was fine and suggested i start with some tetras so i bought the black neons.

 

[breezer40]

I would have a serious talk with that shop! Your tank needs to be cycled please read this information first

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=141944

 

[mpoulton12345]

When i bought the rasboras yesterday at a different shop the ammonia and nitrite were zero, it was just the PH was a bit high.

 

[breezer40]

Have you read the articles? Tap water..which is what you have until a tank is cycles..has no ammonia or nitrite. It is only when you add either ammonia or a cycling fish...which tetras are NOT will these rise and the cycle begin.

 

[mpoulton12345]

I Have read the articles but it's not realy helping. There seem to be alot of different opinions. I admit i dont know much and was probably given some duff information at a shop but if my ammonia and nitrite are zero after 2 weeks with 10 fish how do i know if it has cyled or not. Should i assume it's not and start changing 10% of the water a day and feed them less as the article says?

 

[dwarfgourami]

I Have read the articles but it's not realy helping. There seem to be alot of different opinions. I admit i dont know much and was probably given some duff information at a shop but if my ammonia and nitrite are zero after 2 weeks with 10 fish how do i know if it has cyled or not. Should i assume it's not and start changing 10% of the water a day and feed them less as the article says?

You might want to go a middle way: do a big water change now (as a fish died), then keep testing the water every day (buy yourself a liquid test kit- a great investment) and do additional water changes whenever you do detect ammonia or nitrites. And don't buy any more fish for at least another month or two.

We do quite frequently have posts in the forum where fish seem to suffer from cycling problems, though tests reveal very little. I have experienced the same in my own tanks too, after filter problems- by the time I got to test the water it seemed fine, but the fish appeared to be suffering from ammonia poisoning and I knew there had been a problem that would result in raised ammonia level. Can't quite explain it- maybe it's just that the bacteria didn't work fast enough for the fish.

I wouldn't worry about the ph; that's not likely to be a major problem.

 

[Brine Shrimp Flesh!]

Neon Tetras are very senistive to new conditions, did you do the correct method of putting em' in the tank? You know, bag in for 30min, then add a little water etc.

 

[mpoulton12345]

yes i put them in properly. i bought a test kit this afternoon. PH 8 Ammonia 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 10. I also bought tetra aqua bactozym as it said it will remove harmful waste, speed up filter development and prevent new tank syndrome.