Water Help!

[Oxidation1]

I am being pulled in a million directions and no store seems to be helping, and i am spinning out of control! I just want answers!!!
 
My take normally: 
 
20 gallons
Ph: 6-6.2
kH: ?
gH: ?
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrites: 0ppm
Nitrates: 0ppm
 
The fish I have are:
 
3 Neon tetras (it was 4, that's what started this ordeal, poor guy was sick)
1 Pleco
2 Panda Cat fish
who knows how many guppy's, 4-6 and about 10 baby's?
1 Female beta
 
There is also 3 plants in the tank that are doing well
 
Everything seemed stable, did not really watch the ph, I always use distilled water in my weekly 25% water changes. I missed a filter change and my poor tetra came down with a bacterial infection. I was advised to use Mardel, and I am still not finished in the cycle. I was advised to use Seachem Equilibrium because its all distilled water, and it would steady my pH levels.  Then another store adviced me alkaline regulator and that shot my ph to 7.2 and i know change that fast is bad (tetra passed before that was added)
 
What parameters do I need to worry about and where should I be? I am lost and everyone is selling me all this crap. All i want is my fish to be safe and happy =( 
 
Should I use the equilibrium and get the gH to a set level? should i set the kH to a certain level and follow seachems website, and use equilibrium, alkaline buffer and acid buffer and get the ph, gh and kh at 7, 3 and 3, or use just neutral regulator and set it to 7 and forget the kh and gh? 
 
I have no idea what to do and im going nuts!!! 
 
Thank you in advance for anyone who can help me
 
 
 
 

 

[EllieJellyEllie]

Hello! And welcome to the forums! Glad you joined us.

You have all very hardy fish, do not worry about the pH, gH, or kH.

The pleco will grow too big for the tank, depending on what kind it is. Common plecos grow to be about 18 inches! I would rehome him to a person with a large tank.

The neons school needs to be upped to around 6, as they are shoaling fish who enjoy company of their own kind.

Bettas and guppies is very iffy, as betta may think the guppy is anpther betta and attack it. Females are just as territorial as males. An easy solution is to rehome the betta, or the guppies. But, with that being said, betta are GREAT fry control, but just be warned future problems may occur.

The panda catfish are also shoalers. Those are callex corydoras, or cories for short. I would up the group to about six. Pandas only get 2 inches long.

You need to watch ammonia nitrite, and nitrate. Use a liquid or tablet test kit to measure these, as strips are not accurate. The one I use is the API Freshwater Master Test Kit, and as far as I know, that is the most common one used on the forums, or the only one recommended to me. These range at about $30 for endless tests.

Do not use the extra Seachem products, they are just messing with nature. You tank should be fine. Seachem Prime, however, is a great dechlorinator.

You seem to be on top of changes, great job! I would stop using distilled water, and just use tap water. Just match the temperature to the tank, add a full tanks worth dose of dechlorinator into the tank, and slowly pour the water in. This is a perfextly safe method, but you may be scared at first to do it, but I can assure you, lots of people have sucess doing this.

Your tank should be heated and filter. The heater should be set to around 80F. Also, use a glass thermometer, as the strip ones arent accurate, and the digital ones may break or the battery may die

I hope you read this whole thing. And again, welcome to the forums!

 

[Ninjouzata]

to TFF! Hope you enjoy it here.
 
How long have you had this tank set up? You should not be using distilled water as it lacks the minerals the fish need.
I don't recall if it'll shock them or not to switch to straight tap water from that..it may be a good idea to use some distilled and some tap water for your water changes and eventually take out the distilled altogether.
 
You should not be changing your filter media at all, have you been doing this or did you mean you forgot to rinse it one week in old tank water?
 
As Ellie said there is no need to worry about the ph, gh, or kh.
The only time you'd really do this is for very sensitive species, and should only be done by experienced fishkeepers.