Water Parameters

[trumpteezer]

I currently have a 20 gal, with 6 baby mollies (due to the fact I can't seem to keep any adults alive).

I finally got my own testing kit- here's the results:

PH 8.4
KH 300
NitrIte 0
Ammonia 0
NitrAte 40+

Water temperature at 80 degrees. I need to add water today, so purchased RO water from LFS. My tap water is high in PH/KH. I added some more live plants today, and purchased a snail to keep up with the sudden outbreak of brown algae on the sides.

I understand the plants will help with the Nitrates, however, is my PH/KH what may have been killing my fish? What effect would aquarium salt have on the PH/KH UGH! All this time my LFS had told me that my numbers were PERFECT!

Thanks,

Trumpy

 

[diademhill]

I currently have a 20 gal, with 6 baby mollies (due to the fact I can't seem to keep any adults alive).

I finally got my own testing kit- here's the results:

PH 8.4
KH 300
NitrIte 0
Ammonia 0
NitrAte 40+

Water temperature at 80 degrees. I need to add water today, so purchased RO water from LFS. My tap water is high in PH/KH. I added some more live plants today, and purchased a snail to keep up with the sudden outbreak of brown algae on the sides.

I understand the plants will help with the Nitrates, however, is my PH/KH what may have been killing my fish? What effect would aquarium salt have on the PH/KH UGH! All this time my LFS had told me that my numbers were PERFECT!

Thanks,

Trumpy

How long has the tank been running? -Brown algae suggests a new tank.
Those readings are fine for mollies and RO won't help - It would for many fish but mollies prefer harder water.
Some mollies are raised in Brackish conditions and so would be shocked bt the change to freshwater so it could be an osmoregulation problem. The fry, being born in freshwater, don't have this problem but if the tank is new any ammonia or nitrite would have damaged the adult fish.

 

[trumpteezer]

Tank has been running for about 4 months now. My nitrites & ammonia are at 0, just my PH/KH and nitrates are high. I read that Mollies prefer salt- but then I definately need to bring my KH down by adding salt? Doesn't adding salt bring your hardness down? That's how it works with tap water.

I'm just not sure where to go so save these little guys. I'm trying desparately to set up my new 55gal, but am terrified I'm just going to have the same problems with the live bearers.

 

[Polardbear]

You might try lowering your temperature a bit. I keep swordtails and initially kept my tank at 80 degrees and had problem after problem. I'm now keeping my tanks in the 75-78 degree range and have almost no problems.

One thing you might keep in mind is that ammonia and nitrite becomes much more dangerous at much lower levels when your water has that high of ph. My water has a ph of 7.9 - 8.0 so I can attest for this. Some of my swordtails seem to be more sensitive to nitrite than others and will show visible signs of distress with as little as a .25 nitrite reading. It's also possible that you had increased ammonia/nitrite levels shortly after your mollys gave birth that you weren't aware of. I have one tank that has 3 females that every month give birth on 3 consecutive days, by the 4th day I'm guarenteed a small nitrite spike and have to really stay on top of water changes.

What type of filtration are you running?

 

[trumpteezer]

Thanks for your feedback!

Ammonia and nitrItes are both at 0. My PH/KH are off the charts. I'm running a power filter on a 20 gal, I believe it's for a 30 gal? Not sure.

I added aquarium salt last night (now I think I lost my snail), added 2 more plants (which my old ones are now floating at the top).

I really don't know what else to do. I've lowered the temp from 82 to 80 w/o any signs of change. I worry about lowering it more?

Trumpy