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Spider5
03-20-2008, 08:01 PM
Trying to follow the forum rules I should have not posted this intro in the introduction yourself section but here instead. So in order to right a wrong I reintroduce the info here. Thanks for all the feedback already provided and one thing I can rule out is that no copper was found during testing of the water.


I’ve been dealing with fish tanks for quite a number of years but ran into a very strange problem with my 55 gal tank. Last summer my AC in my house broke and the temp was well over 100F and unfortunately I cooked my stock of fish with some of the fish being almost 5 years old (bummer). In December I decide to resurrect the hobby and started from scratch. After filling to tank I added some chemicals to remove the chorine I ran my Fluval 405 for a week to remove any of the air in the system. I than introduced 6 Danio Zebra’s to the tank and changed about 15% of the water each weekend. I check the water and surprisingly the PH keeps steady at 8 even though the tap water always has been 7.6 and test over the last couple of months at 7.6 and in the past I’ve always had a 7.6 PH in the tank. I figured there must be something wrong with my test kit but a new one gave the same results. I have checked the Ammonia level and it is typically 0ppm or 1ppm. I’ve checked Nitrite which is 0ppm and Nitrate holding at about 10ppm. All these seem very normal numbers to me after the initial cycle but each time I introduce a couple of fish to the water they are all dead within 24hours. I’ve tried fish from three different LFS with the same result. I lost one of the Zebra’s very early on but the other 5 are still doing fine. Now nearing my 4th month, what other chemistry should I check for that is killing the fish, and does my problem have something to do with the high PH?

travie
03-20-2008, 08:06 PM
7.6 pH isn't that high. How are you acclimating the new fish? It could just be shock from different water parameters of your tank from what they are use to. Slower and lengthier acclimating might help.

Spider5
03-20-2008, 08:15 PM
7.6 pH isn't that high. How are you acclimating the new fish? It could just be shock from different water parameters of your tank from what they are use to. Slower and lengthier acclimating might help.


I agree but my PH is now 8 or during the last test 8.2. During to last attempt to introduce 2 black striped tetras to the tank I placed the content of the bag in a large cup and but tank water in the cup slowly over a 30 minutes period. After the 30 minutes a left them in for an additional 15 minutes and placed them in the tank. They died within two days.

travie
03-20-2008, 10:42 PM
The last thing that I can think of is temperature shock. Someone with a lot more experience should be able to help a lot more then I can.

I would also try to find out if something like a stone is causing your pH to raise.

Spider5
03-20-2008, 10:53 PM
I don't think its temperture related it holding steady at 78F. There is something weird going on because of all the years doing this hobby this is a first for me. This is the main reason I sot out this and other forum to see if I'm missing something. I'm starting to consider just started completely over and removing everything, cleaning the tank and restarting the cycle again.

smaug
03-20-2008, 10:55 PM
What chems did you use for the chlorine?

travie
03-20-2008, 10:58 PM
I meant temp. shock going from the acclimating cup to the tank.

Dsoto87
03-21-2008, 12:48 AM
Theres obviously something in your tank thats raising your PH. What decorations do you have? What type of substrate? Any rocks?

Spider5
03-23-2008, 04:46 AM
The tank has plastic plants nothing new all remaining from the previous setup. I added some life plants, and the rocks are your standard small rocks from the LFS. I checked the rocks by introducing some acid after drying them to see of they are alkline with some bubbling so this could be part of the problem.

Spider5
03-25-2008, 11:38 PM
Theres obviously something in your tank thats raising your PH. What decorations do you have? What type of substrate? Any rocks?


After reading for several hours through the forum I find that a PH of 8.0 is not really all that bad. Given that I acclimate the fish to the water and the temp. slowly (20-30 minutes). I'm still at a loss why they don't survive past 24 hours. Amm=0 Nitrite=0 Nitrate=10 hPH=8.0 Temp.=78F Copper=0 15% water changes once a week. Tank up and running for nearly 2 months. There must be another chemical at play here but what?

Spider5
03-25-2008, 11:45 PM
What chems did you use for the chlorine?

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