loaches dying again!!

[homemadepopcorn]

Could the equipment you use for the water change have come in contact with any kinds of household cleaners?

[Brhino]

Your test results would tend to indicate otherwise, but do you happen to get a lot of bubbles in the tank after a waterchange?

Not a ton, but not zero either. My planted tank gets a lot... best guess is bubbles form on acrylic more easily than on glass.

Could the equipment you use for the water change have come in contact with any kinds of household cleaners?

Not likely, but not impossible... but then again you've got the question of "why haven't any fish in any of the other tanks been affected?" because I use the same equipment for other tanks too.

[KevinVA]

Is your pH usually that low (not sure how often you test it)? I'm seeing 6.0pH?

[Brhino]

it's the high range pH test. it's in the 7.4-7.8 region.

[mermaidwannabe]

Is your pH usually that low (not sure how often you test it)? I'm seeing 6.0pH?

It looks to me like he tested the high range pH, and that color is 7.4 on that chart. The 6.0 on the regular pH chart is a much paler yellow.

[mermaidwannabe]

That's what I thought, too. Looks like Brhino got his answer in before I finished posting mine.

[KingFisher]

Ok this may be just grasping at straws, but do you have the python submerged all the way to the bottom of the tank while it is refilling? If so, the loaches may be getting exposed to the fresh chlorinated water before it has a chance to mix with the dechlor to neutralize it.

[KevinVA]

it's the high range pH test. it's in the 7.4-7.8 region.

That makes more sense. =] Sorry, the colors are a bit harder to see and I was looking for more of a brown tint of the High range.

[Brhino]

Ok this may be just grasping at straws, but do you have the python submerged all the way to the bottom of the tank while it is refilling? If so, the loaches may be getting exposed to the fresh chlorinated water before it has a chance to mix with the dechlor to neutralize it.

Not all the way, no. Just enough to submerge it. And I typically try to point it at some hardscape so the sand won't get too disturbed... and the loaches are hiding elsewhere.

[Lady Hobbs]

I'm confused. If you tested with High Range pH liquids, then you should be comparing to the High Range chart.........the second group of boxes. You have the light yellow, which is a match to the regular pH of only 6...first row of boxes on the top. Why are you testing with the High range if you don't have high range pH?