Hi..I have a couple things going on in my tank that I've never dealt w/in the past (I've kept small, easy freshwater aquariums most of my life). Our water out of the tap is as perfect as it can possibly get (we home test it regularly & it's been tested by a dealer as well who said the same thing) BUT, when tested in the tank...it's super-crazy hard water. SOMETHING has to be going on INSIDE the tank...what could possibly do that??
We also are having an issue w/nitrates although I'm quite sure it's due to me letting my fiancee feed them the past couple weeks & that they will return to normal soon. I did a 50% water change, changed & cleaned the filter & housing as well as almost everything in the tank (left a couple fake plants for the bio) & the nitrates dropped significantly. Will do another water change or 2 over the next week or so & that should take care of nitrates. That said, I now have a very large Angel fish w/a swim bladder issue. She seems to be fine otherwise but I can't quite seem to get her upright lol. I tried the lightly boiled & shelled peas...she wouldn't eat them (the other fish thanked me however!), I even tried using tongs to be sure she just wasn't unable to get some, which freaked her out since I don't reach in there unless I'm cleaning. Not sure what else to do for her.
The hard water thing is most pressing (& perplexing) issue so ANY help is seriously appreciated. If it helps at all (or matters), my tank includes:
1 medium pleco, 1 bushynose pleco, 1 blue crawfish, 1 ropefish, 3 roseline sharks, 1 angel fish, 2 emperor tetras, 2 gouramis, 2 platys, 1 molly, a couple others & 1 remaining glofish (the others became lunch-possibly the stupidest move I've made to put them in w/the crawfish!
) in a 55gal. Excellent aeration. Nobody else is sick & nobody is new. In fact, nothing is new except ONE fake plant, washed before it was put in & I've never seen a fake plant cause hard water...help please! :-?
We also are having an issue w/nitrates although I'm quite sure it's due to me letting my fiancee feed them the past couple weeks & that they will return to normal soon. I did a 50% water change, changed & cleaned the filter & housing as well as almost everything in the tank (left a couple fake plants for the bio) & the nitrates dropped significantly. Will do another water change or 2 over the next week or so & that should take care of nitrates. That said, I now have a very large Angel fish w/a swim bladder issue. She seems to be fine otherwise but I can't quite seem to get her upright lol. I tried the lightly boiled & shelled peas...she wouldn't eat them (the other fish thanked me however!), I even tried using tongs to be sure she just wasn't unable to get some, which freaked her out since I don't reach in there unless I'm cleaning. Not sure what else to do for her.
The hard water thing is most pressing (& perplexing) issue so ANY help is seriously appreciated. If it helps at all (or matters), my tank includes:
1 medium pleco, 1 bushynose pleco, 1 blue crawfish, 1 ropefish, 3 roseline sharks, 1 angel fish, 2 emperor tetras, 2 gouramis, 2 platys, 1 molly, a couple others & 1 remaining glofish (the others became lunch-possibly the stupidest move I've made to put them in w/the crawfish!
) in a 55gal. Excellent aeration. Nobody else is sick & nobody is new. In fact, nothing is new except ONE fake plant, washed before it was put in & I've never seen a fake plant cause hard water...help please! :-?
