[virginiaholmes]

Byron, Regarding my comets goldfish. Here is how the water comes. I use well water. We do not have citiy water, so clorine is not an issue.
-I use a softener for the tap water at home. The well water (before the softener) contains heavy metals and the water is very hard and the PH is high also. it measures (PH strip) about 10.
-The tap water after my softener is very soft, but alcalinity is 300 high and PH 9, the heavy metals are still present.
I make sure my water conditioner removes heavy metals. I lower the pH with PH down TOP FIN brand (which is sulfuric acid). I use a dropper. I dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of fresh water salt per gallon of water (sometimes less) as I learned the softener replaces the calcium and magnesium with salt. Should I stop the salt adding at all?
-I prepare a few gallons in a bucket adding water conditioner per instructions. I stirr well and let rest for 5-10 minutes. Stirr again and check pH. If pH is about 7.5 I do the water change. I add the nitrifying caterias in the tank after the water change.
-My fish still gasp for air. I do water change everyday to my 10 gallon tank with 2 small comets I purchased at the store 2 months ago.
-They just came back recovering from tail rot. They have lost their tail, but it healed with medication. They used to eat with apetite but I was concerned about the air gasping. Ammonia should not be an issue if I changed 3 gallons everyday. The filter is on track with weekly cleaning and montly replacings.
-I do have a PH issue. My PH tends to go back high by itself after 12 hours. I tried lowering it back again but it comes back to high after 12 hours. If I do water change to control this, I am using lots of water and lots of PH down product and I practically live next to the fish tank, plus I am wasting the bacteria that I add to remove again after 12 hours.
-I feel something is not right. I purchased a buffer product (proper PH 7 TOP FIN brand). It is a powder and it says it removes heavy metals and it is a water conditioner by itself. I used it, but the PH came back high again after 12 hours. This product claims to use salts to regulate the PH and alcalinity so I stopped adding salt to the water.
- I purchased another PH Regulator (Marineland) it claims to keep the PH 7.2 - 7.8. but the PH keeps coming back high the next day. This is suppose to be used weekly only, but with my water changes 3 gallons a day, I need to replace it. I am not sure I can use it again in the same week.
-Byron I am confused.
For my comet fish that swim without tail but seem happy - because when they are in distress with all these products I just put them in a separate 2.5 gallon tank that I have prepared with just PH down product, water conditioner and a pinch of salt, they seem very happy. And the main tank (10 gallon) I just can not control.
Sometimes I have had my fish in the 2.5 gallon tank for a couple of days recovering and doing twice a day 50% water change. and they eat and recover because they were not doing well in the bigger tank. I would like the can live in the 10 gallon tank, me do a 20% water change daily and see all the PH and alcalinity parameters on track plus see how the bacteria biofilter is working. All these water changes, do not let the bacteria work. I add bacteria and then I flush it and put new water and flush again. The water is on ZEROI ammonia because of my water changes, not because of the expensive bactreria I am adding and flushing.

Please help me. - Virginia Holmes

 

[virginiaholmes]

Byron, I sent you a detailed message about my tank and goldfish..

 

[virginiaholmes]

Byron, I forgot to mention. For a while, before using my tap "soft" water, I used half Reverse osmosis water and half my tap "soft" water, with water conditioner and some salt. The fish was happy and It only needed one water change a day. The problem was that it was costly for me to buy water all the time for the water changes. We only buy this water for us to drink at home. So instead of making a montly trip to the water machine, I was going weekly and it was turning expensive. REcently I did buy RO water only for the fish while they were on medication for fin rot. Now that they are fine, I am going back to my own tap "soft" water and trying to fix it with products.

Should I continue doing the Reverse osmosis water mixed with my tap water as best option?. If so, do I need to add salt?, buffer?. I still feel that I am flushing the bacteria by doing 3 gallon water change a day, but it scares me when I used to do 10% (1 gallon) water change a day, the ammonia raised and it seemed the bacteria were not working and my fished got ammonia burns. I started the 3 gallon water change and they never got those ammonia burns anymore. they faded. My ammonia measure is always Zero. is the bacteria needed at all with so many water changes and so much volume flushed everytime?

Thanks - I hope someone help me.

 

[virginiaholmes]

Thank you Byron.

Sorry about recalling post #7. I wasn't complaining of you not responding, but I was testing why the post was placed at the end rather than under your post.

I use sea salt water for fresh water fish tanks. I use it because it says that improves the gills function. I can discontinue. I thought I was doing a good to the fish by adding it to directions.

I do not understand much the KH, and GH and I do not know how to measure it. The pet store only sells PH-Alcalinity- Nitrate-Nitrite-Chlorine strips and Ammonia strips.

If you know the ideal numbers for a comet goldfish tank. Could you provide them for me, please?. PH range, KH or GH.

Finally, the buffers they sell: I purchased a PH controller that claims to keep a PH 7.2 - 7.8 and that works no matter the initial water PH (be low or high). I tried it. It holds the PH for longer ( almost 2 days) but then the PH is back high. It claims to add escential electrolites and salts the fish needs. So, I stopped the sea salt as this buffer claims to add salts also. What do you think of this buffer product?. I agree, I do not want to keep adding acid to lower PH.

Thank you so much.
Virginia Holmes

 

[virginiaholmes]

Thank you.

I'm trying this water pre softener with the water conditioner only (the one that eliminate heavy metals) and the nitrifying bacteria per directions. I have placed my fish in it.

Do you recommend to do not use water conditioner either?. This is well water straight from the well. It has no chlorine but it is PH 9 and Alcalinity 300 as the strip reading. (These are the highest readings the strip can read). I can not tell if the reading is higher.

 

[virginiaholmes]

Just for the record, the water conditioner I have and use for the fish: NovAqua Plus (Water Conditioner) - for fresh and salt water (KORDON brand). It says:
NovAqua Plus adds:
Protective skin slime coating, echinacea and natural electrolites and vitamins.
Also DEtoxifies water by:
Removing chlorine, Braking down chloriamines, Removing copper and other toxic heavy metals.

Thanks for all the help and advice.

Virginia Holmes

 

[virginiaholmes]

Thanks Jeff !!

I had been discussing the topic of the well water and the soft water with Byron. You both are right. I am working right now with the well water before the softener and evaluating how the fish do. On a sad note. One of my 2 fish died today.

2 days ago I used a new PH buffer stabilizers powder (7.2- 7.8) range. It said it would keep the PH stable and it was a water conditioner also all in one product. I treated the whole tank and the one fish I had in it was letargic the next day. I moved it to a smaller tank without this product but he did not improve. Did not eat. Today, he died.

Ny other fish is ok since I am treating him for tail rot. He is in another smaller tank. So, this is my last fish. I have placed him in the Well water tank and I am not using the PH buffer stabilizer ever again. I am evaluating him to see how he does.

I wish I had never thought on trying to fix the PH. I remember I was using soft water mixed with RO water for a while and both fish were ok. It just happens that I have to take a trip to get this water and I thought I could just treat my water at home with products, that althought expensive, would last a long time.

Thank for all advice Jeff, and Byron.

 

[virginiaholmes]

Wow, I did not know the toxicity of the metals comes back also !!!. So it does makes a Merry go round just like the PH when you try to fix it.

THe fish was looking distressed in the 100% well water, so I did a 50% mix with RO water. He sems happy now. He ate with appetite and I am adding bacteria since I had to set up the tank again after my other fish died. That who tank was treated with the PH buffer stabilizer.

Please advise me on the ciclying oon this tank. It is 10 gallon tank with one comet fish. The water is 50% well water (not softened) and 50% RO water. It has the NovAqua Plus Water conditioner only.

I am adding STABILIZER (Nitrifying bacteria) from Seachem Brand per directions:
Rapid and Safe Establishment of Biofilter to Prevent "New Tank Syndrome" for Frshwater and Marine Tanks.

It says: New fish can introduced at anytime as long as dosage is maintained for 7 days.
I t also says I need to replace it whenever I do a water change.

For my 10 gallon newly set up with only one comet (it is a one inch fish), how much water change should I do?, how often?. How long it takes to stablish the tank?.

I do check ammonia paramenters every day and since I do 3 gallon water change, my ammonia levelsd are always zero. I always replace the bacteria at every water change. I am not sure if my ammonia level is always zero (or almost zero) because of the bacteria is working or because I keep changing the water so much.

This is how I do the water change: 1.5 gallons get flushed while using the syphon in the morning when cleaning the waste and uneaten food. And 1.5 Gallons get flushed during the same process at the evening. I feed my fish twice a day. Sometimes I use flakes but sometimes I feed peas I mash in the tank. THat makes the water very dirty. The syphon just gulps so m,uch water in so little time. So, I replace the water every time I flush it when cleaning.

Please advice is this procedure are correct or what is the correct way to do it.

Thanks again,
Virginia Holmes.

 

[virginiaholmes]

I was left with the impression that the tank is at least 2 months old.

Jeff.

Yes, Jeff, I got fist comets back in April 4th. The second one I got it 1 month ago. I did notice that my fish were gasping for air even know I changed their water, but it started when I started trying to fix the PH adding Acid. The PH was about 7.5 - 7.6 and they were gasping for air. Before this episode, I was mixing soft water with RO and the never gasped for air. I just stopped doing this because it was costly to get RO water several times a week for me.

Now, I have learned from all of you. I will stock up on several 5 gallon containers in one trip and mixed with well water (no softened). I will not adjust PH and I will only use conditioner and bacterias. I will focus on cleaning and water changes.

Thanks to all. THe PH issue was driving me crazy.

 

[virginiaholmes]

If it has been running (with fish) for 2 months, then yes I agree there is no need to be adding bacterial supplement.

Virginia, perhaps you could clear up our confusion. I had taken it that you moved the surviving fish into this 10g and were asking how to cycle. Jeff thinks this is a tank that has been running with fish for 2 months.

Byron,

The 10 gallon tank started runing with one fish in April. Then I got the second fish a month ago (4 weeks). The first fish died. The surviving fish is living in the 10 gallon tank. The tank never had been runing continuously. I never knew if my tank cycled because I was recommended (by the Expert at the Pet Store) to make 25% water change daily, 50% water change weekly and 100% water change monthly.

So the tank had been empty and scrubbed with hot water at least 2 times. Not counting with this episode of my dead fish, I empy the tank again because it was treated with that PH buffer and I rinsed it, plus when the fish got fish rot, I was advised by the Pet store expert to clean the tank so once the fish be done with treatment, it does not get sick again.

I do have a 2.5 Gallon smaller tank I use as hospital if I need to. The surviving fish was there on treatment for fin rot while the other died in the just treated 10 gallon tank with the PH buffer.

I was attached to my first fish. He used to swim to the surface when I talk to him over the open top of the tank. It looked like he was a puppy wagging his tail coming to me when he saw me. :-( . I never had fish before so I did not know they were so smart and affectionate.

I have a note for you: My daughters (7 and 5 years old) won each one a goldfish at the school festival in February. I had no experience caring for fish. I put them in the 10 gallon tank with "softened water only" and TOP FIN water conditioner. I bought goldfish flakes and I bought a air stone. They died in 2 weeks. I never used bacterias or filter. I was changing 50% water once a week. It does not seem bad, but they died.

My kids begged for new fish, so I got really serious about it. So, I went and got only one fish in April (he died). I started measuring paramenters and I got confused with the PH. You know the rest of the story. I have one fish and I want it live the life it was meant to be.

I hope I clarify any confusion.

Virginia Holmes

P.S. I wrote a letter to PETA and to the School Principal for giving away live animals as prizes. After that Festival, I hear that most fishes died. A fish is a serious matter. Because it is a 1 inch fish, does not mean their lives are worthless. Animals are not toys or disposable.

 

[virginiaholmes]

Thanks Byron.

I am not tired to read. THe article is very interesnting and I can see how the nitrifying bacteria is affected by pH and temperature. I can see how the PH adjustments I was doing were so harmful and I will keep in mind that I should ensure stable temperature in the winter, since bacteria lower their efficiency 50% when it is less than 80 F. Will I need a heater?.
I have a question: Is it true that you can never add too much bacteria to the fish tank?.
Regarding my tank, I am checking ammonia levels.Will I see the ammonia rise and then drop in a few days as the literature says?. Will that harm my fish in it?. How long does it take to stabilize a tank? (10 gallon with one fish). The literature says that sometimes is better to stabilize (do the cycliing of the fish tank) without the fish because fish do not resist this.
I am concerned about this. Do you have any information I can read about it, or your own experience?
Thanks
Virginia Holmes

 

[virginiaholmes]

Thank You Jackiebabie ! ..... I lke this site. Everyone is friendly and there is lots of knowledge. I am glad I found this site.