Frequent Aquarium Questions

• I want to set up a brackish water tank to keep mollies, platies, and a couple of shark catfish. Everything thing I read says to add a "small" amount of salt to the water. How much do I add per gallon and how do I assure that I maintain the salinity during water changes?
  
  
• I have just setup my tank and the ph is 7.2, and I wish to raise it. I have heard that adding marble chips or broken shells to the gravel will do this for me. I am looking for a solution without adding chemicals.
  
  
• I recently transported my fresh water fish to a new house. Now the ammonia levels in the tank have sky-rocketed and the water appears cloudy. I did a small water change and added some Cycle. What else should I do to prevent losing all of my fish?
  
  
• Is it safe to use baking soda to raise kh?
  
  
• I have a week old 67 gallon marine tank. I have a Lifereef Compact Berlin with Skimmer. I have crushed coral substrate and water only in the tank while waiting on my live rock. I started my tank at a salinity of 1.025, and in two days it was up over 1.026, so I changed 2.5 gallons with 2.5 of fresh DI water (no salt). My salinity went down to 24 and two days later it is up over 25. I have added fresh water to my "water level" line in my sump everyday because of evaporation. Is this normal, or is it just because it is new?
  
  
• The nitrate level in my fish tank has been high and I can't get it to lower. We did a 50% water change and we've added some stuff that the petstore suggested but, the level is still high. What do we do to lower it and why is it high?
  
  
• I completely revamped my aquarium from scratch. My ammonia level is high. What happened?
  
  
• Do you have to test the water in a 10 gallon freshwater aquarium?
  
  
• How can I reduce the pH of my tap water and still be able to support live plants in my 5 gallon aquarium.
  
  
• I have a 20 gallon freshwater tank and over the last few months the top of my tank on the outside and the filter are getting heavy with what looks like salt. What is it and what can I do?
  
  

• I want to set up a brackish water tank to keep mollies, platies, and a couple of shark catfish. Everything thing I read says to add a "small" amount of salt to the water. How much do I add per gallon and how do I assure that I maintain the salinity during water changes?
  
  The exact amount of salt used in a brackish aquarium isn't critical, but can be easily monitored using a hydrometer (a standard piece of equipment for saltwater tanks, and failry inexpensive), which measures the pecific gravity of the water. A specific gravity reading between 1.004 to 1.008 should be fine for the fish you mentioned.
  
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• I have just setup my tank and the ph is 7.2, and I wish to raise it. I have heard that adding marble chips or broken shells to the gravel will do this for me. I am looking for a solution without adding chemicals.
  
  Adding crushed shells, coral, or aragonite sand to an aquarium will most certainly raise the pH. Sedimentary rocks such as limestone and sandstone will do this as well, but may contain harmful metals like iron or copper. Marble is largely silica based, and should not have much of an impact on pH. The major drawback to using this method over commercial pH buffers is that it is largely impossible to control the pH level in your aquarium with any degree of certainty.
  
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• I recently transported my fresh water fish to a new house. Now the ammonia levels in the tank have sky-rocketed and the water appears cloudy. I did a small water change and added some Cycle. What else should I do to prevent losing all of my fish?
  
  Sounds like you lost your biological filter bed. Your tank is going through a new ammonia cycle, and will need to complete it before your tank can stabilize. Try performing daily thirty-percent water changes to keep your fish alive until these levels come down on there own. Cycle is intended to be added on a regular basis to augment your tanks naturally occurring nitrifying bacteria. In an emergency situation such as this, it will not do you much good.
  
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• Is it safe to use baking soda to raise kh?
  
  As long as it is pure baking soda, with no additives, this is safe. Just use it very sparingly and monitor your kh level carefully as you determine the proper dosage.
  
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• I have a week old 67 gallon marine tank. I have a Lifereef Compact Berlin with Skimmer. I have crushed coral substrate and water only in the tank while waiting on my live rock. I started my tank at a salinity of 1.025, and in two days it was up over 1.026, so I changed 2.5 gallons with 2.5 of fresh DI water (no salt). My salinity went down to 24 and two days later it is up over 25. I have added fresh water to my "water level" line in my sump everyday because of evaporation. Is this normal, or is it just because it is new?
  
  You are measuring specific gravity, not "salinity." Specific gravity is a measure of the density of a liquid, not the salt level.Chances are good that calcium and minerals in your new gravel are dissolving in the water which is raising the specific gravity. This is normal and there's nothing wrong with the SG levels you're describing.
  
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• The nitrate level in my fish tank has been high and I can't get it to lower. We did a 50% water change and we've added some stuff that the petstore suggested but, the level is still high. What do we do to lower it and why is it high?
  
  You don't say how high nitrate levels are or whether it's a fresh or saltwater tank. Nitrates are less important a factor and easier to control in a freshwater aquarium. Regardless, you will need to more larger, 75% water changes, perhaps three in a row, done every other day. Be careful to condition water properly before adding it backto the tank and add it back slowly, no faster than 1" every ten minutes. This is done to avoid stressing the fish.
  
  High nitrates are caused by over-feeding, over-crowding, poor filtration or a combination thereof.
  
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• I completely revamped my aquarium from scratch. My ammonia level is high. What happened?
  
  You basically tried to cycle a fully stocked aquarium with insufficient biological bacteria.
  
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• Do you have to test the water in a 10 gallon freshwater aquarium?
  
  It is always a good idea to test your water whatever size your aquarium is.
  
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• How can I reduce the pH of my tap water and still be able to support live plants in my 5 gallon aquarium.
  
  Your tank is so small that you can purchase reverse osmosis water from your local fish store.
  
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• I have a 20 gallon freshwater tank and over the last few months the top of my tank on the outside and the filter are getting heavy with what looks like salt. What is it and what can I do?
  
  The residue is considered different types of salt. They are more commonly called hard water deposits. You just have to constantly clean the areas.
  
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