khoofard
07-01-2002, 03:35 PM
I recently set up a new 120-gallon tank using RO water (with RO Right) and a three-layer substrate (with peat, vermiculite, red clay, #3 sand and fluorite) system recommended by Florida Driftwood. The tank will eventually support Discus and Neons. Lighting is provided by 4-110W VHOs. Filtration by a Fluval 404. I currently have a couple of pieces of driftwood in the tank and 15 large bodied tetras to help cycle the tank. The tank has been cycling for about a month and I have done a few 25% water changes. All water quality parameters have remained within acceptable ranges (pH - 7.0; Temp - 83; EC 150 µS; TDS - 85 ppm; GH - 2 degrees, KH - 1 to 2 degrees; Ammonia - 0.5 to 1 ppm (max thus far).
As I have no plants yet, algae quickly became a problem about two weeks into it. I turned off the lights, which seemed to slow the algae bloom. But the algae went completely out of control over the last week, making the water a swamp green color that you could barely see into.
The fish have not had a problem with the "green water" over the last two weeks. However, they all seemed to be starved for O2 this past Saturday night, after I did a 25% water change earlier in the day. I also added peat to my Fluval 404 during the water change in an effort to lower the pH, which seems to be pegged at 7.0. Anyway, the fish are all on "tilt", some swimming erratically, and some looking nearly dead and gasping. I decided to put an air stone in the tank to agitate the water. Within about 20 minutes the fish snapped out of it and seemed to be fine and ready to eat. I took the air stone out the next morning as the fish remained OK. But it (gasping fish, swimming erratically) happened again the next night, so I put the air back in the tank. Again the fish snapped out of it about 30 minutes later. I have decided to leave the air in the tank until I figure out what's going on. My plant order should arrive next Friday (July 5, 02).
Any thoughts on what could be happening? Any other water quality tests I should perform?
The pH has been pegged at 7.0, and I can't seem to lower it. I added Seachem's Acid Buffer about two weeks ago, which put my EC and TDS up into the 200s, but did nothing for the pH.
As I have no plants yet, algae quickly became a problem about two weeks into it. I turned off the lights, which seemed to slow the algae bloom. But the algae went completely out of control over the last week, making the water a swamp green color that you could barely see into.
The fish have not had a problem with the "green water" over the last two weeks. However, they all seemed to be starved for O2 this past Saturday night, after I did a 25% water change earlier in the day. I also added peat to my Fluval 404 during the water change in an effort to lower the pH, which seems to be pegged at 7.0. Anyway, the fish are all on "tilt", some swimming erratically, and some looking nearly dead and gasping. I decided to put an air stone in the tank to agitate the water. Within about 20 minutes the fish snapped out of it and seemed to be fine and ready to eat. I took the air stone out the next morning as the fish remained OK. But it (gasping fish, swimming erratically) happened again the next night, so I put the air back in the tank. Again the fish snapped out of it about 30 minutes later. I have decided to leave the air in the tank until I figure out what's going on. My plant order should arrive next Friday (July 5, 02).
Any thoughts on what could be happening? Any other water quality tests I should perform?
The pH has been pegged at 7.0, and I can't seem to lower it. I added Seachem's Acid Buffer about two weeks ago, which put my EC and TDS up into the 200s, but did nothing for the pH.