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Hi everyone,
This is my first post. I have a 50 gallon tank, and I use a Penguin 350 Biowheel filter. I have a Red Devil, a Green Terror, a Salmontail Catfish, a common pleco, and 2 Oscars.

Recently my nitrates and nitrites were running high. I took a sample to the fish store and had it tested. They recommended AmQuel Plus, it worked great. Now though I have a very acidic PH, and hair algae growing. What do you suggest I use to raise my PH?

The water is green and the hair algae is not to bad, but I was wondering if you could also suggest something to help treat this problem?

All of the fish are doing fine and don't seem to be affected at all.

Also I have been using Jungle quick dip strips. I read in another post these strips are not as accurate as the master test kits. Any specifics I should look for when I buy one of these.

Welcome to FP, Subee! Sorry it had to be under such circumstances.

Your tank is hugely overstocked, which is where all your problems are coming from.

As ammonia is broken down into nitrites and nitrates, acidic hydrogens are released, lowering your tank's pH. With your bioload as high as it is, so much ammonia is being broken down that the pH is just going to keep taking a dive unless you're doing daily water changes, which has its own host of problems.

The algae problems are coming from the excess nitrates that you have in the tank.

As far as test kits go, pretty much any liquid kits are good. You should look for a kit that includes pH, NH3, NO2, and NO3. Most people pick up GH and KH as well, but it is not as critical as the first four I mentioned.

Basically, your problems will continue as long as you keep your tank the way it is. You're going to need a tank at least, off the top of my head, four times as large to house all that. It's probably a better idea to split them between a few tanks. I don't have a lot of experience with large cichlids, so someone else can give you a better idea about that than I can.

Can you return some of the fish to an LFS?

I kind of thought that might be the problem. The LFS told me a 50 gal. was plenty big enough for these fish.

I have been looking into buying a larger tank and keeping the one I have to split up the fish.

Thank for the info.

That is exactly what I was thing well over stocked.

You have learnt a very valuable lesson do your research first and dont trust a LFS unless you know them.

I would also suggest you locate another LFS one the will give you service and only good information.

Have a look in [link=My Profile] http://www.fishprofiles.com/forums/member.aspx?id=1935[/link] for my tank info

Look here for my
Betta 11Gal Desktop & Placidity 5ft Community Tank Photos

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
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