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Dear All

It has been some time since i have posted in the forums, working 80 hr work weeks kinda does that to ya. Anyways I have recently added both CO2 to both my tanks and I have added Amano Shrimp to my 10 Gallon tank. In the last week or so since the addition I have lost 4 out of 5 of my cherry barbs and 2 of my 4 ottos that were in my 10 Gallon with the new shrimp and the CO2. The shrimp are doing great, I have been treating the tank with both Primafix and Melafix but still lost fish.

Params are as follows

PH 8.2
Amm 0ppm
Nitrites 0ppm
Nitrates 10-20 ppm.

No recent major changes, filter was recently cleaned in tank water but no gravel vaccum was done because of the loss in the filter just in case. Any ideas, I will get more readings on other areas in the next day or so,

Shane

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Your PH is way too high.
I would also try to get the Co2 checked to make sure it is giving off the correct amount. I would turn it off add a Ph buffer also plenty of extra air and surface water movement if it is the CO2 this will remove it also a few good water changes will also help.

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Keith

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Hi,
Here is an interesting article about the shrimp:
http://www.aqua-fish.net/show.php?h=amanoshrimp

The shrimp prefer water that is a little hard as they need
the calcium and other minerals to create their shell,
however, 8.2 is probably too much for the Otto's and
cherry barbs. If you did not take a month or more to
acclimate the fish to the 8.2 that could be the cause of
their deaths. Additionally, the shrimp themselves will
attack and eat a dead fish. I wonder if the same holds true
to a sleeping fish or an Otto resting within reach of one.

Frank


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Frank, thanks for the awesome comments and I will check out that link. However the tank has been established for several months now with the cherries and the Ottos with no problems on the PH, Infact if you remember Me talking to you about our new softwater system it was even well before then I had them in there. So that wasnt a factor. I just did another PH check and the PH had dropped to 7.8. So Im wondering if the PH drop is a problem. The CO2 has been on all the time especially at night but its not regular either, This could be a problem on a small tank like this.

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Ok I also use CO2 so I have a bit of experience with it so let me toss in my two cents.

CO2 from my experience is not needed on a ten gallon. As this only prevents the fish from having enough oxygen in the water. So From both experience and other sources only use CO2 on HEAVILY planted tanks of 30 or more gallons. In a ten gallon for CO2 to be of any help at all there would not be room for the fish or inverts to live comfortably, due to the amount of plants in there.

CO2 lowers the PH it doesn't raise it so the PH is a separate issue all together. If your PH was say 5 then I would look more closely at the CO2 system.

Could you tell me what type of CO2 system it is? This might also be helpful to know.


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Jim & frank

First of all I have gone ahead and removed the CO2 from the 10 Gallon, I have started to Dose with excel, and other seachem liquid ferts. The co2 System i was using in that tank was the Red Sea Turbo Bio System. Its a commercial DIY with a powerhead. Works really well tho. So the only thing I can think of is the shrimp brought a disease into the tank. Im not sure. Any other ideas. I havent been able to get those readings as of yet. I will try to get them later tonight

Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Do the fish look ill or damaged or just dead?

I'd drop the Melafix/Pimafix if there are no visible signs of injury or illness.

I've kept shrimp at 8.2 with no hassles, so I'd be looking at other recent changes before trying to alter that. Is it tank-specific or is that your tap water? What substrate are you using?


Can you flick those pH systems off overnight or is that not possible?

When do these deaths occur?



For animals, the entire universe has been neatly divided into things to (a) mate with, (b) eat, (c) run away from, and (d) rocks. - Terry Pratchett

Can you give me the current PH and KH Of the tank if you can I can run it through my CO2 calculator and let you know exactly what your CO2 levels are and if they would be lethal to your fish.

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I have stopped the melafix & Primafix, One of the Cherries had popeye, then the next day it was dead, then the following day i had one that was just lying around the tank and couldnt swim, then another i just found dead, finally the very last one was damaged on the filter. Both of the Ottos I have found just dead on the bottom of the tank.

Most of them died at night or when there was low light. The PH is tap level, I cannot turn off the systems unfortuatly. They are hard piped into the water system. Substrate is a mixture of onyx Sand and Floramax. This tank has been setup now for well over 6 mths with no problems untill latly, the only changes mader were the addition of the shrimp and the CO2 which i have now stopped.


Jim i am having difficulty getting a good reading from my KH. Current PH is 7.8 currently Kh is about 110mg


Thanks for your input as always, Shane
http://thetanklog.blogspot.com/ - [ Thanks to ScottF ]
http://www.natureaquariumclubofutah.com/main.html

Ok I just checked my conversion numbers, The highest that the converter will go on KH is 20mg/l at that you would be safe. but if it is 110 as you say, then it is dangerously high, removing the co2 system is a good start but you should add in an airstone or two temporarily to help the gas exchange discard the excess.

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