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So I've had my tank setup for about 5 years. I've been busy with work and haven't had time to do water changes for the past 2 months and now I can’t get my water back to good quality. None of my fish have died. I suppose they all have gotten used to it. I want to add more fish soon so I’m trying to get my quality back up.

Nitrate 40ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Hardness 120ppm
Alkalinity 80ppm
pH 6.4ppm

I'm not sure how one affects the other and vise versa. I'm doing regular water changes and it seems I have to add pH + every time I test the water. I have some aquarium drift wood, is this the problem? I don't want to get rid of them because I think they make my tank.



55gal Tank:130 watt coral lights,Eheim Wet/Dry 2227 Canister Filter,Powerhead, Co2 Injection and a heater.

Hi Justin,
In older tanks the pH normally drops as the vast amount
of organic waste turns to organic acids. Generally the
nitrate will climb as well, sometimes into the 100s!

Depending upon your KH value, the driftwood could be
contributing to the depressed pH. Carbonate Hardness (KH)
is a measure of the carbonate ion and the waters' ability
to buffer acids. If it is low then a small amount of acid
will have a greater effect on the pH and lower it more.

You will need to mentally divide the non-planted parts of
your tank into four sections. Then perform a weekly water
change of 10-20% (you don't want to do any major water
change because, as you said, the fish have grown used to
the worsening conditions). With each water change vacuum
a different section of gravel - go right down to the tanks'
glass bottom when cleaning. This way, doing weekly water
changes and gravel vacuuming, in a month you will have
cleaned the entire tank.

Start with that procedure, and you should be right back
where you want to be within a month and the fish non the
worse for wear.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

My Nitrate is 200. Consider yourself lucky I did a partial water change. I hope all goes well with your tank ^_^

10G- 6 Zebra Danios, 1 Upside Down Catfish
20G- 1 Goldfish
72G(maybe95)- Need Stock suggestions

Hi,
"We" try to keep our nitrate readings under 10. With a
heavily planted tank, we try to hover around 10 or so.
Tanks with readings of 40+ need help by performing regular
maintenance. Tanks in-excess of 100 need immediate
attention as described above.

If your tank is 100+ you need to do the maintenance in
stages. The fish slowly acclimated to the worsening
conditions, and you do NOT want to do anything radical
and flip the water conditions back the other way overnight
as that will stress the fish and could very well kill them.

Look at your tank and mentally divide the non-planted
areas of your tank into 4 sections. Then do a 20% water
change and vacuum the gravel right down to the glass bottom
in one section. Wait a week, and do another 20% change
and vacuum a different section. That way, over a month you
will have cleaned the entire tank, and by then gotten a
handle on the water.

Frank


-->>> The Confidence of Amateurs, is the Envy of Professionals <<<--

So, did your chemistry "fix" yet? I hope it did.

-FS

10G- 6 Zebra Danios, 1 Upside Down Catfish
20G- 1 Goldfish
72G(maybe95)- Need Stock suggestions