[chiahead]

Feel free to move if needed

I recently added about 20 small tetras to my 80 gallon tank and encountered an issue. I acclimated for 3 hours(after a 1 week quaranteen) in a drip bucket. I assumed this was enough, but when I put them in they all started gasping for air and swimming upside down. In my panic, I thought it was a ph shock so I immediately tried to alter the ph in my tank. I had some buffer laying around so I added some and raised the ph from 6.6 to 7.0. Then I thought it raised my KH too igh so I added some acid buffer to lower the KH. they seemed to be doing better after I lost 5 fish, so I left it alone. In the morning I woke up to all of the tanks fish gasping at the surface for air. Its bad when u see about 80 fish dying. Anyways I started an air stone assuming it was O2 depletion from the plants during the night. At this time I lost about 6 more fish. By the end of the day 4 more fish died and all the shrimp died. The following day I changed 40% of the water. And then again the day after that. The fish are all doing great now, but I am having an issue with my plants. The are not pearling much anymore, some leaves have started to melt, stem burning at the substrate surface, leaves curling and the like. The tank water is also cloudy. After the water changes I tested the tank parameters
ph-6.6
kh-6
gh-7
Po4-1.0
Kno3-20ppm
Ca-35ppm
77-78 Degrees
260 watts Pc(on 12 hours)

I am just wondering what can be done to help my plants out now that the fish are good. Should I hold of on the ferts until they pick up or should I dose as normal. I am dosing using the PPS system(6ml PF anmd 2ml SS also 4ml Flourish and 4ml Excel all daily) I did not dose yesterday and today they seem to be doing better(more pearling), but it could be just getting back on track. I feel like such a rookie but when I saw them all dying so quick I just tried to help them out. Oh well, everyday i learn. Thank for any advice.

 

[TomE]

Check for ammonia, sometimes when you add too many fish. The bacteria/plants can't process them quick enough

 

[chiahead]

I dont think it was ammonia or is, I test daily for it. It was an immediate response when I placed them in the tank. I thought the plants uptake prefered ammonia to nitrate and did it faster.

 

[BigFoot]

I think it was a co2 promblem. The calculator say it is still. A ph of 6.6 and a kh of 6 gives u co2 = 45ppm this way to much co2. Ph sould be at least 6.9 at a kh of 6 this gives u 23 ppm of co2 plenty.

 

[Edward]

Hi chiahead

Planted tanks do not need pH buffers. Once you use them you can no longer test for CO2 using KH / pH chart.
You had pH of 6.6, which is actually better then 7.0 for most Tetras. Don’t worry, Tetras love low pH.

Edward

 

[chiahead]

I realise now that I should not have added the buffers but I figured that after 2 40% wtr changes it should be ok. If not what would I have to do to get the buffer out of the water??? My main question besides this is shoulkd I be dosing the same amount of ferts even though my plants got stunned and are not consuming the ferts?? I.E. the nitrates are building up a bit.

 

[Edward]

Hi chiahead

There is still remaining 36% of the buffers after two 40% WC. It will eventually get flushed away with more WC.
You need to dose fertilizers daily. But only the amount that will give you the proper levels in the water column on the end of the week.

Edward

 

[chiahead]

ok I have been taking it easy on the ferts and my tank parameters are:
kh-7
gh-8
Po4-2.0
Kno3-20
Ca-35

My problem is that the plants are still in the same condition. Not pearling and the leaves are curling quite badly now. New growth is slowed and off color. I recently planted(1 week ago) some E. Stellata and it seems to be producing very tiny side shoots. I have been dosing 4 ml of PF solution, 2 ml SS and 4 ml Flourish, 4 ml Excel daily for the last week. The cloudy water did clear but the plants are the same as they were a week or so ago. Any help would be great.

 

[Edward]

My problem is that the plants are still in the same condition. The cloudy water did clear but the plants are the same as they were a week or so ago. Any help would be great.

Patience, patience and patience.