Fish dying! Please help!

[MarkMc]

Originally Posted by billr

when i first started fish keeping i had all kinds of problems keeping small tetras and rasboras alive,cotinualy batteling with my ph.my tap is at 7.4 & i kept trying to get it to 6-6.5. what i found out is that a constant ph is more important than the ideal ph.i have malawi cichlids,rainbows,danios,corys,and others and they all do fine in the 7.4, so i believe that consitency is the key.just my 2 cents

Yes, that is what I always believed. But IMO it's what is used to control the PH. I'm using automated CO2 at 6.8 with lights on. I decided to use a timer to shut off the solenoid at night to save CO2 and to give the fish a break. I have a ph swing of a full point every day and the fish are super healthy and look great. So I'm seeing that big ph swings when co2 is involved not having any visible effects on my fish. As Indiboi pointed out in an unrelated post,TDS are more detrimental to fish than a ph swing. I think many would agree.

[Blue Ridge Reef]

Couldn't agree more! A full point pH swing for pressurized CO2 means the water is ten times more alkaline in your tank in the morning than it is at night. The most delicate fish thrive and spawn in this environment, yet if you did a PWC that changed the pH that drastically, they'd all go belly-up.

[billr]

thats intresting and the thing i like about forums.im such a newb when it comes to live plants.i think i know what im talking about,try something new,and go back to square one again for a couple month's.lol.