[xrayguy]

hi guys, I recently got a batch of signifier rainbows online, and lost all but 1. Water parameters are fine except for my pH and TDS.

My pH drops to around 6.0 when the co2 comes on and the TDS is around 280.

My temp is 73 fah, which is low, but I kept it there in hopes of having my shrimp breed one day.

My lfs got some red blue eyed rainbows. But I am scared to pull the trigger after having lost the previous 11.

Thoughts, experiences, advice?

Thanx
richard

 

[koolman91]

sounds like your water has a low kh or you are overdooing it with the co2. If its a low kh then put some cursh coral in your filter or get some alkaline buffer and a product from aquavitro called carbonate. the alkaline buffer will restore your ph and the carbonate will raise your kh to where the ph wont fluctuate. also aquavitro adds potassium to your tank which is good for plants and it also adds carbon so you can scale back on the co2 because you have another carbon source now. it does this because the main chemical in aquavitro carbonate is potassium carbanate. the reason why your fish all died was not that the ph is 6.0 but that the ph took a hit too quickly. fish hate ph flucuations. ps. the crush coral is the cheaper route you just put in your filter a small bag will due it will keep your ph some where between 7.4 to 8.0 depending how much you put from my expeirence. but you just set it and forget it. hope this helps.