# Planted Tanks > Plant Talk >  tests

## buzzmario

i have set up my tank for a month, last sunday release 4 nos of discus plus 8 nos of green neon. however in 2 days 2 neon and 1 sae die, today 1 discus die. the plant are growing heathly and bubbling like hell. check the ph, is around 6. temp is 29 when light is on. ( 2ft with 2 x 36w pl). so what is the cause? any other kind of test needed ? i brought jbl kh test kit, but dont really know how to use it, thus believe that i can;t really tell the kh level of my tank.
thank :Sad:

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## DEA

check your nitrite levels
right now, change your water and add some salt, this helps to alleviate nitrite poisoning, if it is the cause
regardless, change your water

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## buzzmario

where brand of test kit should i get to check the nitrite levels? and where too?
what is the right level of nitrite?
thank[:0]

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## Simon

i like sera.. dunno abt other brands though..

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## spilopterus

How are the discus doing? Could use them for your indicators for the moment.

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## buzzmario

the discus seem all right but 1 discus seem like to be at the surface, like short of o2. btw my co2 is on 24 hrs with 1.5 bubble per sec. this evening got a sae into this tank, in a few sec, it turn up side down. i remove it from the tank.[ :Knockout: ]

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## DEA

> ----------------
> On 4/18/2002 8:42:57 AM 
> 
> where brand of test kit should i get to check the nitrite levels? and where too?
> what is the right level of nitrite?
> thank[:0] 
> ----------------


i use sera too
but any nitrite test kit will do
nitrite levels should be at ZERO
o.5ppm will be enuff to start killing fish

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## bclee

I'll suggest you do a water change immediately. Your fishes are in great stress.

Check you KH too. pH of 6 is quite low. Our tap water is about 2~3 dKH. That will put CO2 at 60~90ppm!!! Never go beyond 30ppm!!! That would probably explain why you plants are bubbling so much.

IMO, if your plants are doing well, NH3 will be low and NO2 will be low too. Furthermore, you just added your fishes and within 2 days the problem start. NO2 may not be the problem.

I will suggest that you cut down you CO2 and see if situation improve.

BC

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## bclee

You JBL test kit dun have instructions???

For KH tests, it is usually a titration type test. Drop 1 drop at a time until color change. The number of drops = number of °KH. The color usually change from blue to green to yellow. Stop at yellow.

BC

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## sherchoo

Please check your kH level. My tap water is almost zero. Have to add NaCO3 with every water change. BTW, are you using DIY or presurized co2. I strongly suggest you injet co2 only when the lights are on. I would also reduce inction to 1 b/s. If fishes are gasping for air, not necessary means they are short of O2 but maybe CO2 poisoning. Quick check your kH.....

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## DEA

your co2, why is it on 24/7?

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## CK Yeo

My guess is that he doesn't have a solenoid.

You cannot depend on bubble rate to determine CO2 levels, cos there there are other factors involved... Use KH and pH to determine the actual CO2 levels.

but if your plants are bubbling, it means that you have enough O2 in the water to reach saturation, so it is unlikely to be O2 low.

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## sherchoo

may not be O2 low but could be CO2 high. Same effect rite.... check b4 it's too late

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## buzzmario

hi guys,
have change 50% of my water today, only added a capful of anti-chlorine and 4 ml of ocean free black water. have not check the kh, will do it maybe this evening, 6 hours after water change.
do have have a solenoid, so my co2 ias running 24 hors with 1.5 bubble per sec. lighting 7 hours per day. so you guys say to check nh3 and no2, how is affect the water, plants and fishes? what is the right reading?
how to use KH and pH to determine the actual CO2 levels?

thank .
sotong buzz

[ :Knockout: ]

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## sesom

Hi Buzzy, one question. Do you acclimatised your new fishes slowly with your aquarium water before releasing them into your tank?  :Smile:

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## ShaoSiong

Turn off your CO2 at night...
It's a waste injecting CO2 at night and it will poison your fishes at night too.

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## DEA

at ph 6 your ammonia is not a concern
nitrite should be zero, as i said b4
bubbling is a sign that the water has a lot of oxygen, no worries there
how is the co2 being added into your tank? reactor or diffusor?

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## buzzmario

hi guys,
check my kh for this tank, it is at 8. believe that this test kit is ok as i test the tap water (kh 3) and another new set up plant tank (kh 4). so don't know why the kh in this tank still so high. did a 50% water change 8 hours ago be4 this test. any advise?

i intro 5pcs of mayalan and a sae after a week of set up and only fishes which consisted of 4 discus and 8 green neon after a month of set up. now it as 6 weeks old and 2 green neon, 1 discu and few sae ( they die and i replace again and again) have died.

i don't turn off the co2 as i don't have solenoid. try be4 turn off and on the co2 manually but due to the timing and the adjustment of the bubble count, i decide to go for the 24 hours. ( my light is on from 3 pm tp 10:30 pm)

i used a taiwanese reactor. [:0]

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## bclee

KH is 8 and pH is 6!!! That means 240ppm... no wonder fish die.[ :Knockout: ] But it is a wonder that fishes are still swimming in it. Could be your pH or KH values are not accurate.

You can refer to this chart for CO2 calculation.

Cut down your CO2. :Mad:  

BC

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## buzzmario

hi guys,
have check my ph again , it read at 7 . check kh , still at 8, have lower my co2 to 5-6 sec per bubble. 
as per the chart that i was refer,ph at 7 and kh at 8 is at 24ppm, where is ok. ao am i right to say that i tank is ok?
[:0]

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## bclee

That's looks good! That should be alright.

I myself have made big mistakes and killed all my fishes with CO2. Well I learned it the hard way. :Sad:  

BC

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## DEA

your co2 at 24ppm is ok

from your story it sounds like you added some shrimp, 1 sae after 1 wk
then after one month you added in fish
that's when the problem started
assuming your co2 was on all this while, the problem doesn't lie there
have you checked ur nitrite? are your shrimp still alive?

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## buzzmario

your co2 at 24ppm is ok 

from your story it sounds like you added some shrimp, 1 sae after 1 wk 
then after one month you added in fish 
that's when the problem started 
assuming your co2 was on all this while, the problem doesn't lie there 
have you checked ur nitrite? are your shrimp still alive?



[email protected]
hi hi,
check my ph amd kh today after lower my co2 output to 4 sec per bubble. the ph read at 7.5(how come it go up) and kh remain at 8, which mean the co2 is at 9.6psm. so did my i need to increase the co2 now? i did not check my nitrite, what is the ok reading for nitrite? so far my shrimp is doing find , few malayan and only a yamato. thank[: :Smile: ]

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