Great info. Ardan.
Spring is approaching in the Northern Hemisphere.
Please monitor your water for water changes closely!!!
Snow melts, rains come. This means there will be more turbidity(dirt) in streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs. The water supply companies will add more chlorine and chloramine (chlorine + ammonia). This may also mean a change in softness and KH due to the dilution of the minerals in the water or changes in ph due to runoff.
It may also mean a drop in KH (carbonate hardness), this can cause unstable ph.
It may also cause a sudden change in the ph.
Test your water change water for ammonia after using a dechlor agent to see if there is chloramine or if you already have chloramine, this will tell you if there has been an increase if the ammonia levels are higher than normal.
Test the ph in your water often to determine if it has changed.
Test the KH to see if it is stable. If it gets below 2, your ph may drop.
Some people have already had this problem (not just one isolated incident)
We have seen this problem in years past at this time of year.
Good equipment is helpful.
I use a Hanna ph tester. operates on batteries, works well and is fast.
I also use a Prime tds meter to monitor a change in mineral content.
I use a test kit for KH periodically, but my KH is always high, so I don't test it often. IF YOUR KH is borderline or LOW, you need to test it more often.
Remember too, that construction season is near and water main repairs or replacing may take place near you and they will add more chemicals to the water to make sure bacteria doesn't grow in it and keep it safe to drink. This may not be good for your fish. Water mains shift as the ground thaws and warms, this causes breaks and needs for repairs.
hth
Ardan
The pic is left to right. KH test solution, red tester = ph tester, blue tester = tds meter
Last edited by Ardan; 02-19-2014 at 07:36 PM.
Thanks Ryan,
Maybe it will help someone.
I will move this to the water division after a few days as its important.
Ardan
Just wanted to give folks a heads up on Fairfax Water in VA. For the next few months they will be cleaning various systems on their network with something called Free Clorine. If you notice a strong odor comming from your tap water then you section is most likely being cleaned. I spoke with a rep at FCWA today and he estimated the process takes about a week per section. I changed my prefilter to protect my RO membranes 2 weeks early due to this yearly cleaning. I called the water authority because my water smelled real bad out of the tap, like clorine. They will resume a cloramaine bond after cleaning.
Ed
If you are on well water, keep an eye on your fish. Bacterial issues may pop up due to bacteria being flushed into the aquifer from the upper levels of soil. It causes a lot of problems for local fish farmers down here every year.
-Ryan
-Ryan Karcher
Aquatic Eco Systems Technician
Wow,
I really really wished I had seen this post.
I live in Delaware - it is April 19th - and I just did my weekly 30% water change on my 90gal discus tank, with Amquel Plus an hour ago.
All my discus have died, my clown loaches are dead, and my Bolivian Rams are dying.
I am in total shock. Even my kids are crying.
I guess I'll buy those monitors, although I don't feel like keeping fish much anymore.
Don't let it keep you from getting more fish. I'd think it would be good for the kids to see you come out on top of this.
Did you forget to add dechlor or was it something else in the water? We hear about deaths after wc's alot here, and that's often the cause.
Hang in there, and get more fish.
Kacey
I agree with Kacey.
I am sorry to hear of your loss. It has happened to me also and it is tough to take.
Ardan
the link in the first post doesnt work for me. do you have another link?
I'll tell you guy's,what really works for me,if you do a large water change,add the water back in small amounts,maybe 4 or 5 gallons ,wait 20 minutes or so,add some more,this gives the fish time to adjust to any changes in the water,i find it bad to add all the water back with a hose at once.
hope this helps someone.
sonny
they don't salt the roads here(supposed to be environmentally bad) but they do mix another chemical with the sand when they treat the roads(how's that better) I'm so glad to know this info. Never would have given a second thought to it. This would likely be a winterlong occurance then I suppose, as snow melts happen throughout, yeah? Now does it affect ph,or show up as nitrates or something else when testing from the tap?
Jennie,
Quality is remembered long after the price is forgotten
Nice info.
Don't follow your dreams; chase them...
----CM----
Three weeks ago I bought a HM Digital TDS tester, $16.65 , and Milwaukee PH Tester $19.99 from Amazon, they really work great too. I use pool CL test strip to see if my chlorine remover, "EraseCL" is working. It says it removes Chlorine, Chloramines, and Ammonia, To test is to trust, To trust is to test.