GrayLadyPat
11-04-2013, 09:04 PM
Well, things here in NW AR have been running along pretty swimmingly. All my finkids are healthy and happy, and nary a sign of any problems. That is, up until last week.
I changed the water as usual, and since it was scheduled, I cleaned one of my canisters. Filled the tank, and immediately, the flat fish began to act as if they were being burned. They skittered around, bumped into things, and generally acted strangely.
Well, I got the tank tester out, and guess what? The tank's pH was extremely high. So, I tested the tap, and you guessed it, the pH was almost 8.
Well, long story short, I got hold of my water guru at the municipal water company and he told me that with the lake turning over a second time this season (product of warmer than usual days and cooler than usual nights) they had to up a certian chemical, which in turn raises the pH. Again, there was no notice to the public.
In any case, until the pH lowers a bit, I am doing smaller water changes more often rather than larger changes less often. It seems to make things go easier, and with the plant detritus in the tank, the pH is staying relatively stable at about 7.2... The kids are ok, but still getting used to the change. No major injuries from the bumping and crashing, and the only fatality was one lonely cardinal who may or may not have been extremely elderly.
Moral of the story: Even when things are going well, check your tap water before changing the water. You never know when somebody will decide to make things "interesting" for you.
Cheers from the Old Lady!
I changed the water as usual, and since it was scheduled, I cleaned one of my canisters. Filled the tank, and immediately, the flat fish began to act as if they were being burned. They skittered around, bumped into things, and generally acted strangely.
Well, I got the tank tester out, and guess what? The tank's pH was extremely high. So, I tested the tap, and you guessed it, the pH was almost 8.
Well, long story short, I got hold of my water guru at the municipal water company and he told me that with the lake turning over a second time this season (product of warmer than usual days and cooler than usual nights) they had to up a certian chemical, which in turn raises the pH. Again, there was no notice to the public.
In any case, until the pH lowers a bit, I am doing smaller water changes more often rather than larger changes less often. It seems to make things go easier, and with the plant detritus in the tank, the pH is staying relatively stable at about 7.2... The kids are ok, but still getting used to the change. No major injuries from the bumping and crashing, and the only fatality was one lonely cardinal who may or may not have been extremely elderly.
Moral of the story: Even when things are going well, check your tap water before changing the water. You never know when somebody will decide to make things "interesting" for you.
Cheers from the Old Lady!