In Desperate Need of Help for Saltwater Aquarium, Kelowna

[mike31154]

Are you using RODI for water changes or tap water? If you decide to do another large water change, make sure you use pure water & let it mix with a powerhead & heater for 24 hrs, that will stabilze the pH.

[cwatkins]

I think you may have fallen victim to old tank syndrome. All of the crap that was trapped in the substrate is throwing you a curve ball.

Since hindsight is 20/20, there's no point in kicking yourself.

I'd do the recommended water changes. Do a big one, and then do smaller ones daily for a week or so.

Try:
-Using ro/di water if you have access to it. Otherwise try filtered (RO) water from a local purified water store. Purified water stores don't usually put water through a DI stage, so the tds may be above zero.
-Water changes are going to be the only way to bring those levels down. A big WC followed by smaller daily WC's for a week won't hurt anything.
-Stop worrying about pH and buffering your tank. Rule #1, ignore your pH (within reason), you'll sleep better at night (okay, maybe not #1, but you get the point). I haven't compensated for pH in over a year. It's too stressful trying to keep up with it. And it changes daily based on your photo period. According to my graphs (click on my signature below), my pH varied from 7.83 to 8.45 in the past 24 hours.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by cwatkins

-Stop worrying about pH and buffering your tank. Rule #1, ignore your pH (within reason), you'll sleep better at night (okay, maybe not #1, but you get the point). I haven't compensated for pH in over a year. It's too stressful trying to keep up with it. And it changes daily based on your photo period. According to my graphs (click on my signature below), my pH varied from 7.83 to 8.45 in the past 24 hours.

I dunno, I would vote this as #1

[LeanneP]

Thanks for all the input from everyone. I did a 45 gallon water change on Friday and was hoping that would do the trick. I used Brent's test kit yesterday but it was an old one and told me I had almost no ammonia. My kit was testing positive so I went to the pet store today and they said the ammonia level was still at 6.1.
The fish seem to be doing ok except my cardinal hasn't eaten for awhile. Just wondering how much of a water change I should do tomorrow and each day after. The guy at the pet store said not to do another big one as it may start my tank cycling. I have another 40 gallons mixing.

Leanne

[LeanneP]

If there is anyone going to J & L in the next week or so, I am need of more salt. Thanks.

Leanne

[patman]

I will be stopping in there on my way back on Sunday. Let me know what you need.

[TJQ]

Originally Posted by LeanneP

If there is anyone going to J & L in the next week or so, I am need of more salt. Thanks.

Leanne

Hi Leanne,

Just to let you know you can get salt in town from Purple Seahorse in Rutland, Pet City in Mission, and even PetSmart on Harvey. Purple Seahorse has the best prices I have found. I believe I have paid between $39-$49 for a bucket of instant ocean.