Help fish not eating, body get white stuff and color fading

[dakar]

Do you have test kits for Calcium and Alkalinity? If so then instead of a chemical PH UP solution, you can safely dose you tank with limewater to maintain the PH, just keep an eye on the Alkalinity. Your ultimate goal should be 350+ppm calcium (max 400ish) and alkinity of 11dKH or higher (no higher than 12 or so). PH should be around 8.2-8.4 on average for most critters.

Together they will help get you up to where you need to be and hold it there... just add very slowly and test the params frequently, with time you will find the proper dosage to maintain things. Of course there are commercial products available but the cheap way is to use pickling lime for calcium and baking/washing soda for Alk.

Your critters will be a lot happier for it too!

[shlim944]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Dakar, #ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#no I do not have a test kit for calcium. Is alkalinity same as KH (cabonate ??)? I don't remember seeing any test for alkalinity.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Yes, the chemical stuff for ph up or down is pretty scary and unpredictable ! I was thinking of water changes during these few days to moderate the ph. Still I don't think I can get to the desired ph any time soon, without a more direct approach. Will check with the local store for the test kits.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Thanks !#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#shlim944#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[terrible-one]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#Ihad a problem once that sounded the same as yours. i did the same as you are doing and as everyone else is sugesting you do, treat for disies but the scratching onrocks and the substratein the aquarium is usally a result of the fish being uncomfortable in its water suroundings have you checked every element of your water quality? sometimes with those sesitive fish the smallest change in water quality can make them go on a hunger strike from being stressed out and uncomfortable and with that many fish so close together will stress out the rest of them even tho they my be ok with the water how it is their nehbours actions and well being won't go unnoticed. your water may be fine but it wouldn't hurt to try a full master test not just your four basic quality tests. just an idea from experiance hope it helped out some. good luck its a very frusturating time when you first lose an jumble of fish to something like that. best of luck.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[terrible-one]

#ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#sorry about that fist message i didn't read that whole second paige of replys befor a wrote it but i guess you found the same problem i did. also if you find that useing a ph. buffer is not getting you any progress you might want to try adding acarbonate alkalinity booster to raise thealkalinity witch will in turn raise your ph better then ph. up and if your ph is low so will your alkalinity. also sounds like you need to invest a few bones into a good test kit befor getting more expensive fish. p.s i found a goos company is Seachem the product is called reef builder im pritty shur anyways it worked for me, not shure if its avalible in your area.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl##ed_op#DIV#ed_cl#also read you have chilling problems, lol i seem to have oposite i have to usea 300w and a 200wheaters in difernt areas in my 75 to keep it suitable over the winter.#ed_op#/DIV#ed_cl#

[dakar]

Dakar, no I do not have a test kit for calcium. Is alkalinity same as KH (cabonate ??) ?

Sorry missed your post, yes Alkalinity is measured in KH, or the new way meg/L (my brain has not quite made the transition to the metric yet).