Piraiba catfish

[horopgedrik]

TBTB: He does not have a bio filter, is that what you are saying?

Yeah, sort of that, but we don't know exactly what inside that filter box.
I used to use that kind of filtration, put some biological media in it, but still, can't have the best result.

TBTB: IME and AFAIK, ceramic media increases pH slightly. But I too am looking to learn

I would say no, because I never found my tank pH exceeding my tap water.
I routinely check water chemistry of my tank every 3 days, also each time when there are any changes in my fish behavior.

TBTB: How long has it taken for the pH to go to 5.5-6 from 7.5-8? Does the pH jump up after you clean the filters?

I always change 75% of my main tank volume during weekly water change. Soon after it, I measure pH on level somewhere between tap water and tank pH, I use both liquid pH test and strip test. Just in the next 2 day, I often get my main tank pH return to the usual level.
I always clean my sponge filter every water changing schedule.
But I never clean my biofilter chamber, what I remember about cleaning it, is just when I sucked out all accumulated micro-dirt in the narrow channel between chambers, and even then as I recall it was 10 months ago.
I put aeration beneath each chamber of my sump, except the last chamber for the pump.

TBTB: My understanding is that all by itself, bio media would not change your pH or buffer it. The accumulation of detritus acidifies water. Certain balance of aerobic and anaerobic bacterial activity can shift the pH too but the effect may be convoluted, hard to predict. When one sees CO2 (carbon dioxide) bubbles produced in their filter, that should be accompanied by an acidic shift in pH because CO2 is acidic CO2 + H2O = H2C03 - carbonic acid. Many say this is an indication that filter is overdue for cleaning.

Yeah, I also agree that bio media wouldn't effect to our pH directly.
And I more inclined to say the cause of all this, is about aerobic and anaerobic bacterial activity in it just like you said, or anything else about microorganism activity related to detritus.
Thank you for your information about acidify thing, I should much much more concern about it.

And maybe I should be more specific. From what I know, Jonathan lived in the same locality where I lived, so I assume the water conditions and environmental conditions are also the same at the beginning, and I believe that Jo's B. filamentosum was also in the same batch with mine.
That's why I suggest him to fit up his filtration with much more bio media, again, it's just experience based, I could be wrong, because until now I can only oriented to the application and the result of it.
Still never get the scientific explanation about what the hell is going on in my tank
As a layman, I think I should just learn a bit about complex science, apply it, and learn a lot about the result.

Again, such a very useful information from you, many many thanks Viktor

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

...
I always change 75% of my main tank volume during weekly water change. Soon after it, I measure pH on level somewhere between tap water and tank pH, I use both liquid pH test and strip test. Just in the next 2 day, I often get my main tank pH return to the usual level.
I always clean my sponge filter every water changing schedule.
But I never clean my biofilter chamber, what I remember about cleaning it, is just when I sucked out all accumulated micro-dirt in the narrow channel between chambers, and even then as I recall it was 10 months ago.
I put aeration beneath each chamber of my sump, except the last chamber for the pump...

It appears strange and cannot be healthy for the inhabitants to be constantly subjected to such large pH changes, even if the change is spread out over a few days. IDK the right forum, perhaps, the General Aquarium Discussion, but I'd post there and see if we as a community can figure out why your pH swings so much.

If you are not inclined to doing so, I think your tank water has very little buffering ability (carbonate hardness is way low). If it is low, simply adding seashells, coral pieces, etc. to your sump may fix it but all of this is a presumption at the moment.

We should not highjack Jonathan's thread with this any more

 

[Jonathan_G]

It appears strange and cannot be healthy for the inhabitants to be constantly subjected to such large pH changes, even if the change is spread out over a few days. IDK the right forum, perhaps, the General Aquarium Discussion, but I'd post there and see if we as a community can figure out why your pH swings so much.

If you are not inclined to doing so, I think your tank water has very little buffering ability (carbonate hardness is way low). If it is low, simply adding seashells, coral pieces, etc. to your sump may fix it but all of this is a presumption at the moment.

We should not highjack Jonathan's thread with this any more

I dont mind... actually giving me more info too... just continue hahahaha

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

Thanks Jonathan. Yet, I think the right forum and a new, on-topic thread will attract more attention and right people, experts to help, and, moreover, will be useful to all interested in the future. Buried off-topic discussions, no matter how helpful or not, remain that. Buried.

I forgot to mention in my prior post that the pH change during the water changes would not be gradual but rather abrupt, which is highly undesirable.

 

[fugupuff]

Hi guys I'm back The piraiba from the original post looks to be from Brazil. Now notice these I just brought back from Suriname., the mouth is actually different, and the fish is a blue green color. Here is the video

 

[fugupuff]

sorry for the video quality and also I don't like the tanking them with fish from other regions, but these guys like the extra space and depth and I just don't have another tank to hold them in at the time. They come in pretty rough, but should heal up nicely.

 

[Jonathan_G]

Hi guys I'm back The piraiba from the original post looks to be from Brazil. Now notice these I just brought back from Suriname., the mouth is actually different, and the fish is a blue green color. Here is the video

Damn! That piraiba looks beautiful... yes, mine is from Rio Araguaia, Brazil... hope.i can get the suriname specimen too....

 

[weirdfishlover]

Hoping to get these beauties. . . . Speaking from the asiatic region

 

[Jonathan_G]

Hoping to get these beauties. . . . Speaking from the asiatic region

Asiatic region? Which country are you from? Cheers from indonesia..

 

[thebiggerthebetter]

You cryptic, tricky, sneaky people, why don't you indicate your location in less ambiguous terms? Are you hiding from pet detective interpol?