So i was thinking, I need a filter of sorts to go on the fill up hose I run from my shower to my 220. After every top off or water change, I have to add a LOT of prime, sometimes double dose or more (bottle said it was safe) in order to get my cichlids to stop top-breathing. I get so worried every time I do it but i don't know what else to do, it didn't happen before i moved in June. It was always straight tap water and prime and i was good to go. What is in my water now? I am pretty handy and can build something If i have to, I was thinking maybe those RO type filters for drinking water that connects under your sink? Is that what i need? Help me out, I feel bad and am plowing through Prime.
Filter to attach to hose when doing fill ups?
- Thread starter takinap
- Start date
takinap;3550322; said:
We can figure out how to build all kinds of filters to fit on the hose. But you really need to find out what is causing this.
Run a test on the parameters. Test ammonia, nitrite,nitrate, ph. And then test the water right out of the tap. To see where the problem is.
It could be something as simple as the tank is behind on maintenance and causing ph swings.
- How long has the tank been set up?
- Parameters of tank water?
- Parameters of tap water?
- Any additives to the tank recently? (ph buffers, tank decor, etc)
- Filtration set up and water change schedule?
ITS THE LACK OF OXEGEN IN THE WATER NOTHING ELSE SOME MUNICAPALITYS H2O SUPPLY IS JUST VERY DEVOID IT. TRY RUNNING A POWER HEAD WITH THE AIR HOSE WHILE FILLING. THE WATER OUTA THE TAP OSNT GOING TO HAVE ANY AMMONIA OR NITRATES, UNLESS ITS COMING OUT OF A WELL A FILTER OF SORTS WONT DO ANYTHING
Gulping at the surface is typically due to lack of dissolved oxygen in the water. Adding Prime will not help solve this problem.
The easiest solution that comes to mind at the moment would be to refill lower and hold/brace the hose above the water's surface so the new water falls into the aquarium breaking the surface incerasing surface agitation and circulation at the surface.
As mentioned, without confirming what the problem is, it's hard to suggest how to solve the problem.
The easiest solution that comes to mind at the moment would be to refill lower and hold/brace the hose above the water's surface so the new water falls into the aquarium breaking the surface incerasing surface agitation and circulation at the surface.
As mentioned, without confirming what the problem is, it's hard to suggest how to solve the problem.
Ok, I will test the water straight out of the tap and give the results, I was just under the impression that city water wouldn't have ammonia or nitrates high enough to be significant since its drinking water. And I Raise the outlets of the canisters above the water to break the surface, but i do have a spare power head so I will see how that goes. Ill get back when i get water results, thanks.
EVAN YUNCK;3550561; said:
takinap;3551573; said:
Our water here in louisville Ky has chloramines. Which when the water conditioner works its magic and breaks the bond you have ammonia.
When i checked it in july they were putting in 2.2ppm chloramines. And we had 20ppm nitrate at the tap as well.
But after the coditioner breaks the ammonia and chlorine bond Prime is supposed to lock up the ammonia. Or turn it into a less toxic ammonium. But it will show on the test kit because our test kits read nh3 as well as nh4.
My main concern with the tap and tank would be PH. We have a ph of around 7.8 here in LOU. And in one of my tanks the ph will lower from 7.8 to around 6.4 thru the week because of the drift wood and very low turn over rate with no surface distruption. Or co2 build up.
I have personally PH shocked that tank a few times and it causes the same reaction. The fish go to the surface and gulp for air and act restless.
If the ph checks out. Then I totally agree with NC about squeezing the tube and causeing the incoming water to really boil and airiate as it hits the tank water. If oxygen does seem to be the problem I would also start doing colder water fill ups as well. As cold water contains more O2 then warm/hot water.
That's VERY odd that you say that I'm in Louisville on City water too and I get 0 for ammonia nitrites and nitrates from the tap here. PH is 6.2 out of the tap and in both my tanks.hybridtheoryd16;3552827; said:
ScoobyRacing03;3553247; said:
What kind of test kit do you use? Also where are you in the city?
Ammonia will not show until after it has been treated. (chloramine bond)
Louisville water company sets the PH at 8.2.
http://www.louisvilleky.gov/LWC/ch_water_quality/
We also use chloramines here in Louisville. Chloramines equals ammonia and or ammonium after your water conditioner does its job.
And our tap water does contain nitrates.(see report) Anywhere from .97-1.14 MLC what ever that is. PPM is around 20 in prp, taylorsville, and okalona according to my api liquid test kit.
Here is 2008's report.
http://www.louisvilleky.gov/NR/rdon...FF39241A9B5/0/LWCCCR09withprinterchanges2.pdf
2009 report will be out at the first of 2010.
hybridtheoryd16;3553471; said:
I use API liquid test kits, I'm near I65 and the Snyder in Okalona. Only time the water had Ammonia out of the tap was right after the flooding you could tell they were adding more Chloramines to the water supply.
ScoobyRacing03;3556111; said:
Hmm thats really odd man.
To make a long story short as possible, I buy my feeders from a bait shop that is right by the Meyers on Preston/Snyder. The water they came in had a Ph level of around 5. And i kept killing mass amounts of them from Ph shock. So i ask the guy and he said he used straight tap water for his water changes in the minnow keeper. So i asked him for a sample of his tap water. And i tested it and found a Ph and around 20 nitrate. And then after conditioning broke the chloramine bond about .5ppm ammonia.
Come to find out his commercial (Bait Saver inc) minnow keeper has a holding tank that treats the water and lowers the Ph before it does its automatic water change. Cause the low Ph water will not have ammonia present that would build up and kill the fish. Only ammonium which is almost harmless.
So the only reason i can think of that your tap water would have such a low Ph would be. Maybe you have a water softening filter for your drinking water? Or the only other thing that could cause it to lower so much from the water company to your house would be carbon dioxide build up. Which will cause Ph levels to plummet.