I have a 120 gallon tank with a xp3 and a 20 gallon wet dry with 10 gallons of bio balls driven by a mag 7 pump. Also i have a hydrosponge 5 inside the tank too. I know that is alot of filtration too, but here is what i know is wrong. I have zero ammonia, zero nitrite, and ZERO nitrAte. How is that possible? I also have a ph of 7.6 and the inhabitants are discus!! That is bad, and what is recommended to lower it without causing too much of a ph swing? Also in the tank are 21 cardinal tetras, 2 clown loaches, and 9 corys. Help would be appreciated. Thanks.
I need help with 120 gallon tank!
- Thread starter jmjohnson
- Start date
Hmmm....How long has the tank been setup? How big of water changes do you do and how often? Are there any plants or do you have any algae growth? What kind of substrate do you have, if any, and how much? Do you run carbon or any other chemical filtration?
Why do you suggest that is bad? Are you planning on breeding? If so, the PH is not the only parameter you want to worry about but also gh and kh.
If your fish are doing just fine, and you are not planning on breeding then there is no need to lower the PH. Discus don't NEED a low PH, and PH stability is more important than the number itself. 7.6 isn't extraordinarily high, so none of your fish should have any problems.
Why do you suggest that is bad? Are you planning on breeding? If so, the PH is not the only parameter you want to worry about but also gh and kh.
If your fish are doing just fine, and you are not planning on breeding then there is no need to lower the PH. Discus don't NEED a low PH, and PH stability is more important than the number itself. 7.6 isn't extraordinarily high, so none of your fish should have any problems.
Id say check your test kits. I was in a similar situation awhile ago using AQ test kits, I switched to Jungle 5 in 1 test strips an got diff readings. Ive found that its almost impossible to get 0 nitrates without taking extreme measures or using a De-Nitrator.
You can take your pH down to 7 but leaving it at 7.6 makes for less work.
Planted tanks should have nitrates in them, around 15-30ppm? if your doing HUGE water changes then perhaps your taking out too much nitrates.
Planted tanks should have nitrates in them, around 15-30ppm? if your doing HUGE water changes then perhaps your taking out too much nitrates.