lost my pair :(

[Raymann88]

I am almost sure the reason behind these deaths was a crash in Ph. The damage to the underside of the disc is typical of this, this is extreme ammonia burn caused by a breakdown of the nitrogen cycle due to the bacteria being subjected to a low Ph value. Nitrification ceases to function or at least is vastly reduced at a Ph of 5 or less, check your Kh, if this is reading low then it shows there isn't enough mineral content present in your water, crushed coral and Cockle shell is a great buffer to add to the filter, never add this to the substrate as its far too abrasive for the rays underside. My water as for some reason started to come through the tap much softer recently so I personally add bicarbonate of soda with every water change to keep my Ph just above neutral (7.0).
Because freshwater rays are heavy feeders the filters have to work much harder than say a tropical tank housing general tropical fish so if you have a low mineral content it is likely the Ph is unstable between water changes, many use the constant drip system which overcomes this.



Hi Richard

I do 2 water changes a day through HMA and live in a hard water area. I have not noticed any drop in PH. Do you think i should still add some crushed coral to my sump to be on the safe side or will this actuall raise the PH even further? I am already at about 7.4 from memory.

Typically you add coral when your source water has a low PH to bring it up to a more stable level. If your PH is already over 7, you don't need to add coral as it can raise the PH increasing the toxicity of ammonia.

 

[Mayo]

so much to take on, i actually never realized the link between ph and tru ammonia readings and im thinking now that realistically i shouldnt need to place corals in my sump unless the tap water is of a low ph/kh?

 

[Stateofficer1984]

Typically you add coral when your source water has a low PH to bring it up to a more stable level. If your PH is already over 7, you don't need to add coral as it can raise the PH increasing the toxicity of ammonia.

If you have a high pH out of the tap, you still need crushed coral buffer to keep it stable, even more so than someone with low pH because if it drops from 7.0 to 6.0, that more drastic than a drop from 6.5 to 6.0...

Using a buffer like crushed coral is to keep you pH at a solid number, if you already have high pH out the tap, you need crushed coral to keep it there throughout in between water changes.. As someone said before, the only way around this is a drip system!!!

 

[jim barry]

If you have a high pH out of the tap, you still need crushed coral buffer to keep it stable, even more so than someone with low pH because if it drops from 7.0 to 6.0, that more drastic than a drop from 6.5 to 6.0...

Using a buffer like crushed coral is to keep you pH at a solid number, if you already have high pH out the tap, you need crushed coral to keep it there throughout in between water changes.. As someone said before, the only way around this is a drip system!!!

I use a drip system. I am going to chck my PH out of the tap and get back to you guys. This is bothering me as i want to do the right thing. But i don't want to just add cruched coral for the sake of it as i have read it is used to raise PH not stabalise PH.

 

[scott s]

So how big is the tank and sump on this system? Also, when was this system set up? What are the tank mates...P. Bass? Maybe I missed all of this...

 

[Mayo]

So how big is the tank and sump on this system? Also, when was this system set up? What are the tank mates...P. Bass? Maybe I missed all of this...

my system which the rays passsed in,

8x3x2.2 (LxWxH) with a 4x2x2 sump

tank mates, 3 x pbass, 5 x silver dollars, 1 x oscar, 1 x pleco (smaller then rays and it never sucked on them was allways checking lol)


currently adding another 3ft tank to act as a complete stand alone k1 chamber, i also have a nice big pothos growing out the top of the tank to help with nitrates etc