One drop is one dKH, so for each drop it takes before it turns yellow it's 17.8 PPM of KH, so that would put your KH between 89 and 106.8 parts per million, so the KH level should be OK.
Great news so once I get the crushed coral I should keep up regular water changes and monitor ?One drop is one dKH, so for each drop it takes before it turns yellow it's 17.8 PPM of KH, so that would put your KH between 89 and 106.8 parts per million, so the KH level should be OK.
I know that haha I was referencing for this in particular as the resolutionYou should always do regular water changes and monitor your tanks, LOL.
Feedback taken on board thank you very much.If your pH drops to 4, from the taps 7, it means you are not doing enough water changes.
No matter what the generic fish liturature books say is sufficient, or any standard averages say about water changes. A drastic drop in pH tells all, for your tank.
For the size tank you have, with the fish you have, if your pH drops by 2 ,from 7 to 5, it means you need to do a large water change.
It doesn't matter if its 3 days, or 2, or 5. A drastic pH drop means acidification due to fish urine, and waste build up in the tank, and in the filters.
Your 30% water change once per week seems to barely dilute the fish urine a slight amount indicated by the pH crash.
I agree with the others who say doing daily 20% water changes to gradually bring pH to equilibrium will be needed to not shock the fish, and then you need to up the volume and frequency of your normal change to maintain pH between 6-7 as an average.
Crushed coral may help a bit, but more water changes are really your only realistic solution.
Yeah I've been doing the recommendations listed here by the people on this thread. The fish seem a little bit happier because of that. My Oscar is starting to re-decorate the tank again but don't think the Bichir appreciates having bog-wood pushed over it's head at times hahaThe calcium carbonate will buffer in between water changes and help stabilize the ph but don’t use this as an excuse to not do water changes.
You will still need to do normal maintenance and you will find the system and your fish will stabilize and prosper.