Should I Freak Out Or Not Worry

[friendlyfishy777]

I've spotted one of my gold lasers fliping about in the sand a few times, and flicking his self off the bogwood once yesterday. Could he just be trying to throw food up from the sand, or could it be a sign of some interinal prasite? It was about half an hour after feeding time.

The only thing that has recently changed is I've switched to using ro water as I was tried of my high nitrate tap water. The people at Pets at Home said that plain Ro was for freshwater and no minerals had to be added. So my fishies tank has been filled with plain Ro, with bicarbonate soda to adjust the PH upwards for almost two weeks.

Only yesterday I found out that I DID need to remineralise the water, so I quickly ordered a product to add minreals back in the water, which I hope will be here before the weekend.

 

[Tizer]

How high was the nitrate in the tap? I know over the xmas periods water isnt very good but otherwise it should be fine. My corys do flick themselves on sand and wood occasionally, it is quite natural for them, just have to watch out for excessive flicking is all.

Minerals do need to be added, you are quite right. Personally i would look at doing 50% RO and 50% tap water then you dont really have to worry too much about the minerals.

 

[friendlyfishy777]

The nitrate was normally around 20ppm out of the tap but over the last few weeks it's been coming out at 35 - 40 ppm. I didn't realise the rate could change seasonally. It totally took me by surprise.

I had a PH crash last night, went down to 6ph! I guess that is the instability of the Ro on it's own. I did a small water change adding dechlorinated tap water and got it back up to 7.5ph after a bit, which has been the average PH found in the tank.

Personally i would look at doing 50% RO and 50% tap water then you dont really have to worry too much about the minerals.

Will try that, thanks!

 

[Tizer]

There is absolutely no reason to worry about your levels of nitrate or use RO water.

Its not really a seasonal thing, more of a holiday period thing where the water isnt always kept in top notch condition as people are taking extended breaks. Im sure it doesnt happen everywhere, but in my area nitrate in tap water does creep up over xmas, but again, not to dangerous levels.