Aquarium PH issue...any suggestions appreciated

[finn's mom]

I finally gave up. My fish are living and thriving in water so hard it should technically kill them all.

Yeah, I research and try to do what I feel is the right thing...but, when it comes right down to it, Falcor is thriving in a certain type of water, even though things I'm reading are telling me he shouldn't be! I am just trying to get the larger tank more like the smaller tank...the other fish are hardy and don't seem to be fazed by any kind of water change. The poor fish that the people had in the tank, they went through hell to get to us and not one perished. So, I'm just trying to cater to Falcor. Such a pain in the butt this fish is!

[IRescue452]

Water isn't too hard for fish to live until it gets up in the 10 pH range. As long as the tap water is safe for humans, you know it is safe for fish.

Nitrites must be at zero if the tank is cycled. After the cycling is done you should NEVER see a fluctuation unless you change the filters or clean to vigorously. There is no safe range for nitrites above zero.

I suppose its not possible to get his 125 gallon tank right away? It would save you another move. This is one reason why I always fight so hard to get people to buy the right size fish for their tank regardless of plans to upgrade in the future. It might be easy for humans to upgrade in the future, but not for the fish.

[Freedom]

Although I've had fish tanks for 10 years, I am NOT an expert.

I use tap water. Put it in a bucket, add Stress Coat, which ALSO takes care of the chlorine and such, then put that in the tank.

I put in a bit of aquarium salt whenever I change the water.

I use CYCLE to get the right invisible things into the tank.

Twice a year, our city does something to the water and I have to do a bit more to adjust the PH.

I do think you should have one filter which is appropriate for the size tank. I normally get one size larger if it isn't a lot of money extra. Think about getting that done! It is a factor in PH levels, and you will need to correct the filter sometime, may as well do it now.

Here's a thought. Can you put some of the 10 gal water in a bucket to hold it, add water to that one to get it back up. Do that 2 or three days in a row (yeah I know, lots of buckets of water around to spill.) Then add THAT to the larger tank? You will still have the 10 gal tank ready if he has to be moved back again.

Silly dragon Falcor, making you go to all this trouble for him; he just KNOWS he is special, he he.