Problem in my tank

[Betta1]

ok I have a 75g tank lightly stocked with angelfish. About three weeks ago I added two moonlight gouramis against my better judgement without quarantining them. About two weeks ago I added a dozen hatchets again without quarantining them. I lost one gouramis but the other is getting huge, I also lost half of the hatchets due to the fact that I just put in a powerhead thats way to powerfull for my tank and they couldn't rest (problem is solved). Well about a week ago I started using Neutral Regulator doing light 10g doses every other day, when I got to dose 6 of 8 I noticed some ich on the hatchets so I stopped the neutral and started low doses of quick cure, three in total, spread out over several days. Tonight I sat down to my tank only to find one of my favorite angels not doing good at all, it's listing around, sitting at the top of the water and basically not swimming anywhere just going with the current. After turning the lights out it lost all controll and got stuck on a plant and is now sitting at the top of the water.


I tested the water and have trace ammonia, nitrite 0.25 Ph 7.0 and heres the part I really don't understand, nitrate 0

Any number of things could have caused this angel to go on it's way out tonight including a mated pair of angels that laid eggs a few night ago beating it up (unlikely) or sickness due to the fish that I've lost or even stress from the Ph change. But what I don't understand is how the nitrate is at 0. This tank has been set up for a while and the bio load should be healthy, I've changed from bubbles in the undergravel to a strong powerhead with a second weak power head (which I will fix with two matched soon enough) but that doesn't say to me damaged bio load. Quick Cure doesn't sound bio load unsafe either.

But the real question is why is my nitrate 0? even a damaged bio load thats been up for at least 6 months (filter was on a smaller tank for at least a year before that though it crashed once) still it should have some nitrate. My tank is understocked but I do changes about every three weeks if not longer so I don't get it.

This is my prized tank so sorry if I've rambled a bit, I'm very stressed ATM and can't loose the rest of this tank. I need some input from people who can help.

[COM]

A few things:

It isn't really necessary to mess with pH. Leave it be; whatever pH your tap water is will most likely be fine. If you have some very special circumstance or very sensitive fish, there are ways to alter the pH. The store-bought chemicals are absolutely useless in the long run.

As for the nitrate reading at zero, I have only experienced that in heavily planted tanks. Your post doesn't mention any plants, but regardless, the big thing that jumps out to me is that nitrite is not reading zero. Although fairly low, you have nitrite present which indicates that you are not fully cycled. Remember that each time you add any fish (even one) you are increasing the bio-load and the bacterial colonies in the tank and filter need to grow to catch up. You can try to speed this up by adding some store-bought bacteria like Bio-Spira.

[TheOldSalt]

Is you nitrate suddenly zero, or has it always been zero, or do you even know?

[Betta1]

I'm not sure if my nitrate has always been zero or is suddenly zero. I think I've tested it in the past but honestly can't remember. My tank is lightly stocked but I don't do water changes that often and have been feeding quite a good amount (probably more then I should have been so I've cut it back lately). Given the amount I've been feeding and how little I've been doing water changes I'm very suprised that it's at 0.

COM: My nitrite is probably due to a mini-cycle which in my franticness I overlooked, I've been overfeeding and did add a few fish so that explains the nitrite. When you mention Ph balancing this is purely opinion based. My opinion is that buffing causes more harm due to the fact that every time you do a water change the ph fluctuates because you can't possibly add the same amount of buffer every time. Plus during the time approaching a water change the ph drops due to nitrate building up, then when you do a water change the ph changes due to buffer And nitrate levels changing.

This doesn't happen with Ph regulator however, because you can't possibly add to much as far as Ph levels are concerned, it will always be at 7.0 and will infact be more stable then tap water due to the fact that the Ph will not go low when nitrate builds up. Going from 7.6 to 7.0 in it's self isn't overly worth it however when you add in the fact that it is far more stable and the bonus of softer water it is for me defintaley worth it.

[emc7]

nitrate tests do go bad. have the level checked by the LFS. Even dip strips will tell you if your nitrate test is shot.


Low nitrate never hurt anything but plants. So I'd guess either disease got your angel or intestinal issues (did you feed worms?). Take care of the nitrite. I'm not against neural regulator, but don't ever skimp on water changes to save on buffer. And you alway should change water after a death, after treating for ich, and when a fish look sick. I'm sorry about your angel, I have never seen one get better from the point you described.

[Betta1]

Well I saw my mated female angel sitting near the top of the water tonight and I can't tell if it's because she likes the leaves of the plants (the pair has been pecking at them alot) or if theres something else wrong, perhaps the same thing that was going on with the one that died. The gouramis was temporarily at the top of the water as well probably getting some air. I wouldn't imagine nitrite at such a low level would be a problem, not to mention I did a 10% water change. I don't know what to think, I guess I'm looking for some miracle answer that tells me whats going on so I can have peace of mind.