Waldo
Sat Jun 24, 2006, 05:51 AM
Testing is always better but I have noticed a lot of posts and direct questions about some things that lead to the same results. Generally speaking they are good signs that something in the chemistry is not balanced properly. Use this information not as a substitute but as a good reason to check your tank.
The first question is about film, bubbles, and scum at the top of the tank. Ammonia is Ammonia... and if you have ever worked with cleaning ammonia you will know that it is similar to soap and gives water the ability to bubble. Men... yep when you foam up the urinal... same thing. It's a good sign that if you have bubbles you've got ammonia. You can be even more thorough by examining the bubbles made by a HOB filter. If you have no ammonia the bubbles will generally be the same size and return back to the surface lasting a short period. If there is ammonia present bubbles are smaller linger in the water longer and when they return to the surface sit a short while before they pop.
The second question is about a milky white coloration in the tank. This is a great sign that your tanks struggling around the Nitrites. This gas pushes oxygen from the water and suffocates fish. It can also push CO^2 out which might raise the pH. Raising the pH also raises the ionic tendency's of the molecules making the nitrites more lethal. This is often times why Nitrite can be the most lethal. It's possible that something has reset your bio load.
The third question is why fish are schooling at the surface. A good sign that they are going where the oxygen is. If surface tention is not broken or nit's are high oxygen is pushed from the water. Fish go to the surface where it is more abundant.
The first question is about film, bubbles, and scum at the top of the tank. Ammonia is Ammonia... and if you have ever worked with cleaning ammonia you will know that it is similar to soap and gives water the ability to bubble. Men... yep when you foam up the urinal... same thing. It's a good sign that if you have bubbles you've got ammonia. You can be even more thorough by examining the bubbles made by a HOB filter. If you have no ammonia the bubbles will generally be the same size and return back to the surface lasting a short period. If there is ammonia present bubbles are smaller linger in the water longer and when they return to the surface sit a short while before they pop.
The second question is about a milky white coloration in the tank. This is a great sign that your tanks struggling around the Nitrites. This gas pushes oxygen from the water and suffocates fish. It can also push CO^2 out which might raise the pH. Raising the pH also raises the ionic tendency's of the molecules making the nitrites more lethal. This is often times why Nitrite can be the most lethal. It's possible that something has reset your bio load.
The third question is why fish are schooling at the surface. A good sign that they are going where the oxygen is. If surface tention is not broken or nit's are high oxygen is pushed from the water. Fish go to the surface where it is more abundant.