Goldfish sudden death & rain?

[chicknmania]

OK, and I have just read that using bamboo in a fish tank is not advisable. So yes? No? Supposedly it will rot and create more ammonia, but all fish stores sell it, so what the heck? I later read that lucky bamboo is ok....

 

[CarpCharacin]

I didn't test for nitrites for the same reason. I mean I didn't even get the kit. I guess I can, but again.....do I want to go messing around with the PH of the water? No.

What do you mean for the same reason? As I said, nitrite and nitrate are not the same thing. You also should test your KH, to ensure that the water has enough buffering capacity to prevent rapid pH changes, which can kill fish. Also, just doing tests on the water won't change the parameters, it will only tell you what they are.

 

[CarpCharacin]

OK, and I have just read that using bamboo in a fish tank is not advisable. So yes? No? Supposedly it will rot and create more ammonia, but all fish stores sell it, so what the heck?

You don't want to fully submerge it, or it will rot.

 

[crazy4ChickensNducks]

OK, and I have just read that using bamboo in a fish tank is not advisable. So yes? No? Supposedly it will rot and create more ammonia, but all fish stores sell it, so what the heck? I later read that lucky bamboo is ok....

If you keep it under water it will die, get something like a big java fern or some guppy grass, my goldfish never ate either

 

[chicknmania]

OK, and I have just read that using bamboo in a fish tank is not advisable. So yes? No? Supposedly it will rot and create more ammonia, but all fish stores sell it, so what the heck? I later read that lucky bamboo is ok....[/QUO

If you keep it under water it will die, get something like a big java fern or some guppy grass, my goldfish never ate either

Thank you! Yes, it says right on the instructions not to fully submerge it. This is why I hate pet stores. I'll go to the aquarium store next time to look for the guppy grass or fern.

 

[chicknmania]

What do you mean for the same reason? As I said, nitrite and nitrate are not the same thing. You also should test your KH, to ensure that the water has enough buffering capacity to prevent rapid pH changes, which can kill fish. Also, just doing tests on the water won't change the parameters, it will only tell you what they are.

I understand that testing will not change the parameters. I just don't want to mess with the water too much,...since I haven't been testing for a long time, and the water has apparently been fine, I don't KNOW what the parameters were, as opposed to what they are now, and so I don't know if there's been any massive changes, you see. . I know that nitrate and nitrite are not the same thing. If the water does not have enough buffering capacity, what would you do to change it? If it is seriously that important, which it seems to be, I can go back and get a full kit, I guess.

 

[CarpCharacin]

KH is alkalinity, basically the measure of the acid neutralization/buffering capacity that the water has. It's the measure of carbonates and bicarbonates that are dissolved in the water. It prevents rapid pH fluctuations from acid, which can kill fish. That's why it's good to keep an eye on the KH. I'm not sure KH tests come with the full liquid test kits, my API Freshwater master test kit doesn't have a KH test, so you might have to get the KH test kit separately. I also recommend testing your water regularly, and recording the parameters, so you have a record of what they were previously, which will help you determine if there are any fluctuations from here on out.