urban's system

[stucco]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysBF7cu7GOI Here is a video on adding iron.

[badflash]

Chelated iron is no problem, used in moderation. Greenstone also works as does bloodmeal used sparingly.

[urbanrunoff]

cool thanks.
here another question:
Whats the best way of feeding tilapia fingerlings?
I bought some pellets that "tilapia mama" (my dealer ) recommends.
I read somewhere they are best fed small portions 4 times a day.
I grind up the pellets and give them a couple of pinches, food is gone in 2 minutes, they seem so hungry.

[urbanrunoff]

Bad News
I lost my second fish.

One 2 weeks ago
and just found another floater.

The water quality ammonia, nitrite, nitrate are all good
But something must be wrong. Hope it is not the HCL i have been adding. Plants really took off once i got pH slightly under 8 and held it there by adding HCL, 5ml every other day.

It seems like a sudden death. It's not like i see fish that are suffering and then slowly die. All seems fine till i see a floater.
No visible disease either.

[badflash]

How many fish in the system?

[urbanrunoff]

started with 25 tilapias in 100 gallon tank

[badflash]

How big are they? The practical limit is about 1 pound of fish per 4 gallons of water. Are you using air stones?

[urbanrunoff]

yes i'm using airstones hooked up to a 100gallon+ airpump


they range from 3 to 6 inches (most lie somewhere in between)

[jackalope]

Sorry to hear of your losses, I hope you get that sorted.

I don't know what HCL is, but I wouldn't put anything in my fish water that doesn't come natural! What are the ingredients of HCL (usually on the back of the container, alongside the poison/medical/emergency warnings)?

[davidstcldfl]

Urbanrunoff......Sorry to hear about your losses too.

Is this what you use....Hydrochloric acid, aka.... muriatic acid
How 'fast' did you adjust your PH ?

My tank holds just over 500 gals....total sytem, aprox a 1000 gals. When I brought my PH down, I was adding a 1/4 to a 1/2 cup at a time....which was probably too much.
I killed a few goldfish, the first time I added some.... They get the treated water before it goes to the main tank.

I got this idea fom 'somebody else'.... ...'Thanks' whoever it was.
I now use a big plastic cup. I drilled a small hole in the bottom of the cup. I clamp the cup to the inside lip of my swirll filter. I fiill the cup 2/3's with fish water...then I add a little muriatic acid . It drips into the filter nice and slow. Then....it goes to the plants first, into the sump(s), last to the fish tank. By then, it's pretty well diluted.
Hope this helps.