help

[tman]

Below is my tank specification

tank size : 1.5feet (been running for 6 months now)
substrate : ADA AMAZONIAN
Fertiliser : Seachem Flourish and Sera Iron Plus
Lighting : 15w x 2 Arcadia T8
Filter : HOB filter and EDEN 501 look alike filter (seven Star SP-601)
Temperature : 27c achieved using one 4"PC fan
Parameter : nitrate 20ppm, nitrite 20ppm, ammonia 10mg/l, KH 1', ph 6.0
Flora : Tonina belem, Sword plant, christmas moss, Riccia Fluittan,
Fauna : Tiger shrimp, CRS, red Cherry and many crossbreed shrimplets


My question is how do I maintain the KH at 3 Everytime I increase the KH to 3 using KH plus powder, the next day it will return back to one.

Also my Ammonia,Nitirite and Nitrate is at a high level. This come as a surprised as I have not tested the water for a long time. I started to suspect the water as my shrimps are dying one by one.

As you can see I have installed another filter recently - SP 601. I believe my HOB is not big enough to colonize the amount of bacteria to process my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. It has been 4 days now and the death has somehow stopped(cross my fingers). I am taking regular water test and the nitrate and nitrite seems to drop a lil bit but the ammonia still the same.

Please correct me if I am wrong. All advise is needed.

[Sunfire]

Firstly, you have to wait for a while, before you can get your ammonia levels down.
But I am curious about something;
You mean you install another filter suddenly? Your existing filter should have cleared all ammonia levels from the tank by now.

This is suggestion;
buy some beneficial bacterial and lace the new filter with it.

or
buy some seachem prime and put it in the tank. it would remove all ammonia.

or
check the seachem website if the ferts and additives you use might mess up your test kit readings.

Back to your question;

it has been my experience that ADA soil would soften the water.

So, perhaps you might want to put in some coral chips to harden it.

I use coral chips in my clip on filter, and I get a steady reading of KH 5.

Problem with coral, is that you can't control the kh in detail.

I got some spare coral chips, if you stay in the sengkang or punggol area I can pass you some.

[tman]

Firstly, you have to wait for a while, before you can get your ammonia levels down.
But I am curious about something;
You mean you install another filter suddenly? Your existing filter should have cleared all ammonia levels from the tank by now.

That is one thing that I do not understand it myself... 5 months ago my tank is properly cycled and I have constantly tested the water and readings are fine. Only recently the readings are crazy.. All test kits is functional btw. Another thing to add... I have inserted quite a few monsters foot and JBL root tablet.. do you think this has something to do with the ammonia spike?

BTW thank you for offering me the coral.. I live in JB so its kinda hard.
I have been advised not to add coral as its hard to control the KH.

[Sunfire]

Another thing to add... I have inserted quite a few monsters foot and JBL root tablet.. do you think this has something to do with the ammonia spike?

It could be that your root ferts are ammonia based and are leeching into the water column. But then again, it is just a guess. Do you have enough gravel or substrate?

[tman]

My substrate consists of gravel as bottom layer - 1.5 inch and ADA soil 1.5inch.. is this enough?