Rachel0825 Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Hello. I just wanted to get some recommendations and expertise from the forum. I have been reading and watching and trying to learn 🤯 5 gal Fluval Spec 5. Betta. Snail. Pleco. Planted tank. Been running since Jan. Fish added almost 2 weeks ago. New plants added last week. Y’all have been awesome with suggestions to water parameters and it is appreciated. Today I did a small water change and added some water with baking soda to increase my alkalinity. And it has worked. Yes. Adding slooooowly. My water is hard. Im treating my water. The water change I did today was 1/3 bottled treated water with some baking soda and 2/3 tap water treated. I tested the water 4 hours after and saw good positive results. Currently I use stress coat+, 🙈 betta water conditioner, green easy, and added baking soda. Now to my question…. I’ve been reading and seeing Seachem Equilibrium and Seachem Flourish and talk about potassium and calcium and manganese and it’s giving me 🤯🤯🤯 I’m ordering a phosphate test kit…… but do I need to get Flourish or another additive for my tank? 😬👍🏻 thanks! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clownbaby Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 I don't know much about adding baking soda, but if it's safe and you're sure it's safe then keep doing what you're doing. Sometimes I think we fishkeepers add so many different additives into our water, when it really isn't necessary! May I ask... what kind of pleco? I suppose if it is a clown pleco it may be okay (pretty tight but not everything is black and white), but even for a bristlenose plec 5 gallons is unfortunately too small. To keep the betta and a bristlenose together I would recommend at least 10 gallons. If the bristlenose is juvenile right now that is okay too, but an upgrade will be necessary, bristlenose can get up to 6 inches in length and they aren't exactly the cleanest fishes out there haha !! A fluval 5 spec is more spacious compared to the average 5 gallon, so that's good, but I did want to comment on it (sorry I have bit soft spot for plecos >.>) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel0825 Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 Ha. Aw. Well several in the forum suggested a bristlenose juvenile and that when he got bigger I’d need to rehome. So I was lucky to find a teeny baby. He’s so cute. I love watching him. He whips his little tail back and forth. Lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktor zhivago Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 If your water is hard why are you using baking soda with bottled water for alkalinity.... Just use your tap water?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel0825 Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 @doktor zhivago well. Trying to understand the chemistry aspect I have read through posted questions and responses and asked and I have hard water but my alkalinity was super low. As you can see from the picture I posted. That was after adding a minute bit of baking soda in the water. The higher the KH the more stable the PH, I believe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doktor zhivago Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 On 6/4/2024 at 11:19 PM, Rachel0825 said: @doktor zhivago well. Trying to understand the chemistry aspect I have read through posted questions and responses and asked and I have hard water but my alkalinity was super low. As you can see from the picture I posted. That was after adding a minute bit of baking soda in the water. The higher the KH the more stable the PH, I believe. Ok i understand now. Usually high general hardness means you got plenty of carbonate too. I wouldn't over think the plant micronutrients and all the fertilizer products either. Just get some easy green and give it a squirt once a week. That's usually more than enough for a low tech tank with moderate lighting and no co2 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricksonAquatics Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 I wouldn’t overthink it! Bettas are so easygoing, they pretty much tolerate all the water parameters under the sun. Increasing your alkalinity isn’t necessarily going to help him - in fact bettas like low alkalinity and soft water anyways. And Easy Green should do the trick for all your plants. I add Seachem Equilibrium to my tanks but that’s only because I have soft water and snails. Not sure if it really does much to help my plants - probably, but not that huge of a difference! I would stick with what you have, keep dosing your Easy Green and don’t keep worrying about everything on the periodic table lolz😂 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachel0825 Posted June 5 Author Share Posted June 5 On 6/5/2024 at 12:32 PM, EricksonAquatics said: I wouldn’t overthink it! I would stick with what you have, keep dosing your Easy Green and don’t keep worrying about everything on the periodic table lolz😂 Haha. You’re probably right. And I am overthinking it I know. Lol. My husband keeps asking me if all fish tanks were this hard to keep 😂🤷🏻♀️🙈 but it’s just so much info to learn and I wanna do it right. Lol. thanks. Ok. I’ll let it sit tight and see if everything mediates out. 🙏🏻🙏🏻☺️ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricksonAquatics Posted June 5 Share Posted June 5 Oh believe me, it’s so easy to go down a rabbit hole in this hobby! There is so much information out there. Who knew throwing some rocks and plants in a glass square filled with water could be so complicated! Geez! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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