Yikes Hypo problem

[iceemn360]

Just a few hours ago something began to get fishy in my hypo tank which I haven't dropped yet. i suspect that ammonia was building up for some reason and my flame angel turned pink and was laying on its side. I tested ammonia just a few hour earlier and it appeared to be zero. I immediately placed the clearly stressed fish back into the display and within an hour their breathing returned to normal and their colors returned.

 

[iceemn360]

Another question
If I conduct HYPO will it kill the beneficial bacteria in the H20 ?

 

[iceemn360]

The info thread at the top states that the bacteria will surive but I feel unsure about this

 

[iceemn360]

WHY DOES THE PH DROP WHEN YOU ADD FRESH H20
IF THIS IS THE CASE WOULD DISTILLED H20 NOT CHANGE THE PH?

 

[lefty]

Add a pH buffer and it'll be fine. I don't recommend doing this for your display tank, but if this is an emergency QT like it sounds like it is, add the buffer.
-lefty

 

[elfdoctors]

Originally posted by iceemn360
WHY DOES THE PH DROP WHEN YOU ADD FRESH H20
IF THIS IS THE CASE WOULD DISTILLED H20 NOT CHANGE THE PH?
The pH of pure water/distilled water is 7. When you add that to your tank, the pH will drop. The effect is more noticable when you are doing hyposalinity as the buffering capacity (alkalinity) of the water has dropped.