The Puffer Forum

OK, that is an updated package from what I have. So, it likely is the aluminum. Does your water supply provide any water analyses? We are spoiled over here, as EPA requires the companies to update us at least yearly, and we still get quarterly updates.

Well I think I now know the reason for all the dead fish I've been coming across lately.

All in that tank?

Well I had my salivator die for no good reason, and when I thought my algae eater had caused injury to my nefastus I moved it to that tank, and he was alive and well, strangely enough, the next day he was dead. And I've found at least one guppy per week dead and in relatively good condition.
I can't say for sure, but I am beginning to think this damselfly larvae was eating good, or there's more than one of them in there!

As to our water supply RTR, I'm not sure what British law is in regards to the water company disclosing what's in the tap water. I know that nitrates come out of my tap at a very high ppm.
Thing is, I've got these polyfilters in some of my other tanks and they aren't coming out red, in fact, I just did a water change on my dwarf puffer tank today, and it's got a polyfilter in there, and the colour of it just indicated regular organic wastes. So I don't think it can be the tap water if just the one tank is showing a reading for aluminum. Which makes me wonder even more what the source of aluminum could be?
Why do I always have these strange situations?

LOL! Everybody with a lot of tanks has some problem children, er, um, tanks. I have a couple. There is one which develops hair algae (two separate varieties) without any real reason - water parameters, etc exactly match other tanks, or are somewhat better as that one get more care. Another gets surface films, although it is one of three identical tanks in the circulating range - all equipment, plantings, etc. are identical and all have the same fish (all rainbows) and the water circulates through the whole system. I gave up trying to figure it out and installed a surface scum extractor. If you have a lot of tanks, some will be strange.

But I do wonder where the aluminum comes from - that is not common.

how did you test for aluminum?

I've been using those Polyfilters lately. Actually I started using them after my F8's died in the tank I now have my dwarf puffers in. I didn't want there to be any problems, so I got the Polyfilters to make sure nothing was amiss. That tank doesn't have any issues with it, the polyfilter is showing normal organic waste.
But on my Mbu tank, the Polyfilter came out very red, and the packaging I have says that indicates aluminum in the water. I don't know if that's toxic to my fish or not, and obviously I don't know how heavy of a concentration of aluminum there is.