Dropsy

Thanks munchycarrot, I'll try that and see what happens.

Just do it in a bucket & see what the results are. If they seem ok, i'd recommend incorporating it into your water changes ie. if you usually take out 3 buckets, put 3 buckets of the epsom/bicarb mix back in

I know there have been posts on here about this before but to be totally honest I dont understand this.

I dont check for hardness, softness or anything except ph, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and I have what I think are considered your normal 'community' fish.

I'm guessing that Gypsy has community fish too - guppies so why would she be checking for it? I thought it was only for the fancier fish (like yours MC!) that were sensitive to this?

I mean it's a good job that she is because there obviously is a problem with her water that needs sorting, but should I be checking this weekly too, and what signs would there be if there was a problem?

I think the main problem with community fish is if there is a sudden change in pH it can affect them but if your pH stays stable it doesn't matter so much but I'm not an expert so don't take my word for it.

I have kept checking mine as during the fishless cycle I had a KH crash and as I have very soft tap water I have always been a bit concerned in case it happened again (I have to add bicarb at all water changes to try and keep it stable as if the KH crashes the pH could do the same) As for signs the only sign I have had of this one was doing the twice weekly test (yes I know once should be enough but I do two water changes aweek to try and keep the KH stable) and my vallis plants just disintegrating.

Why would there be a sudden change then Gypsy? Is it just that the ph of the tapwater changes or something else?

KH is?

Thanks for all the info