New 10 Gal (update)

Question
Tank setup 5-03-06.
10 gal, tropical, community.
Ammonia: 0, Nitrite, 0, Nitrate: 15, pH 6.7, KH: 6.
8 fish, feeding flakes every 2 days., Water Changes: 25% every 2 weeks. Dose 12 drops of Aquari-Sol after every water change, as a parasite preventative.

Well Chris, with your help and encouragement, I am finally in a comfortable place. Fish are doing well. Just a couple of follow up questions;

The pH is ok, it is steady, but a little low for my taste. I would like to maintain 7.0. The "pH Up" drops did little. I bought "pH Proper 7.0 powder". It did raise the pH, it took 4 doses. It also raised the KH. And now, I assume because of the Phosphates, in that stuff - I have algae growth on the plastic plants. How can I raise the pH, without raising the KH any more? Will Baking Soda help me, or will it raise the KH too high? What is the max KH?

I've started to worry about my Nitrates. I have a Fluval 3 and no canister, so I do not thing x-nitrate stuff is an option. Live plants are not an option, I've have enough grief with live plants in my son's betta tank. I also like to use Aquari-Sol. Aside from water changes, what else can I do to lower the Nitrates. I was thinking of putting x-nitrate in a corner box type bubbler filter, and running an air line to it. What do you think?

When my Ammonia levels were hovering at 8 ppm, for weeks, my water was crystal clear. Now, with all the levels fine, the water is always a little cloudy. I bought some Jungle Clear Water (potassium permanganate). I was thinking of using it after the next water change. Do you have any experience with this stuff. Yes, I know - "no chemicals - more water changes".

I think my 8 fish, are already too much for this tank. I was forced to take 2 platies from my son's betta tank. I was planning to purchase some sort of algae eater. Can you recommend a dwarf algae eater,that will be appropriate for a community tank?  

Answer
Hi Lee;

Your next to last paragraph comment made me chuckle....."Yes, I know - no chemicals - more water changes". LOL! That's really the answer to the whole thing. There is nothing wrong with the pH that a weekly 25% water change won't fix. Yours really isn't that bad anyway. If the tank is overcrowded it is even more important to do more changes. Also do a gravel vacuuming every 2 to 4 weeks. It will reduce the nitrates too.

The water is cloudy from the use of the pH powder. Once the problem is corrected with water changes it will be just fine. The water changes remove the phosphates too. Unless of course, your tap water is already equipped with it. It happens. Some pH regulators actually contain phosphate. Look at the label to see. I don't remember if that one does.

Putting an extra box filter with the x-nitrate in it would be okay. It's a simple media that's safe to use. No chemicals involved. Nitrate will be going down with the weekly changes though. Yours is really not very high anyway. It's safe at up to 40 ppm. Most tanks can't get theirs below 30, so at 15 yours is great!

Followups welcome.....

At Your Service;
Chris Robbins