HELP: filled from the tap, overflowed tank, fish dying...

[Prometheus]

Overflowed the tank, least of my concern.

Water temp is 10 degrees below norm (65 instead of 77 degrees)

I checked PH, fine at 7.2 (norm)

Only thing I can think of is besides water temp, I didn't declholr enough and not enough airation to water going in...

[Prometheus]

Ok, now that the post is up...

55 gallon tank, light load, 1 bala, 3 neons, 3 diamond tetras, 5 albino 'cory' cats, 2 sissor tails, about 1/2 dozen daniels. 2 330 filters, 2 55 watt heaters, air risers for constant air and 1 power head..

I was filling from the tap (as usual) at a SLOW rate and just right (should take 1-1/2 hours).

I just did a 1/3 tank drain using a siphon (viper gravel cleaner thing).

Some how (I donno how), the cold water got turned WAY up. I have a boat load of water that has flooded a good part of my home office (stopped short of the computer and power strips thank God).

Anyway, it's a mess and some of the fish just started swimming belly up.

I donno what else to do... I added more dechlorinator, .... this is awful.

[Kasakato]

What kind of dechlor?

How long has the tank been up?

Test results?

[anonapersona]

Add enough dechlor to treat the entire tank volume once, now. Assume that the overflow took out most of what you put in earlier, if you do double dechlor it shouldn't hurt the fish.

Now add aeration, lots of it. A spare airpump and big air stone, the biggest.

I did that to my tank of discus recently, got overworked and overflowed on tank in the den, then a catfish got stuck in the drain of the discus tank that was starting a water change, then when I refilled the discus tank I forgot to add any dechlor. They were better by morning, I did add a tiny bit of salt but I'm not sure if it was a good or bad thing to add at that point. Don't feed them. I used Prime, since I worried that I may have nuked the filter as well when I restared all the filters with a 50% fresh tap water refill and no dechlor. You may want to add Prime or Amquell if you have any, to handle any ammonia spike that comes up.

[Kasakato]

And why dose it take so long to do a water change with a Python?

[pl*co]

....don't forget to get the temp up. They may also be experiencing shock from the quick change in temp. You know, drain off some water... slowly replace with warmer water until temp is where is should be. Good luck. Please keep us posted.

[ScottoMacD]

What did you do leave the room?

That will teach you to freebase while doing water changes.


Really though. Chances are that the fish are stressing from the massive temp drop.

I would do another one and add warmer water slowly this time to get it up to a more reasonable level and go from there.

They are already stressing so the new water change will not change much from their stand point.

[JSchmidt]

I would be surprised if a 10 degree change in temp would kill fish, except for the most sensitive fish...

I think the chlorine problem is the likely culprit; I'd even wonder if maybe the water utility started using chloramines (some do it seasonally, like during heavy spring rain runoff).

Hope the fish are getting back to normal... I feel for you...

Jim

[Prometheus]

And why dose it take so long to do a water change with a Python?

Sorry, I was in ahurry when posting it... It's just a regular old gravel sucker thing that I drian out the window the tank sits next to, the line I hook to the tap is just a line (they aren't combined) The 'cleaning' takes only a few minutes, I just let the water slowly refill the tank to try to prevent and quick changes in temp (since I don't use the hot water, to avoid any build up that maybe in my h20 heater tank going into the fish tank) and teh so the tank heaters keep the temp with a degree of norm.

Yes, I did leave the room. I got a series of work emergency phone calls and I was dealing with that. I came back in plenty of time... had the water still been at a tickle that is.

I would guess I overflowed by about 15-20 gallons... Hard to tell with carpet.
Definately no more or it would have filled the entire fllor instead of just about 1/2 of it. I'm glad I had dumped a pile of 'good will' clothes I had taken out the other day right by the tank, it soaked up alot of water.... sorry goodwill.

Anyway, 1 dead bala and 2 dead danio (sorry no 'daniels' in the tank, I meant danio, are there even daniels?)

All the levels in the tank are still normal ( amonia-0, nitrates-5, nitrite-0, Ph-7.2, ect. ect.)

I have the power head flowing max airation and the stone from teh air riser.

Not much more I can do I guess... the heaters are raising the temp slowly...

[PurpleSmurf]

What did you do leave the room?

That will teach you to freebase while doing water changes.Leaving the room during a water change is hardly a faliable offence depending on your refill method. I leave the room during my refill (not while siphoning water from the tank) because a) when siphoning water I use marks on the bucket to know exactly how much I've removed and thus can put back in and b) bubbles of O2 form in my vac tube and slow the water down signifigantly.

Anyway, like everyone said you just temp shocked your tank. Remove the dead fish (duh), calm down, and work on stabilizing your tank back to atleast 72. Once you've gotten there just chill and let the heater/room heat take care of the rest.

[Prometheus]

Morning after...

Aside from the inital dead Bala and 2 danios the rest of the fish seem fine this AM. Tank temp is back up to normal and the rest of them seem to be doing fine.

I still can't believe the neons made it...

Thanks for the help guys (and gals), I appreciate it.

[judgemax]

its funny that people say neons arent that hardy lol mine have made it through some sticky situations as well and i have trouble with danios i always lose one of them first lol .........

[Avenolpey]

I think your bigger problem is your carpet. How are you going to properly dry it with the fish tank sitting on it. You need to completely dry that carpet with a dehumidifier or you risk mold in the carpet, pad or flooring. :sad: I feel for you.

[ScottoMacD]

Purplesmurf.

What I said was said tongue in cheek, it wasn't meant to be taken seriously.


Prometheus:
As for the carpet a shopvac and a dehumidifier will do the trick nicely. Especially if you can close the door and shut the room off from the rest of the house the dehumidifier will work wonders and after it dries a couple of regular vaccums nobody will be the wiser that the carpet was soaked.


Glad it worked out for you. It could have been much worse.