Does the need to frequently stir the sand lessen with MTS?
(I apologize if I am hi-jacking.)
Kristina
(I apologize if I am hi-jacking.)
Kristina
I killed all my fish.....
- Thread starter cschilly
- Start date
Yes. MTS move the substrate a lot, so that gases can't accumulate in it and escape to the surface through the open spaces created by the MTS movements.
If you can exclude ammonia/nitrite/nitrate by testing with a good liquid drop test kit then I would agree gas is the likely cause - I know you said nitrite/nitrate were within bounds, but that means 0 for nitrite, and less than 40 (I would say 20 but 40 is safe) nitrate, testing not with strips.
I also agree that 3 - 4 inches is a bit too much substrate.
More importantly very sorry you lost them
I also agree that 3 - 4 inches is a bit too much substrate.
More importantly very sorry you lost them
Malaysian Trumpet Snails stir up the sand very well-- as do freshwater clams
this can almost eliminate the need for sand-stirring
Do you use prime or any other conditioner regularly and at the recommended strength? Has your area seen any flooding near where your water source is located? Losing all fish and losing fish during regular changes sounds like chlorinated water or water treated with extra chemicals due to flooding. This is spring, floods occur often. I'm skeptical of the gas causing the problems.
Hmm. You stated in your opening thread about Nitrates and nitrites being okay. Did you test after the crash? If the gas pocket theory is true you would register ammonia at the least and nitrites thereafter. I've never had this happen with sand, so I cannot comment from personal experience. I do however feed sparingly and only what my fish eat while I am present. I vac every week with light stirring, and once a month I get under the rock structures. In my 46 I don't gravel vac at all, I'm guessing the Geos do enough of that.
I hear of this happening but have a hard time getting how so much ammonia could build up within a few hours. I'm guessing you checked your heater, no malfunction or electrical short?
I hear of this happening but have a hard time getting how so much ammonia could build up within a few hours. I'm guessing you checked your heater, no malfunction or electrical short?
As am I. It does sound rather like poisoning. Here in FL we've had several " boil water " notices. I won't touch my tanks during these times. It seems to me like it would have to be an extremely high concentration of ammonia to cause deaths so quickly.
I didn't test afterwards, didn't even think of it. Before the water change nitrates were zero, nitrites at 15. I use an API liquid test kit.
No boil orders that I'm aware of. I don't use prime, just tap water dechlorinator.
I find it interesting that the plecostamus is hardy enough to survive but not the cichlids.
No boil orders that I'm aware of. I don't use prime, just tap water dechlorinator.
I find it interesting that the plecostamus is hardy enough to survive but not the cichlids.
You should know immediately if you had gas pockets. This doesn't sound like gas pockets. 1 - You didn't mention seeing gas pockets being released and coming to the surface, and 2 - you didn't mention a rotten eggs smell. The gas formed should be methane, nitrogen, and hydrogen sulfide. Methane is pretty hamrless to fish and nitrogen is harmless. Hydrogen sulfide can be a killer in large amounts, but again, you would see the gas escaping. I move rocks around and have pockets come out of my sand all the time. No biggie. You need a lot of the gas to cause problems. I've never even had enough to smell it. If you want to restock, call your local water supplier, ask them for a report on your water. They will supply you with one or direct you to a place online that has it. Be sure to ask if they have recently introduced any new elements to fight a potential problem - like flooding. Even if you're not flooding, precautionary measures can be taken by the treatment facility to ensure water collected from different points isn't contaminated from flooding elsewhere. Lastly - what size is your tank, I don't remember if it's big enough for demasoni or not.
I'll check with the water dept. Tank is 55 gallon w/ sand and lots of rockwork.
One thing I didn't mention- I was sticking the vac deep into the sand and letting the sand get sucked up pretty high. At a certain point I would see a dark cloud come up to the surface of the sand. Was that the gas?? But I didn't notice a smell.
One thing I didn't mention- I was sticking the vac deep into the sand and letting the sand get sucked up pretty high. At a certain point I would see a dark cloud come up to the surface of the sand. Was that the gas?? But I didn't notice a smell.
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