5 fish dead after water change yesterday
- Thread starter doctorboo
- Start date
Thank you for all your replies!
There were no deaths overnight thank goodness (I was fearing/dreaming the worst), but the fish all still looked unhappy this morning. I tested for ammonia (0) and nitrite (0.25, maybe higher) - def a problem there so I changed 1/2 the water and the fish started looking happier straight away - the gbr and cardinal came away from the surface. So I will retest and change water if necessary again today after work.
I'm running with the 'too much gravel/plant disturbance' theory now - I did put in some extra water conditioner in last night as well in case it is the water main. I guess I will try not to do such large rearrangements all at once in future. I did think that since my tank isn't all that old that there wouldn't have been time for pockets of gunk to build up...
The gravel I have is painted black and (large) pea-sized - quite big, and a lot of gunk falls between the big pieces. I'm toying with the idea of replacing it with finer gravel which may be easier to vac and keep clean - what does everyone think of this?
Thanks,
Rachel
There were no deaths overnight thank goodness (I was fearing/dreaming the worst), but the fish all still looked unhappy this morning. I tested for ammonia (0) and nitrite (0.25, maybe higher) - def a problem there so I changed 1/2 the water and the fish started looking happier straight away - the gbr and cardinal came away from the surface. So I will retest and change water if necessary again today after work.
I'm running with the 'too much gravel/plant disturbance' theory now - I did put in some extra water conditioner in last night as well in case it is the water main. I guess I will try not to do such large rearrangements all at once in future. I did think that since my tank isn't all that old that there wouldn't have been time for pockets of gunk to build up...
The gravel I have is painted black and (large) pea-sized - quite big, and a lot of gunk falls between the big pieces. I'm toying with the idea of replacing it with finer gravel which may be easier to vac and keep clean - what does everyone think of this?
Thanks,
Rachel
Did you check what the water reads straight from the tap?
I assume that the water was very close in temp when you changed it, when you do a change that large this is more important.
Sometimes I water my plants and they die the next day, makes me think there are a lot of problems with city water that we don't know about.
I assume that the water was very close in temp when you changed it, when you do a change that large this is more important.
Sometimes I water my plants and they die the next day, makes me think there are a lot of problems with city water that we don't know about.
Check this out:
http://saltaquarium.about.com/cs/dirosetup/a/aa011003.htm
This is why when I bring up tap water in marine section I stress how horrible it can be.
Just thought i share this thing for reading entertainment and enlightenment on how city water can be a gamble.
Black is a hard color for substrate. There is a black organism that can grow and produce H2SO4. This is a toxic gas that smells like rotten eggs. If you make sure that your gravel is oxygenated it will not ever form. So, it is good the stir up the gravel or have another method to make sure there is water flow to the gravel. I use substrate heating in one of my tanks and areal plant growth in my other tank to make sure I am bringing O2 to the substrate.
Doing a major plant prune is why you have the Nitrite issues. In a heavily planted aquarium you are utilizing the plant growth to remove ammonia before the bacteria can get to it. So you had allowed your plants to take over the role of your bacteria. When you did a major pruning the bacteria were not quite able to take over and pick up the slack.
It seems like you are on track now. Don't be afraid to clean deep when you gravel vac and get things stirred up. As a rule of thumb don't prune more dried weight of plants than you feed in fish food in two weeks.
Doing a major plant prune is why you have the Nitrite issues. In a heavily planted aquarium you are utilizing the plant growth to remove ammonia before the bacteria can get to it. So you had allowed your plants to take over the role of your bacteria. When you did a major pruning the bacteria were not quite able to take over and pick up the slack.
It seems like you are on track now. Don't be afraid to clean deep when you gravel vac and get things stirred up. As a rule of thumb don't prune more dried weight of plants than you feed in fish food in two weeks.
(just finished writing this once then stupidly went back to page 1 in my browser, and lost it all!)
Colinsk your comment about the plants makes a lot of sense - will watch my pruning in future. Pockets of gas / 'bad' bacteria that has been mentioned by many also seems to be a likely culprit. Note to self: find chopstick and stir gravel tonight!
Have tested the tap water for ammonia / nitrite - zero for both. I match the temperature as best I can for water changes - add boiling water (don't use hot water from tap as pipes are old). Yeah I don't entirely trust Sydney water, but I think in this case its not to blame ...
Over the last day I've been basically managing this nitrite spike - been having to do 50% water changes 2x day to keep my fish happy and nitrite under 0.25 (ammonia is zero). No more deaths, but my poor gbr is the best barometer - he's hovering at the top of the tank a lot of the time but instantly after a water change he's down the bottom in his cave, still looking cranky but not so sick. up and down, up and down ...
I've fed only once in last 2 days - keeping food waste / fish poo to a minimum until things stabilise.
I said in my first post that my pH was fine - but actually it is not! tested yesterday and it had dropped massively to 6.6 (out of tap its 7.4-7.6 as per usual). This has not happened at all before - I'm thinking the black / 'bad' bacteria - if they are producing rotten egg gas that will be the smell - also ... remembering my chemistry - h2s is water soluble and acidic - pH drop explained yes? Therefore can I expect my pH to stabilise once everything settles down again (as long as I stir gravel regularly to stop bad bacteria building up)? I'm hoping too my fish can just cope with the pH swings at the moment - nitrite prob far worse.
2nd note to self: revise aquarium /nitrogen cycle/ bacteria chemistry ...
Thanks again to everyone, the feedback has been really useful.
Colinsk your comment about the plants makes a lot of sense - will watch my pruning in future. Pockets of gas / 'bad' bacteria that has been mentioned by many also seems to be a likely culprit. Note to self: find chopstick and stir gravel tonight!
Have tested the tap water for ammonia / nitrite - zero for both. I match the temperature as best I can for water changes - add boiling water (don't use hot water from tap as pipes are old). Yeah I don't entirely trust Sydney water, but I think in this case its not to blame ...
Over the last day I've been basically managing this nitrite spike - been having to do 50% water changes 2x day to keep my fish happy and nitrite under 0.25 (ammonia is zero). No more deaths, but my poor gbr is the best barometer - he's hovering at the top of the tank a lot of the time but instantly after a water change he's down the bottom in his cave, still looking cranky but not so sick. up and down, up and down ...
I've fed only once in last 2 days - keeping food waste / fish poo to a minimum until things stabilise.
I said in my first post that my pH was fine - but actually it is not! tested yesterday and it had dropped massively to 6.6 (out of tap its 7.4-7.6 as per usual). This has not happened at all before - I'm thinking the black / 'bad' bacteria - if they are producing rotten egg gas that will be the smell - also ... remembering my chemistry - h2s is water soluble and acidic - pH drop explained yes? Therefore can I expect my pH to stabilise once everything settles down again (as long as I stir gravel regularly to stop bad bacteria building up)? I'm hoping too my fish can just cope with the pH swings at the moment - nitrite prob far worse.
2nd note to self: revise aquarium /nitrogen cycle/ bacteria chemistry ...
Thanks again to everyone, the feedback has been really useful.
