I don't understand why they're dying!

[platytudes]

Incidentally, if you think you might be having an extended power outage (for me the clue is usually the loud snap of the transformer going out...happens every time there is lots of lightning) the best thing to do is float your media in a basin of water, so that it is all the way wet but not submerged, "breathing" at the surface if you will.

Putting it in a sandwich bag is not such a good idea, because of the limited supply of O2 in the sealed bag.

However the bucket, basin, or whatever works just great and I have had media stay alive for over 24 hours in such an arrangement. It's really easy to tell when your media has begun "dying" because it smells quite a bit like a dead snail. Freshly killed media is still better than brand spanking new, though! It usually recovers fairly quickly.

 

[captmicha]

I am consistently having sleep problems, that's why. I wake up more than 40 times every hour, so I'm getting practically no sleep, treatment and medications haven't helped, my doctors are baffled. Sleep deprivation will mess you up in a big way. Just try it some time. Try having it for over a decade like I have. You will become a wonderful person too, especially if you have to live with my family, who only help make things worse.

My 5 gallons and 2.5 and 3 gallon made it through fine but the filters were submerged. I'm not really surprised that I didn't put two and two together about the filter... I'm going to siphon out the thrift store substrate today with the water change.

 

[platytudes]

Hmm. Maybe support groups? Online forums like these have to be out there for people with chronic sleep disturbances.

I do hope you find a treatment plan that works for you - surely there has to be something that can be done - and again, sorry that you have to go through that. That is a total crappy thing to have to live with.

Good luck with your tank, though I'm sure it will be fine now....you're over the hump

 

[dundadundun]

if your BB's died, they surely leaked ammo into the tank. after all, they're living organisms as well. decay of any type of organism leads to water quality issues. that could definitely explain such a high spike since not only were they not doing they're job of removing it, but they were likely adding to it.

now... on to your ph issue. a picture would really help. it's possible someone with similar experience might see something you dismissed and recall their own frustrations and possibly point you in the right direction. if you're not comfy posting a picture for whatever reason, you'll have to be very detailed and vivid in your explanation of every single item in your tank or that your water comes into contact with for that particular tank. hopefully you can get it worked out.

as for the bad day... don't worry about it... we all have them. i know i've posted things i've read over and "fixed" 5 times, came back later and went "doh!... now i know everyone is going to take that wrong and think i'm a jerk." i'm sure platy could recall one or 50 instances. :uhoh: it's even tougher when you're frustrated and asking for help. but you don't want to limit yourself in your replies because of it, either.

 

[captmicha]

I think it'll just be easier to get rid of the substrate that's in there before examining the whole tank. I'll take a picture tonight anyways.

Thanks for being so understanding I need to be more careful how to react in the future, no matter how I'm feeling.

 

[the wizard]

hope you get things back on track

 

[authmal]

I need to be more careful how to react in the future, no matter how I'm feeling.

+1, but not specifically for you. It's something everyone should try to do. We're all human, and prone to the same kinds of mistakes.

 

[dundadundun]

I think it'll just be easier to get rid of the substrate that's in there before examining the whole tank.

not if it's something else. say if your planter is a convincing facsimile of terracotta instead of the real thing for example. stirring up and removing your substrate, possibly causing another deadly ammo spike isn't going to help. then you'd still have the ph spiking and another ammo issue. just an example.

looking back at your last post, i see you mention white rocks from the thrift store. i would test them outside of the tank in tap water and see if the ph in that water raises from them. as well, changing the substrates in all your tanks seems a bit drastic. i don't know if i'd want to lose the BB in the substrate in all my tanks at once, personally.

 

[MChambers]

I agree with the general consensus, that your biomedia must have died. I strongly doubt that pool filter sand is the issue, since I've used it myself without problem and since I've never seen any reports of problems resulting from its use.

I thought the tone of your posts was fine. Good luck with the sleep problem. Cutting down on computer time might help, but I'm sure you've heard that before.