Same Isssue Been a while What Now?

L

luv2fish35

Small Fish
#1
Oct 14, 2009
47
0
0
Stuart, Florida
#1
Hi guys..
I've not been on in awhile because things had started to settle down with my new tank thanks for all your support and info. But now suddenly my fish are starting to dye again. They aren't showing any signs to me of distress just finding them dead. i've found two of my neon Tetras in the intake of my filter and two mollies just on the bottom of my tank... my guppy finally looks like she gave birth but I only saw one baby and now haven't even seen that one anymore all my other molly babies are gone too. What do you think is going on? I've backed off of my water changes some but i just did one two days ago partial i took a reading and the amonia reading is still saying harmful 1.0-3.0 and the p.h is 8.5 nitratre 0.0 nitrite 0.0 very soft water kh 180 so what is my next step.....
 

homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#2
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#2
Your tank is not cycled. You have ammonia and no nitrates. You are doing something to kill off your bacterial colony.

Do you dechlorinate your water before adding it to the tank?

Do you totally replace filter media or just swish it out? If swishing, do you swish it in used tank water or dechlorinated water, or do you swish it in tap water that has not been treated?

Have you medicated your tank? That can kill the bacteria.

Has your filter media got dried out in some way recently?

Are you scrubbing your tank spotless? scrubbing out the filter box, scrubbing the gravel, the sides of the tank?

You have to do enough of a water change to get the ammonia down below 1.0 to preserve your fish's chances of living. Don't wait.
 

JRB__

JRB__

Large Fish
#3
Oct 24, 2009
285
0
0
Australia
#3
homebunnyj said:
Your tank is not cycled. You have ammonia and no nitrates. You are doing something to kill off your bacterial colony.............
You have to do enough of a water change to get the ammonia down below 1.0 to preserve your fish's chances of living. Don't wait.
Click to expand...
In case you missed that.. Your tank IS NOT!! cycled....still.
I totally agree with Judy and everything she suggested, you MUST be doing something to kill off your beneficial bacteria.
From this point forward you need to think of tap water as a major POISON that should NOT be put into your tank or used on any of your tanks equipment and substrate without first being treated.
Untreated tap water will INSTANTLY undo the entire process of cycling..

Water Change, Water Change & Water Change and Fast if you want your fish to survive.
Note* don't completely empty the tank of water however as this will prolong the process.
 

L

luv2fish35

Small Fish
#5
Oct 14, 2009
47
0
0
Stuart, Florida
#5
yes I have been treating my tap water with a dechlorinator before adding it and i have been cleaning my filter in the tank water only no I havent been medicating my water lately. Maybe I'm not adding enough dechlorinator to the new water? could that be it? I put one cap into a five gallon bucket? I lost another fish tonight
 

E

epond83

Large Fish
#6
Mar 11, 2007
483
0
0
#6
What kind of dechlorinator are you using? they all have different amounts you are suppose to use. Have you tested your tap water to see what you are adding to the tank?
 

L

luv2fish35

Small Fish
#8
Oct 14, 2009
47
0
0
Stuart, Florida
#8
Its called Start Right by Jungle and it says use One cap full to 10 gallons of water so I use about half a capful to a five gallon bucket....Just did another about 50 percent water change and found a very dead decaying neon tetra under some rocks and now my pleco fish is acting very strange guys he is floating and keeps going to the top of the tank and kind of lays on his side I think he's dying...Is he? This is the first that he has acted like this what should I do?
 

Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#9
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#9
Sounds bad, and im sorry you and your fish are having such a bad esperience :( hows the temperature fluctuations during and after water changes? try not to put cold or hot water in the tank, as that can shock the fish.
 

Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#11
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#11
I do the same with my tap water, but when i change it it ends up cooling my tank 5 degrees F . idk if its too bad, but the fish have dealt with it.

I meant about the pleco :(
 

E

epond83

Large Fish
#12
Mar 11, 2007
483
0
0
#12
Do you have a heater in your tank? What is the temp in the tank? Pelcos propably need higher temps then a room temp tank. This is combined with an uncycled tank is not going to help. How long has this tank been up and running?
 

JRB__

JRB__

Large Fish
#13
Oct 24, 2009
285
0
0
Australia
#13
epond83 said:
Do you have a heater in your tank? What is the temp in the tank? Pelcos propably need higher temps then a room temp tank. This is combined with an uncycled tank is not going to help....
Click to expand...
I second that *thumbsup2

luv2fish25 you are having a terrible intro to this hobby :(
Your fish are tropical fish and there for require a higher than room temprature temp.
Also, where are you keeping the water for 2 days before you add it to the tank? Is there any chance it is becoming contaminated some how during that time? cleaning chems, sprays etc??
 

JRB__

JRB__

Large Fish
#14
Oct 24, 2009
285
0
0
Australia
#14
luv2fish35 give us a complete run down on your set-up. Maybe with a little more info someone might have a lightbulb moment...

Tank size and measurements

Substrate + live plants

Ornaments, rocks, caves etc

All chemicals currently in use + names and brands

Filtration system, airation system + names and brands

Age of tank (time since set-up)

Kinds of fish kept

Testing kit/s you using + brands

And finally an up to date reading of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH

Oh and btw, good job on not giving up yet. Most people would have.
 

L

luv2fish35

Small Fish
#16
Oct 14, 2009
47
0
0
Stuart, Florida
#16
epond83 said:
Do you have a heater in your tank? What is the temp in the tank? Pelcos propably need higher temps then a room temp tank. This is combined with an uncycled tank is not going to help. How long has this tank been up and running?
Click to expand...
Yes I have a heater in my tank the temp stays about 76-78 degrees and my tank has been running now since about the end of september I believe
 

L

luv2fish35

Small Fish
#17
Oct 14, 2009
47
0
0
Stuart, Florida
#17
JRB__ said:
I second that *thumbsup2

luv2fish25 you are having a terrible intro to this hobby :(
Your fish are tropical fish and there for require a higher than room temprature temp.
Also, where are you keeping the water for 2 days before you add it to the tank? Is there any chance it is becoming contaminated some how during that time? cleaning chems, sprays etc??
Click to expand...
Yes tell me about my intro into this.....I keep my water beside my tank covered with towels and boxes so nothing can get into it like my cats...LOL
 

L

luv2fish35

Small Fish
#18
Oct 14, 2009
47
0
0
Stuart, Florida
#18
JRB__ said:
luv2fish35 give us a complete run down on your set-up. Maybe with a little more info someone might have a lightbulb moment...

Tank size and measurements

Substrate + live plants

Ornaments, rocks, caves etc

All chemicals currently in use + names and brands

Filtration system, airation system + names and brands

Age of tank (time since set-up)

Kinds of fish kept

Testing kit/s you using + brands

And finally an up to date reading of ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH

Oh and btw, good job on not giving up yet. Most people would have.
Click to expand...
OK i will try....I have a 29 gallon long tank with two filters and 1 air stone... 1 heater I had a live lilly plant in it I just recently got rid of because my mollys kept eating it and the plant was getting caught in my filters so good bye.
lets see next i'm not really using any chemicals now except for the Jungle brand water dechlorinator from Walmart.
I've got regular aquariam gravel and some larger decorative pebbles that I purchased from the dollar store a month ago for my babies to hide in but they have been washed well and have been in the tank for awhile now. i have about 8-9 plastic plants. I have 3 ceramic pieces.
Like I said its been set up now for about two months.
I use Jungle test strips to test my water with and the current reading today after my water change again last night is:
nitrate 0.0
nitrite 0.0
g.h 25
ppm0.0
kh 180
ph 8.4
I'm keeping (4)Mollies, (4)Platys, (4)guppys, (2)neons, (3)bloodfins, (1)pleco, (3)small corys
 

Newman

Newman

Elite Fish
#19
Sep 22, 2009
4,668
0
0
Northern NJ
#19
some of the readings confused me.
0ppm of what? (after the gh of 25)
You say that the GH is 25 dGH? or 25ppm GH?
It seems you mean that you have 180ppm KH...right?
The pH is mad high for neons, and blood fins, and maybe even the cory. I think the pleco can handle it.

Did you ever test your decorative pebbles with vinegar to get an idea on whether theyll raise your pH or not? (bubbling reaction to vinigar means dont use the pebles as they will raise the pH)
 

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