What a tragic lesson to learn.

Apexden

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 17, 2011
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so ill try and make this short, any help would be wonderful! i have been out of the hobby for a couple of years until i found a deal on a 110g tank, so i set it up. first i used pea gravel from lowes, which i have used in the past and got datnoids and pbass (the filtration was subpar at the time using a mag 350 and a hob) then i decided i was going to look for some geo's which the gravel would have to be replaced by sand, here is where it starts. i am a big DIY guy and i love to make things i can, so i found some black sand at a rock quary in which the guy told me it was crushed rock, nothing more and he gave me about 150 lbs free. i added it to my tank, i used a light layer in it and the fish seemed to be fine.

then i got the bug to build a moving bed (K1) sump, i used a 40g aquarium but i had to build a new stand, no problem. i stripped out the fish, moved the tank onto the stand, added the sump and filled the tank....normal things to do after a build, so i thought. since i added a sump, i pointed my powerhead down twords the sand to stir up any uneaten food and fed the fish. any of you who own pbass and dats know that they recognize you and begg for food, these guys were hanging up top that evening and the next morning while i was at work, they died. i tested the water with those damn test strips (never again will i use these) and saw my tap water was 6.0 so i used coral to bring up my PH and added some tin foils to see if my ph was in tact, also bought the api liquid tester as well at that point. the barbs looked ok for a few days but ended up dying as well. so i remembered that i pointed my powerhead to the sand and thought it was my sand that was killing off my fish. soooooooooooo i took out the sand, added my pea gravel back in, i since took in a 5" dat and i have added salt, mela fix and carbon to remove any trace elements if any that were left behind.

the poor dat now is scared, he hids when i enter the room and will not eat. thank goodness the old owner fed him well, so he has a little of reserve on him. but my question is this: should i be doing anything else to combat my situation? in the tank is carbon, salt about 1 cup, mela fix is not being used anymore and i did a 10% water change last night that made my water a bit cloudy. perameters are as such: zero for everything including ammonia. i have other fish ordered and coming in this week, so any chime ins would be welcomed, im not a noob by any means, i have just had a stupid mistake get the best of me and i need to over come it......

thanks in advance,
Dennis

****oh, sorry for the spelling lol
 

xraycer

Arapaima
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2013
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Southern NH USA
You should be showing nitrates, otherwise tank is not cycled
 

Apexden

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 17, 2011
73
0
36
55
USA
its not cycled for sure esp with all of the water i have replaced
 

xraycer

Arapaima
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2013
5,383
2,571
203
Southern NH USA
So, your tank is not cycled with a 5" datnoid already in there........and you have more fish coming this week?
 

Apexden

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 17, 2011
73
0
36
55
USA
ive been seeding it with old media after going thru this / the fish can be held at the shipper
 

xraycer

Arapaima
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2013
5,383
2,571
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Southern NH USA
its not cycled for sure esp with all of the water i have replaced
Was the tank even fully cycled when you had all those die offs?
 

Apexden

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 17, 2011
73
0
36
55
USA
yep, thats why i made my moving bed sump, i had a cycled tank
 

xraycer

Arapaima
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2013
5,383
2,571
203
Southern NH USA
If you don't already know, you'll need to do large water changes every day or 2 until that tank is fuly cycled. Best of luck on your 2nd try.
 

Apexden

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Jan 17, 2011
73
0
36
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USA
yeah i did 10% last night, tonight i will step it up to 25% until i reach 50% doing the gradual thing.....thanks for the luck, this tank has shaken my abilities as a fish keeper for sure!
 

xraycer

Arapaima
MFK Member
Sep 5, 2013
5,383
2,571
203
Southern NH USA
yeah i did 10% last night, tonight i will step it up to 25% until i reach 50% doing the gradual thing.....thanks for the luck, this tank has shaken my abilities as a fish keeper for sure!
As long as temp, pH are really close, you can go ahead and do big wc now.
 
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