Whatever it was previously would not matter if it was cleaned well. Even if not I doubt that there would be enough left behind to do damage. If the tank was dirty and water was added without you cleaning it that could def be it. I am still leaning towards something being in the sand, you can never assume that it is safe you really shouldclean it yourself to be sure.
Emergancy!! Fish Kill?
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Ok I have an Idea:
I'm going to empty the tank and start over
Take The sand out
I'm curious to if its the sand I might just take the sand and put it in a bowl with a guppy or something to see if its the sand?
I'll probably have to do a huge cleaning of the sand to make sure there is absolutely nothing in it.
I'm going to empty the tank and start over
Take The sand out
I'm curious to if its the sand I might just take the sand and put it in a bowl with a guppy or something to see if its the sand?
I'll probably have to do a huge cleaning of the sand to make sure there is absolutely nothing in it.
Your tank wasnt cycled, and your ammonia spiked, thats why your fish died, because adding lots of fish all at one time, even to a cycled tank (which this one isn't even that) is never good. Im having a hard time believing your readings were all zero, and if they were, that test kit most likely has expired, or was bad to begin with. I doubt it was the sand, based on the fact the tank was up for less than a week. I have run playsand before with no problems what so ever, just the fact that I had to clean it really well.
I'm with you 100% (my same answer when he 1st posted). I'm pretty surprised that everyone else so far seem to think "the sand killed them" when the fish were put in an uncycled newly set up tank and hundreds if not thousands of fish-keepers have used that Home Depot sand without problems.
I say that it may be the sand because ammonia spike does not just happen. There is no possible way ammonia could just suddenly appear without any cause and then disappear just as quickly. If an ammonia spike occurs its because the water was polluted with it somehow. Also, I have seen many times mulch stacked on a shelf one higher than the sand in an outside yard. Most mulch is dyed. Many dyes contain chemicals hazardous to fish. When it rains, there is runoff from the mulch that lands on the sand, and there ya go, sand is no longer safe.
Allright, lets put this sand myth away for good.Eamiles;2442172; said:
Heres what happened: He introduced fish into a uncycled tank. The
fish waste produced from the fish along with the uneaten food creates ammonia as it decays (this is how the "ammonia could suddenly appear") So now the water is "polluted with it" and without a cycled tank, there are really no bacteria yet to break ammonia down into nitrites (which would further break it down into nitrate). With nothing to break down the ammonia, obviously what results is an ammonia spike. With an ammonia spike, high levels of ammonia are present which are capable of damaging or killing your fish, because they damage the gills and inhibit breathing, which is what happened in this case.
No, lets try this.
Leave the tank as is, dont remove the sand, dont clean the sand only treat as if there is a high level of ammonia. Try letting the tank cycle.. And Watch your next batch of fish die.
Granted ammonia spikes can kill them but common, lets be reasonable break it down clean it up, start all over and do it right. This isnt whose right or wrong. Go with the safest method you feel comfortable with. We all are leaning on past experiences anyway. I dont have a degree and if you do congrats..
Leave the tank as is, dont remove the sand, dont clean the sand only treat as if there is a high level of ammonia. Try letting the tank cycle.. And Watch your next batch of fish die.
Granted ammonia spikes can kill them but common, lets be reasonable break it down clean it up, start all over and do it right. This isnt whose right or wrong. Go with the safest method you feel comfortable with. We all are leaning on past experiences anyway. I dont have a degree and if you do congrats..
