Don't get offended, your asking for help and we need info to better help you.
ALL FISH DEAD IN ONE NIGHT... HELP
- Thread starter KelberiFishLover19
- Start date
Don't get offended, your asking for help and we need info to better help you.
Hello,
I would just ask what your understanding of the nitrogen cycle is, and again ask what method you used to cycle the tank. Nitrates of 0 do indicate that the sufficient colonies of bacteria were converting ammonia to nitrate, especially with a good amount of fish in the tank like you describe, they should have been around 10-20 at least, with only weekly water changes.
If you have a thorough understanding of the nitrogen cycle and can explain it here, then we are all off base. But thus far you have just stated that the parameters were fine and that you cycled the tank, but haven't explained how you cycled the tank. I'm thinking this is where the disconnect is. If the tank was not cycled, it's entirely possible that your weekly water changes kept levels low enough to not kill the fish for a few weeks, and by the third week, levels crept up high enough one night to kill the fish.
Please don't think that we are attacking you, we want to help you understand the problem and solve it going forward. I'd also urge other members to be respectful and polite.
I would just ask what your understanding of the nitrogen cycle is, and again ask what method you used to cycle the tank. Nitrates of 0 do indicate that the sufficient colonies of bacteria were converting ammonia to nitrate, especially with a good amount of fish in the tank like you describe, they should have been around 10-20 at least, with only weekly water changes.
If you have a thorough understanding of the nitrogen cycle and can explain it here, then we are all off base. But thus far you have just stated that the parameters were fine and that you cycled the tank, but haven't explained how you cycled the tank. I'm thinking this is where the disconnect is. If the tank was not cycled, it's entirely possible that your weekly water changes kept levels low enough to not kill the fish for a few weeks, and by the third week, levels crept up high enough one night to kill the fish.
Please don't think that we are attacking you, we want to help you understand the problem and solve it going forward. I'd also urge other members to be respectful and polite.
When fish die like that you gotta think water first. I get why u say that but even the most experienced can misjudge or get it wrong. Clearly something went wrong. No hate from me just saying. Hope this thread gives some insight.
If there was any cleaning going on in the house something could have gotten into the water. If the sand bed was deep dangerous gasses could have built up. An electrical short or lightning strike could have killed them.
I apologize. Sry I guess I have come off a bit offended and angry. But also I have tested the water multiple times and I have also taken my water to my local fish store. That’s why I’m a bit offended becasue I have been said that I’m not. Let me just give you facts and no opinions.
Tank was cycled for a month , meaning I put prime in it and I did 2 water changes during that month. Also I checked the water once a week. I did notice a few changes in the water like first the nitrate went up and then so did the nitrite. Everything settled down and the nitrate stayed between 0 and 5 for the time I had the fish. I got the fish and floated them p. I put them in the water properly making sure I did it fast so I didn’t have a ph spike in the bad that the fish came in. I also didn’t put the water in the tank they came in. I kept an eye on the tank. Everyone ate. I also checked them for any diseases like ich ect.
The night they died I did the same thing I did every night, feed them, watch them for a few minutes and turn the light off. I
Once again I’m sorry I came off angry and offended. I understand you guys are just trying to help.
Tank was cycled for a month , meaning I put prime in it and I did 2 water changes during that month. Also I checked the water once a week. I did notice a few changes in the water like first the nitrate went up and then so did the nitrite. Everything settled down and the nitrate stayed between 0 and 5 for the time I had the fish. I got the fish and floated them p. I put them in the water properly making sure I did it fast so I didn’t have a ph spike in the bad that the fish came in. I also didn’t put the water in the tank they came in. I kept an eye on the tank. Everyone ate. I also checked them for any diseases like ich ect.
The night they died I did the same thing I did every night, feed them, watch them for a few minutes and turn the light off. I
Once again I’m sorry I came off angry and offended. I understand you guys are just trying to help.
I’d also say while we are trying to figure this out, as long as the friend wants the tanks still lol, I’d empty all the water and clean all decorations. Also minamally clean the sand or even better get rid of it. Also my personal routine when setting up new tanks, I like to sit at least for one month, then get really really cheap fish, like zebra danios, so they can help along the cycle and start producing ammonia. Then if some die your losing 99 cents per fish not 150 over night. I’ve done this successfully many times with my tanks and my girlfriends parents. I started doing this after the big ordeal when I started my 120 up again like I said earlier on this thread. Like others have said you can really only point this to water quality. Also just for curiosity, what test kit are you using and also what ph kit are you using. I’m asking this cause if I rememebr right you said the ph was 7.6, but that is the max reading for the blue bottle API. You’d need to also test the high range ph if you get readings of 7.6. Your ph could be to basic for the fish you had and they got sick and died? Just a thought.
From the process your describing, I don't think your tank was actually cycled. For the tank to undergo the nitrogen cycle, there would have to have been a source of ammonia added. Prime itself actually binds ammonia, does not provide it. You say that first nitrate rose a bit- nitrate should actually be the last parameter to rise in the cycle. First ammonia should rise (as you add it, either in liquid form or in decaying organic matter like a shrimp), until bacteria form that eat the ammonia and turn it into nitrite. Then the nitrite should rise, until another bacteria grows that eats the nitrite, and crates nitrate. Finally the nitrate will rise and ammonia and nitrite will be at 0, indicating that the proper colonies of two types of bacteria are present in the tank to turn the ammonia (which needs to be added throughout the process) into nitrate. Simply letting the tank run for a month without constantly adding ammonia, does not cycle the tank.
So I am guessing that the tank did not have these colonies of bacteria, and through weekly water changes you kept the ammonia and nitrite low enough for the fish to last a few weeks. But eventually, the creep which happens unless you change the majority of the water in your WC, led to high enough levels to kill the fish.
Thanks for the help man. I will definitely do that. The kit I have is API but it comes with high range ph as well as the regular blue bottle. I tested both.
Thanks, it all is starting to make sense. I understand what I have to do to get it back up again and I see what I did wrong.
