HELP HELP HELP, ive done somthing wrong??

[Chooka]

OK,

Last night i did a water change, about 30%, which i do every week or other week, put in the required dechlorinate and filled back up from the tap. All seemed good and everyone was happy, lights went off and i put a couple of Algae wafer's in for Gibby as normal and went to bed.

Woke up this morning and my two new Peacock's are dead (Been in a week) and most of the rest of my guys are up the top trying to breath air??? One thing i did forget to do the night before was turn the bubble wall back on but surely that would not of mattered?!?!?

Checked my Nitrates = 0 checked my PH 6-7

Only thing i thought was the council had put in extra chlorine or something so i have added a little more declorinator....

Please Help!! ;(

Brett

 

[wataugachicken]

what kind of dechlorinator are you using? have you checked pH recently before this happened? did you match the temperature correctly?

one main thing i can think of is that the water company may have changed the water - a pH change could have caused problems, or if you use a chlorine-only product and they decided to add chloramine to the water supply.

 

[Chooka]

My PH was checked last week also, Temp was fine going as i sat there and watched it and tested every so often.

My LFS said it may have been an Amonia spike as i did a large (30% to him seemed large) water change and had fed them about two hours before?!?!?

He said i shoudn't feed them the day before and day after i do a change too?????

Brett

 

[Nick660]

Sounds like the LFS guy is a bit confused!

Sounds to me like low O2 most likely.
Are you heavily stocked? How much water surface agitation?
If you have plants, oxygen levels can drop overnight too.

Could have been a big difference in tank and tap water pH causing a swing?
Also, I notice a change in pH depending on how much aeration I use in my tanks.

In my experience, young pbass are sensitive to pH swings and low oxygen.

 

[Nick660]

Sorry, I didn't notice the details in your signature when I posted earlier

Looks like your bio-load is pretty big! Good filtration though (and lots of water movement with an FX5) but I'm surprized your nitrAte = 0, especially with only 30% w/c weekly or every other week! Did you mean nitrIte maybe?

Is there a big difference between tank and tap water pH? Is your KH low? If so, you may be getting big pH swings.

 

[guppy]

I don't think your LFS guy knows what he is doing.
I think, from the gasping, that yes, the lack of aereation might be at fault.

 

[Chooka]

I have added a 4 foot air stone to the back now so plenty of airation!

The not feeding thing he was on about, is this true??

 

[Chooka]

PH from tap is steady, as far as i know anyway have not tested, but the tank PH is rock steady, pretty sure it was nitrate.....

 

[Nick660]

The not feeding thing he was on about, is this true??

Nope

pretty sure it was nitrate.....

If that guy at the LFS is doing the water tests for you it may be worthwhile investing in your own set of test kits for piece of mind! (and convenience)

I do pH and KH at least at every water change (necessary because my tap water fluctuates so much). NitrAte occasionally to gauge if my water change regime is adequate. Ammonia and NitrIte rarely on a mature tank, just if something changes such as addition of new fish or i suspect problems etc.

 

[Chooka]

OK so i need a test kit..

and it may be airation of the water that caused a problem??