Tank maintenance

[Oddballs]

Learned the hard way that cleaning to much of an aquarium could be bad. Last week my gf and I were headed to fort Lauderdale for the week and was having my buddy take care of the tanks for me. Decided that I should clean the filters so he wouldn't have any issues which went smoothly. Got on the plane all's good for the first few days and then one night get a frantic phone call saying there was a problem. Well my two 17in plus fire eels were floating at the top instant buzz kill. Told him to do a water change and test the water the next day. Tests the water and nothing out of the normal ranges but day after that another fish bites the dust. My leaf fish got chomped by my biggest bichirs, buddy forgot to keep putting pellets in for him and he got hungry I'm guessing. Now my buddy is freaking out and two days before I get home my 6in datnoid bites the dust. Buddy is feeling like **** I can't figure out what's going on because I'm across the country but get home and the tank is back to normal. Buddy is now pissed because only tank issues happen when I'm gone lol. Luckily the discus tank had zero issues. Lesson learned don't over due it on the filter cleaning definitely stagger the cleans out.
Expensive mistake to learn.

 

[Ihsnshaik]

Sucks to hear that! Your friend is probably going to never help you out now lol. I remember my uncle killed all my dads nurse sharks when I was a kid he had to feed everyday but he fed once a week the weeks worth of food...He lost a couple thousand dollars....It was when I was a kid he had a nurse shark pond in his basement. Plywood build pond with pond liner.

I left for vacation for 3 weeks. I did large water change before and had my sister drop some food once a week when she got my mail. Everything was fine and my water tested good too. I over filter my tanks now.

 

[Oddballs]

Ya idk if he will be to willing to watch any fish anymore. He was pretty pissed about it

 

[FreshyFresh]

Water changes and filter cleanings should not do anything but benefit the tank. Only scenario where they wouldn't is if it's a badly neglected, super high nitrate tank or if you ruin the bio media from your filter somehow, or toss it out completely.

 

[Oddballs]

Pretty sure replacing all the filter media would do the job. Like I said wasn't thinking and cleaned. It's the only think happened was a mini cycle cause only 4 fish died and haven't had issues sense I got home so if it was a disease it wouldnt just randomly stop. I try to keep the tank spotless but in order to clean my fx6 I actually have to drag the stand and tank away from the wall major ball buster. Drug it away from the wall and decided to clean both filters

 

[Yohanon]

Depends on the filter. Maintenance is important, but don't wipe out your nitrifying bacteria to the point where your tank re-cycles.

 

[Oddballs]

Yes rookie mistake on my part didn't even think about it.