Tropical Fish Forum

Tropical Fish Keeping Help and Advice => The Emergency Room => Topic started by: fishcake76 on November 11, 2014, 05:36:10 PM

Title: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: fishcake76 on November 11, 2014, 05:36:10 PM
I think i might cry!!!

You may recognise this scenario  from my previous posts.

Two days ago I did a water change in my 54 litre tank. i changed about 21 litres of tank water with dechlorinated tap water . I planted all my new plants where i wanted them, added my moss and some seashells for decoration. The moss was the only thing that had not already been in a tank ( the seashells were from Stanleys, washed in boiling water before adding).

i added 11 drops of prophyll for the plants and 11 drops of optima amd 15 ml Quick start. I also had to clean the filter because it had got so blocked it had virtually stopped working ( :-[) but i did this in tankwater.

Yesterday the fish were all a bit quiet. Today they have all been chasing each other manically and 'spawning', although no eggs have been laid.

I noticed about 45 minutes ago that one on the glow lights was breathing really quickly, so i tested my water. I tested this morning also and everything was the same (normal) except my KH has risen from 6 to 10. Then i noticed that there was a lump of fuzzy stuff on the end of my bit of mopani root( see photo).

I have lifted the filter slightly so there is definite agitation of the surface, have siphoned the fuzzy stuff out and replaced the 7 litres of water that went with it with dechlorinated tap water.

Now three of the glowlights and one of the phantoms and one of the corys are all breathing quickly.

Are all my fish going to die!!!!!???!!!

what the heck is going on with my water changes. this is the fourth time that this sequence of events has happened and the final result has always been dead fish.

What do i do??

fc
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: Aquamaid on November 11, 2014, 07:06:03 PM
That sounds like a nightmare Fishcake, i really hope you get it sorted soon, before you have any casualties  :'(
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: fishcake76 on November 11, 2014, 07:28:59 PM
Thanks AM.  Just realised i didn't add my photo!

Here it is.

Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: biffster on November 11, 2014, 07:43:02 PM
the fungus stuff on the mopani wood is nothing to worry
about it will go away by itself there is no harm to the fish there
is the dechloronator a for aquariums or for ponds . when i used to
use a dechloronator i used to make mine up 24 hours before i needed
it and let it sit with an air stone bubbling away i used to find dechloronating
the water used to create an ammonia reading but after 24 hours it would disappear
worth testing for it i dont bother with dechloronator any more now i run a HMA filter
you can get a good value one off the internet for about 40 to 80 quid i know i hear you say
i cant afford that but how much a year is it costing you in dechloronator mine paid for itself in the
first six months your kh will change with adding fresh water   
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: fishcake76 on November 11, 2014, 08:03:20 PM
Cool! Thanks biff. I think you have answered some of my queries. I will retest the water in a bit when its had time to settle from todays water change.

I use API tap safe and it is for aquariums. I bought the super concentrated one by accident and only need 0.01 ml per 7 litres of water! Luckily i had a hand rearing syringe from my kitten midwife days that measures in 0.01 ml increments!!!

What do think the white stuff is?  I did wonder if it was mould from a sinking pellet i dropped in but it wasn't in the right place and was well and truly stuck to the wood. The mopani wood has been in the tank for  about a year. The white stuff was where the roots of the java fern i have just attached are. Is this relevant?

Why are the fishes breathing so fast?

FC76

Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: biffster on November 11, 2014, 08:37:57 PM
its a fungus it happens on all new wood you can leave
it on or scrub it off with hot water personally i leave it
on the fish eat its naturally occurring
 
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: Helen on November 12, 2014, 08:55:26 AM
How often do you change the water? Have you tested your tap water to get a comparison with your tank water? It may be that by doing large infrequent water changes, you are dramatically changing the water nutrient levels. Fluctuations can cause all sorts of problems. Perhaps see if things improve by doing more smaller water changes.
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: Aquamaid on November 12, 2014, 09:38:18 AM
I put some of the Mopani wood in at one point, and sure enough it sprouted fluffy, jelly like fungus that then stuck to the sealant in the tank, i gather it is quite safe, and fish will sometimes eat it, but it goes eventually, i just changed decor for the umpteenth time so it went. Hope the headcount is still ok  :(
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: Richard W on November 12, 2014, 10:19:23 AM
I also wondered why you are doing such large water changes at one time....................
Don't become obsessed with thinking that water changes are always a good thing.
I also wouldn't add anything "for the plants" unless necessary.
I have never added anything to my tanks except dechlorinator.
If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: biffster on November 12, 2014, 10:22:54 AM
we do 30% to 40% water changes twice a week
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: Richard W on November 12, 2014, 10:30:20 AM
I do 20% every 5 weeks. All my fish are lively, healthy and don't die. Nitrate levels are virtually the same as in my tap water. Some fish have bred in the community tanks.  So long as they stay like that, I don't see any reason to increase the work levels for no benefit.
That's why I say "If it ain't broke, don't fix it".

There are people here who do loads of water changes yet still regularly report fish health problems and water changes are not always the answer.

Whatever works for you, stick to it.
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: Sue on November 12, 2014, 10:39:30 AM
My reason for regular water changes is because I have low KH (3 German deg). In the past when I did water changes every 2 or 3 weeks I had pH crashes - though I will admit to being very overstocked with no plants at that time. The advisor who was on here back then told me I needed to add remineralisation salts to boost my KH. But I also don't like adding things to my tank and decided to keep my KH up with weekly water changes. And not overstocking  :-[



Richard - what would you advise in the case of someone who has no live plants, something that is quite common with new fishkeepers?
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: Richard W on November 12, 2014, 10:48:53 AM
I'd say make sure you do frequent tests of all of the main things, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, pH. Find out the buffering capacity of you water. The make changes according to the results, as necessary.

Of course, what I would really advise people to do is to get your plants established before you think about adding fish. I have had tanks planted and running for three months or more before I added any fish. This included the ammonia fishless cycle period. Watching plants grow is less frustrating than waiting for a bare tank to complete a long cycle  :). The plants will probably help to quick start the cycle as well, the sterility of tap water seems to be the main problem in getting the cycle going for many people.
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: fishcake76 on November 12, 2014, 11:54:46 AM
Thanks folks!!

I'm glad to say all is well this morning.

Two things about me which this helps to illustrate  - i over complicate things and i panic too soon!!!!

I shall do small water changes from now on more frequently. My health ( or rather lack of it!) is my main reason for doing such infrequent and therefore large water changes.

In hindsight, fish keeping was not the most sensible hobby to start but hey ho!!!  I love me little fishes now and just have to learn how to keep us all happy and healthy (ish !!)

FC76
 :)
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: biffster on November 12, 2014, 11:57:53 AM
20% every five weeks far far to little 30% every five days is about
correct amount i do more than that because i have some very rare
L numbers in one of my tanks so instead of only doing one tank
do all four i have four L397 and a breeding group of L325 i am
trying to get my L397 to breed
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: ColinB on November 12, 2014, 12:19:43 PM
If you want plants and don't have the substrate for it (or any other reason) you could always plant them up in containers with some aquarium (or garden etc etc) soil and gravel of choice on top, then lower them very carefully into place. This means that if they die, or get too big, or you don't like the arrangement you can oik 'em out and try again without making much of a mess. A bit of creativity with the containers can provide shade and hiding places for the fish as well.

Just a thought - and it might work better with reduced energy levels as you can plant up on the kitchen table rather than leaning over the tank.
Title: Re: Another water change disaster!!!!
Post by: fishcake76 on November 12, 2014, 08:28:18 PM
Thanks colin ( i know i'm tired when i have to type your name three times 1) colon, 2) coin, 3) colin!!!!!

I may just do as you suggest as my corys are merrily up rooting everything i planted and a lot of it is floating at the top!!!

FC