No Oxygen? PLEASE HELP

[VinnyP]

So I got home from class and saw my fish gasping for air, I recently just replaced my HOB filter with a reactor. My reactor out put to put the water back into the tank is underwater so the only thing I could think of is shorten the line so the out put from the reactor is hitting the air first just like the HOB filter was ????? Is that the problem and did I fix it please let me know guys thanks. The reactor has been in like 5 days and the fish have never done this before

 

[Convict2161]

Maybe lower the water level? Do you have power heads? Maybe point one towards to the surface to agitate it? Just some thoughts that come to mind.


Then again in my BC29 all outtakes are underwater and there is nothing to really agitate the surface. I have the stock outtake pointing upwards and the mp10 on the left hand side middle of tank.

 

[rreekers]

Add an air stone for awhile..
Check co2 levels ...
Check tank temperature ..

That's where I would start

 

[reefrunner69]

Check your ammonia and nitrite, and ph.

 

[VinnyP]

Just did ammonia and it's not looking so good don't know why, I have a 12 gallon tank and just did a 1 gallon change yesterday how much of a change should I do, so do you guys think it's the ammonia and not the output of the reactor ?

 

[reefrunner69]

Yes, you removed your biological filter, ammonia will rise, that's the way it works. What are the numbers?

 

[VinnyP]

Ammonia was at about a 1.0 nitrate and nitrite are at Zero and pH was at around 7.8-8.0 and i have the reactor now which I'm runnin carbon and GFO. So how much of a water change should I do

 

[spoonman]

1ppm ammonia is enough to damage gills. I would do more water changes to get that down.

 

[reefrunner69]

I woul start at 50% and monitor. Do you have live rock and sand? What are you planning to use for biological filtration.

 

[VinnyP]

I just did a 2 gallon water change and plane to do another 2 gallons tomorrow and the next day. Yes I do have live sand and live rock and running a reactor with carbon and GFO. I did the one water change already and they already seem to not be gasping for air as much, I def think it was the ammonia I just don't know how I got it, I just went through a move nothing horrible only took acouple hours to get everything moved and back up and running and set back up and then hooked up the new reactor, do you think I got it somehow through the move?

 

[spoonman]

Did you rinse the carbon and GFO well before putting it in the reactor? I lost 5 fish in my 75 and didnt know the cause. I have read several articles since that state if you dont rinse the gfo well enough, the "fines" (small peices) can pass into the water and harm the fish. Just a thought.

 

[VinnyP]

Yes I ran a whole gallon through the reactor, as BulkReefSupply suggested to do

 

[reefrunner69]

I just did a 2 gallon water change and plane to do another 2 gallons tomorrow and the next day. Yes I do have live sand and live rock and running a reactor with carbon and GFO. I did the one water change already and they already seem to not be gasping for air as much, I def think it was the ammonia I just don't know how I got it, I just went through a move nothing horrible only took acouple hours to get everything moved and back up and running and set back up and then hooked up the new reactor, do you think I got it somehow through the move?

I think you got it from removing the most efficient part of your bio filter. The hob filter you removed probably did a large part of the bio filtration. Keep up with the water changes, and the lr and ls will catch up, provided you have enough surface area.

 

[VinnyP]

Yeah but it was just one of those cheapo HOB filter and all I was running was carbon and some biomax the reactor has to be better than that thing

 

[reefrunner69]

Yeah but it was just one of those cheapo HOB filter and all I was running was carbon and some biomax the reactor has to be better than that thing

Carbon, at least is a great media for bacteria to grow on, which is one reason most people recommend changing it 1/2 to 1/3 at a time. Like I said if you have enough surface area, it will recover pretty quickly. Depending on how warm you keep your aquarium turn the heat up a bit and that will speed it up. Probably 82 and bring it up slowly. Also make sure you have good surface agitation for oxygenation.

 

[VinnyP]

Yeah my tank right now is running at about 82 cuz of the heat and I made the out of the reactors close to the surface so the top is now moving and will continue on the water changes, hope this works and they can pull through I have had these guys from the beginning. Thanks for all the help guys!!!!!!!