Major Tank Problem

[jondamon]

You could have suffered from OTS or old tank syndrome. Which can cause pH crashes which starve the BB.

For now keep an eye on your levels. Do a 50% water change if Ammonia and/or Nitrite hit anything above 0.25ppm.

Try not to rinse anything in plain tap water any more.

Other than the above there isn't much else you can do for now.


Jon

 

[ejaramillo01]

You could have suffered from OTS or old tank syndrome. Which can cause pH crashes which starve the BB.

For now keep an eye on your levels. Do a 50% water change if Ammonia and/or Nitrite hit anything above 0.25ppm.

Try not to rinse anything in plain tap water any more.

Other than the above there isn't much else you can do for now.

Jon

Agree, if you were cleaning the filter and biomedia with tap water, you have been lucky not to have a crash before.
But looks like you are in the right track now.

 

[Rupret]

thanks all. I am still working at it. No change in the chemistry, but will keep working towards getting the chemistry right. If it doesn't start cycling soon, I may consider some bio-filter booster to get it going, but otherwise, I'll just keep trying.

Rupret.

 

[jondamon]

thanks all. I am still working at it. No change in the chemistry, but will keep working towards getting the chemistry right. If it doesn't start cycling soon, I may consider some bio-filter booster to get it going, but otherwise, I'll just keep trying.

Rupret.

Rather than the bio filter booster, which have been known to also cause crashes, could you beg borrow or steal some matured media from an already established tank? Maybe a friend etc?

My LFS sells matured siporax (ceramic rings) which I used to cycle my 50g. From scratch using the LFS siporax my cycle took 22days using ammonia (fishless cycle) maybe it wouldn't be so quick for you but it would be a step in the right direction rather than the BB boosters.


Jon

 

[ktomminello]

I whole heartedly agree that there is too many chemicals involved, I had the same problem with my first tropical tank. DO NOT USE CURE ALLS, if you have driftwood that has been exposed to excessive chemicals either cure them or throw them out (you will keep killing your fish and your plants). Stop using cacl, it's as lethal as co2 when your doses or method of deployment are off kilter. Try to keep it as natural as possible, change the water more often and maybe try to buffer your ph by adding a little dolomite or maybe a small live rock or decorative (dead) coral?

 

[Rupret]

Thanks all.

Just to clarify - I think people are missing the big picture. I don't use "cure alls" in the tank. I keep things as natural as possible. Remember this is a heavily planted tank - all the advice from planted tank people on AA recommend CaCO3 additive and other nutrients for plants DAILY. My plants have done well without additives or CO2, so I have not been using them. A buffer is necessary in my part of the country. I would have to do daily water changes and will then still be lucky to have a pH of 6.8.

Please forgive my misprint. I have been using Calcium Carbonate, not CaCl - my error and my apologies.

I have only used any type bio-filter booster when ammonia is present or the bio-filter seems to be fading, which is at the most once a year. Tap water conditioner is used every water change. Calcium Carbonate is added every water change. This is the ONLY routine additives that have been used.

My current chemistry after daily water changes with 5.0 ml of CaCO3 dissolved in treated water are as follows:

pH: 6.4
NH3: 0.50
NO2: 0.0
NO3: 0.0

Until a week ago, I have had an extremely successful aquarium (even a major recent breeding of the plants), with the exception of slow pH drops, which has been present for 20 years, in two different tanks. Thus, the need for a buffer. I have family who had the same type of pH problem when they lived in town, but when moved to Detroit, they no longer had the pH drops - a Detroit LFS told him it was the difference in the acidic water of the south and the alkaline water of the north.

I have been very concerned the last week and wanted some advice as to what happened and what to do. I have learned a lot from this week from AA, one of which a low pH can cause cloudy eyes and also kill the bio-filter. I still don't know what caused the massive pH drop in 3 days that killed nearly all my fish.

I just hope the bio-filter picks up and cycles.

Thanks again everyone.

Rupret.

 

[ktomminello]

My mistake as well, you have to admit, though, it could very well be a newbie issue- oh and if you want to naturally boost your ph you could use live sand/ rocks, dead coral, dolomite, crushed coral in your filter, I think marimo moss balls help to... Just from my experience changing my Walmart green spotted puffy from fresh to salt water gradually. I actually have to ph down sometimes, I have the worst water in history- summer and winter my water is chlorinated so horribly to see cl on anything I see an instant skull and crossbones. Spring and fall my ph is usually around 7.5 and is, for whatever reason, so easily buffered up on warm to cold to warm. Thanks for the clarification- good luck!!

 

[ktomminello]

Let us know how you make out!!

 

[blert]

Now that that is cleared up, I was wondering why you were using CaCl...
What is the GH and KH of your tap water? (sorry if you posted this already, I read back in the thread but did not see it) If you don't have those tests your LFS should be able to test for you. If it is just your KH that is low then you could save a ton of money and buffer with baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) or better yet potassium bicarbonate if you can find it. No messy cloudiness to deal with as it dissolve nearly instantly.

 

[Rupret]

Thanks.

I'll let you know how it turns out. The last week has caused me a lot of concern.

Sorry for the confusion on the CaCl and CaCO3. Calcium Carbonate is what I use. I guess I wish I was questioned on which Calcium compound I was using. No worries.

I posted the KH and GH earlier, but I did have two threads; found out I wasn't suppose to do that. The KH is 1. The GH use to be 1; we have soft water; but I my GH test is bad, it is showing the tap to be 100+, along with the tank. I use to use baking soda, but when I started plants, the recommendation was CaCO3.

The tank is doing better, just hope it recycles soon. Keep waiting for the nitrite spike, then the stabilization.

Thanks again.

Rupret.

 

[jondamon]

Hey Rupret

How's the tank going?



Jon

 

[Rupret]

Jon:

Thanks for asking.

As of today, I think it is finally cycling. I still have some ammonia, no nitrites, but do have some nitrates finally. The levels before a 50% water change were:

pH: 6.0
NH3: 0.50
NO2: 0.0
NO3: 5.0

After the water change, the pH increased to 6.4. I added 10 ml of dried CaCO3, dissolved in water. I am hoping the bio-filter will kick in and remove the ammonia soon. Hopefully, the pH will stay up to assist the bio-filter.

Thanks again for your help.

Rupret.