UV Sterilizer?? FISH DYING! PLEASE HELP!!

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Aquazan

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Sep 10, 2012
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73
CALLING ALL AQUARIUM DETECTIVES!! :thanks::thanks:
Can some one tell me if a UV sterilizer rated for a 55 Gallon aquarium (9 Watt) will work for my 75 Gallon aquarium? What do UV sterilizers kill? Will it wipe out my good bacteria if I leave it on all day everyday?

I have been having fish die in it, and it has been cloudy lately. I don't think it is cycling but I am not sure. It is about a month old. It was cloudy for about 2 weeks when we first set it up but then it cleared up, and we added fish and they were fine for about 2 weeks. Now it is cloudy again and there is algae growing on the glass. I checked the parameters, and The Ammonia, NItrite, AND NitrAte were all at 0! I thought it was copper in my pipes, but I have shrimp and they did not die and plus I added Stress Coat to the tank and that neutralizes copper. Fish were still dying. After losing about 11 neons, I did a 25% water change once a day for 2 days. That did not help. I have narrowed it down to a Bacteria/Fungal problem. I am not sure which. Is it really a B/F problem?

Im hoping the UV sterilizer will kill the algae and whatever is killing my fish. Will the UV sterilizer kill whatever is killing my fish? (Probably bacterial or fungal)

I was looking at this model, any experiences with this one??
http://www.petco.com/product/114522...e-Internal-UV-Sterilizer-with-Power-Head.aspx

PLEASE HELP! Im desperate, and confused I dont want any more of my fish to die!!:confused::confused::ermm:
 
UV Sterilizers are ineffective against most algae, and only effective against some pathogens. How long has the tank been set up total? Do you fish have any visibal symptoms? How are you measuring your water parameters?
 
aqua_chem said:
UV Sterilizers are ineffective against most algae, and only effective against some pathogens. How long has the tank been set up total? Do you fish have any visibal symptoms? How are you measuring your water parameters?

So will it kill all the bad bacteria and fungi? It has been up a little more than 2 weeks, i got the gravel used but all the water was newly "made". There have been NO visual synptoms except for the fish staying cery still for 2-4 hrs b4 dying. I used a liquid test kit to test the parameters (API)
 
It will only affect waterborne pathogens. It's a complete shot in the dark if it will help anything, and an expensive one at that. I would retest, carefully following the instructions, and see if anything has changed there.
 
It will only affect waterborne pathogens. It's a complete shot in the dark if it will help anything, and an expensive one at that. I would retest, carefully following the instructions, and see if anything has changed there.

I tested very carefully, I did it 3 times, i think, or 2. And I followed the instructions very carefully, everything was at 0! My ph is at 8.0 and I have neon tetras and Siamese algae eaters, do you think the ph killed them?

I put in heavy metal neutralizer so it couldnt be Ammonia, Nitrite, NitrAte, or Heavy metals. That only leaves bacteria, parasites, and fungi. The fish arent flashing, so it couldnt be parasitic. that leaves bacterial and fungal, but I am not sure if it is Bacteria+ or Bacteria-, Or fungi. Will a UV kill either?

Ive read it will anything free floating, as it gives it all a good Sun burn and kills it.
 
I just spoke to a lady at my lfs about getting neon tetras and she advised me to make sure the fish had been healthy for a week before buying them because sometimes whole shipments will crash. Examine the source?
 
My lfs does professional reviews or something idk, but they are really well known around here to have good quality
 
Most people here have healthy fish populations without a UV sterilizer. You shouldn't need one. If you have a little cash to spend on something that'll help keep your fish healthy you could setup a small, cheap quarantine tank. You can use seeded filter floss from your main tank to start it. It's a much more useful thing to have than a UV.
 
Maybe your test kit is bad.

Did you say tank has been up for 2 weeks? The tank wouldn't be cycled yet.

I would do back to back 75% water changes. Take a 1 cup sample of water before you change the water, get it to the lfs to retest and verify the 0 results. Change the water even if you can't get the sample to the store.

Clean water won't hurt the fish only help no mater the situation. If you are using flake food, I would recommend be careful not to over feed and try Hikari microbites, don't cloud water, easy to measure/pinch a few little pelleted food particles at a time. I have had some bad experiences with regular flake foods like Tetra Min and Wardley.

Don't add any more fish for sure.

Make sure you don't have the lights on for more than 4-6 hours in a stretch.
 
Maybe your test kit is bad.

Did you say tank has been up for 2 weeks? The tank wouldn't be cycled yet.

I would do back to back 75% water changes. Take a 1 cup sample of water before you change the water, get it to the lfs to retest and verify the 0 results. Change the water even if you can't get the sample to the store.

Clean water won't hurt the fish only help no mater the situation. If you are using flake food, I would recommend be careful not to over feed and try Hikari microbites, don't cloud water, easy to measure/pinch a few little pelleted food particles at a time. I have had some bad experiences with regular flake foods like Tetra Min and Wardley.

Don't add any more fish for sure.

Make sure you don't have the lights on for more than 4-6 hours in a stretch.

I use API Master Test kit for FW, so I am pretty sure it is not wrong, I tested 2 or 3 times over 3 days. Then when a fish died, I took it my lfs and they tested it themselves, they said all my parameters were perfect! I use spectrum pellet food for small fish.

The tank is a little over a month old, and it did was cloudy, then it went to clear, so i thought it was cycled. Now it is cloudy again, i dont know why? :huh::blink:

I leave the lights on for 12 hours a day because I have plants, it is on a timer. I dose seachem flourish too.:fish2::fish2::fish1:
 
Cycling involves the gradual build up of beneficial bacteria in the filter material the process takes a little time to build up enough to be able to keep a tank stable with the fish waste from your fish.

It's good that the lfs verified the results. I would still change the water.

Maybe someone else will have better advice.

Algae will grow more when you leave the light on so long...my aquarium plant book says to give them a siesta, or rest period during the day a couple hours off in the middle is supposed to alter algae plant growth pattern reducing growth.

Good luck with the fish. Maybe they were just not well to begin with.
 
I was suggesting you start problem solving, not that your fish store is to blame. Suggestion stands.
 
Is the tank near a window? What's the tank's temperature and is it consistent? Do your fish show any signs of illness or odd behavior before they die like clamped fins, spots, or refusing to eat or swim around?
 
Is the tank near a window? What's the tank's temperature and is it consistent? Do your fish show any signs of illness or odd behavior before they die like clamped fins, spots, or refusing to eat or swim around?

The tank used to be around 82-84 and i twas way too high so I switched my 200W wit a 100W. Its not really near a window, it is in the basement and has those tiny windows near the top of the walls but no sunlight hits the tank, and the tank stays at a stable 74-76 degrees now (I uses a crystal sticky thermometer).

The fish refuse to eat and they don't swim before they die, they just sit in one spot. They dont show any bodily signs (Swollen, Bleeding, red gills, etc.), just not moving.:thanks:
 
The end product of a cycled tank should read 0 ammo,0 nitrites& usually high nitrates which are reduced to an accepptable level between 5-15ppm by a large wc..following week of continued tests confirming the levels above...my friend it doesn't seem that your tank is cycled.. it should have been a red flag to the employee at your lfs that you had 0 nitrates...however its not uncommon in a heavily planted tank that nitrates could bottom out,thus the needed addition for additional dosing..but don't believe that its the case here...
 
The end product of a cycled tank should read 0 ammo,0 nitrites& usually high nitrates which are reduced to an accepptable level between 5-15ppm by a large wc..following week of continued tests confirming the levels above...my friend it doesn't seem that your tank is cycled.. it should have been a red flag to the employee at your lfs that you had 0 nitrates...however its not uncommon in a heavily planted tank that nitrates could bottom out,thus the needed addition for additional dosing..but don't believe that its the case here...

What should I do then? What could have happened? I am 100% sure I dont have ammonia and nitrites because thats what the lfs stores employees said. Maybe some nitrates but im not sure
 
Again what fish do you have in your tank? Also stay away from adding various chemicals,is this your first tank and are you knowledgable of the cycling process ...during this process all you will is a good declorinator( imo-seachem prime),the ability to do tests on a daily basis&tons of patience..also realise not all lfs employees will deliver the correct advice...this is a very rewarding hobby&the end result will be deeply satisfying...
 
What filter are you using? Are you cleaning it by any chance? If not don't do it, I'm just asking to rule things out.
 
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