All of my fish died :(

[Readysetcali]

Okay so my glofish died of unknown causes. I want to restock my tank with guppies but i don't want to put them in until I know the water is safe and they won't get sick. I've had this tank for almost a year and its cycled. I don't want to ruin the cycle. How can I clean it that way the bacteria I need to cycle are still there but whatever my glofish died from is gone.

 

[micaiah12]

Have you checked your water with a test kit? And are you doing weekly PWCs?

 

[Readysetcali]

Have you checked your water with a test kit? And are you doing weekly PWCs?

Yes yes yes. Every thing is fine. I have another thread that explains all of this. I'm not looking to figure out what killed them because it's pretty much a dead end. I just need to know how to clean the tank of all the bad bacteria but keep the good.

 

[micaiah12]

what bad bacteria is there? I haven't heard of Bad bacteria. Like a disease?

 

[Jill]

Is it your only tank?

 

[Readysetcali]

what bad bacteria is there? I haven't heard of Bad bacteria. Like a disease?

Yeah. Some unknown disease. No one on here could figure out what it was and neither could I. I just don't want to restart everything and have to cycle my tank again

 

[Readysetcali]

Is it your only tank?

No I have another 50 gal. With gouramis and a 5 gal. With a betta. The one I need cleaned is a 10 gal

 

[Bearchumjs]

Here's what I would do, and from my understanding it would cycle pretty quickly. Use a bleach and water solution to clean everything in the tank in question and then use filter media from the other 2 tanks to seed the tank you just cleaned. I'd know whatever killed the fish is dead and cycling would be quick I think.

That's what I would do however I'm new to the hobby and am not sure if it is the proper way to do it. So basically I'm posting this to see if it's a good way or not and you shouldn't do this until someone with more expertise says otherwise.

 

[Readysetcali]

Here's what I would do, and from my understanding it would cycle pretty quickly. Use a bleach and water solution to clean everything in the tank in question and then use filter media from the other 2 tanks to seed the tank you just cleaned. I'd know whatever killed the fish is dead and cycling would be quick I think.

That's what I would do however I'm new to the hobby and am not sure if it is the proper way to do it. So basically I'm posting this to see if it's a good way or not and you shouldn't do this until someone with more expertise says otherwise.

I've always heard that bleach is a bad way to go because it is very difficult to get it all out and if it can kill the bacteria it can send your fish into the Great Beyond faster than you can say what just happened.

 

[Reygan2]

hmmm, I had a similar thing happen a while back except a couple of my fish pulled through. If I remember correctly, I just scrubbed the sides of my tank and did a large water change, vacuuming as much of the substrate as possible. Then about a week later I added fish and everything has been fine since. I had no idea what I had either.
If I were you, I'd keep some source of ammonia going in the tank so your BB won't die off.
I hope everything works out for you.

 

[Readysetcali]

hmmm, I had a similar thing happen a while back except a couple of my fish pulled through. If I remember correctly, I just scrubbed the sides of my tank and did a large water change, vacuuming as much of the substrate as possible. Then about a week later I added fish and everything has been fine since. I had no idea what I had either.
If I were you, I'd keep some source of ammonia going in the tank so your BB won't die off.
I hope everything works out for you.

Okay I'll try this and test it out with a few guppies. Thanks

 

[Jill]

I've always heard that bleach is a bad way to go because it is very difficult to get it all out and if it can kill the bacteria it can send your fish into the Great Beyond faster than you can say what just happened.

I'm quite new too....but I think I've heard bleach is the way to go because it's basically chlorine which Prime will take care of. Just make sure you rinse, rinse, rinse.

Any other insight fellow fish-keepers?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I remember your thread. I'm sorry we couldn't figure it out and they passed.

I would tear down the tank and toss the media. Bleach (1 part bleach, 9 parts water) everything. Fill the tank with bleach solution, put everything in it and soak for 15-30 minutes. Rinse REALLY well and fill with 5x dosed prime water. It will neutralize any bleach residue.
Use some media from your other tank to help cycle. You can fish in or fishless cycle then.

 

[Readysetcali]

I remember your thread. I'm sorry we couldn't figure it out and they passed.

I would tear down the tank and toss the media. Bleach (1 part bleach, 9 parts water) everything. Fill the tank with bleach solution, put everything in it and soak for 15-30 minutes. Rinse REALLY well and fill with 5x dosed prime water. It will neutralize any bleach residue.
Use some media from your other tank to help cycle. You can fish in or fishless cycle then.

I have decided to do the bleach wAter solution and then let everything dry out. I'm changing the substrate (I want a more natural look) so probably sand and the adding live plants and driftwood and taking my time finding the perfect betta to put in there along with some dwarf frogs and an apple snail.

 

[gypsydancer]

I'd do as others suggested. Empty the tank and sterilize w//light bleach solution. When you refill the 10 's gravel take a few handfuls of gravel from a healthy tank and bury under your new gravel. Also add about ½ gallon of water from the same healthy tank you got the gravel. Then wait about five days before restocking, slowly.
Namaste,
Gypsy

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

Okay so my glofish died of unknown causes. I want to restock my tank with guppies but i don't want to put them in until I know the water is safe and they won't get sick. I've had this tank for almost a year and its cycled. I don't want to ruin the cycle. How can I clean it that way the bacteria I need to cycle are still there but whatever my glofish died from is gone.

My fish are slowly dieing off too I've lost 2 :'( because of blue green slime algae that I read it a bad bacteria :/ my tank stil has fish in it though would any of these work for my situation?

 

[Readysetcali]

For algae I would just do frequent big water changes.

 

[TenaciousTriggerFish]

For algae I would just do frequent big water changes.

How big?
How frequent?

 

[Readysetcali]

How big?
How frequent?

Depending on how bad the algae is and how big is your tank. ?

 

[gypsydancer]

Cutting back on how long you keep the lights on will help as well.