URGENT!!! Help plz catastrophe struck

[rockyofhockey]

Catastrophe just happened!! So I was recharging my purigen yesterday in 1/4 bleach water and 1/2 reg water!! Then today I soaked it and rinsed it to get the bleach out. I even power washed it. Assuming it was ready I put it in the filter. NOT EVEN 40 seconds in the 2 catfish were upside down and the leaf fish was gasping the surface. So panicked I moved everything to my heated 10g feeder fish tank!! Luckily I had it!! Well the 2 catfish are dead my barb died and the other fish aren't looking to good except for the bichir? Well what do I do I'm really upset over this

 

[colejohnson73]

I don't really know much but that seems like to much bleach.

 

[rockyofhockey]

It was only 1/4 so I figure it would be diluted by the water? And what should I do with the fish I'm taking everything out if the tank and how should I clean the sand in there? Ahhhh

 

[cfosgate]

You need to soak the purigen in Water treated with dechlorinator overnight before you use it. Must have been a lot of chlorine remaining.

 

[rockyofhockey]

Oh the instructions didn't tell me that at all wow. Well how bout the fish now? Do I have to cycle the hole tank again?

 

[cfosgate]

You almost certainly lost your cycle and will have to recycle the tank. Do a quick google search on recharging purigen. There are lots of instructions and a few youtube videos.

 

[BillD]

The quick solution would have been to add dechlor to the tank. It is difficult to say whether there was enough chlorine to kill off the filter. If it sat there for a period of time it may have.

 

[Brookster123]

Aww man that sucks!!

 

[CPryor]

I would immediately soak the bleached stuff in some lightly diluted chlorine remover.....thats what we do at the store I work in, where we have to get stuff very clean very quickly - we keep a tub of hot diluted bleach, about the dilution you mentioned, and a tub of diluted (but strong) dechlorinator with a brush to soak everything in before we replace it in the tanks.

Do you have a test kit? If you have the time, it might be a very good idea to take a sample of your water to your LFS and get a free reading to check the chlorine level, and pick up a kit while you are there. Hopefully, you can figure out if it's now safe to add the fish back, since you added the dechlorinator.

I would also get some "stress coat" too ....it dechlorinates and replaces the slime coat on your fish, which it sounds like they're needing.

Good luck

 

[rockyofhockey]

Ok thx for all the advice. I did thourghly wash all the decor and rock but my mom doesn't want to spend the 30 dollars on an API test kit because we put already a lot of money into this this tank. Instead she said she'll go to the store and get it tested.

 

[pollex.jaypee]

Goodluck on this tank! Sorry for your fishies.

 

[rockyofhockey]

Ya thx I'm so upset my 5 inch pitcus catfish died!!!

 

[rockyofhockey]

Ok going to get my water tested now. If tey say it's good then could I put the fish back in? Or what should I do I feel like a 10 gallon is way to small for all those fish

 

[Sk3lly]

Oh the instructions didn't tell me that at all wow. Well how bout the fish now? Do I have to cycle the hole tank again?

I think if you look on seachems website on how to recharge purigen it definitely states to use prime whilst soaking the bleach out. Whenever doing anything with a chemical or a process with the potential to kill within an aquarium its always a good idea to read up on it no matter how sure you think you are. Details like this don't get forgotten and fish don't die.

Sorry for your loss. Lesson learnt for next time though

 

[rockyofhockey]

I had no idea they had a website!!!! When I bought the package it stated, SoCal the purigen overnight with bleach then give it a good washing and rinse with water!!! So I did and 5 fish died. It is a good lesson learned though and will never forget it lol. But if my waters good could I add the fish?

 

[Sk3lly]

I had no idea they had a website!!!! When I bought the package it stated, SoCal the purigen overnight with bleach then give it a good washing and rinse with water!!! So I did and 5 fish died. It is a good lesson learned though and will never forget it lol. But if my waters good could I add the fish?

Seriously?? You didn't think a multi million pound company had a website?? These things are here to test us. Dont get disillusioned!! Mistakes are easily made. You only become a fool if you make the same mistake again lol

 

[cfosgate]

Yes you can add the fish but without a test kit you should be prepared to do large daily water changes until your tank is cycled again. This means one or two trips a week to the LFS to get your water tested until the tank is cycled.

 

[Sk3lly]

Yes you can add the fish but without a test kit you should be prepared to do large daily water changes until your tank is cycled again. This means one or two trips a week to the LFS to get your water tested until the tank is cycled.

Yea you really need an api liquid test kit. Its kind of an essential for an aquarium. Id suggest buying one before you buy more fish

 

[cfosgate]

Oh yea...+1 on Sk3lly. We have all been there and most if us have made similar mistakes. Some if us even learned from our mistakes [emoji16]

 

[rockyofhockey]

Ok I'm gonna get it tested in about 20. And I will never make that mistake again lol and seriously u probably think I'm stupid but I actually didn't think seachem had a website