HELP: Yeast in the Aquarium

[Sly_Fra]

Hi all,

OK, the system was primitive, and I can't blame the cat... but the end result, a few weeks ago, yeast from my DIY CO2 when in descent quantity in the 33Gal aquarium.

What I've tried so far:

• Several consecutive days of 95% water change. Water cleared up, of course, but some yeast was always dormant somewhere and then the tank would re-fogged after a few days.
• Added Seachem Purigen to the filter: no change whatsoever
• Tried Nutrafin Clear Fast. Works brilliantly, but again after a few days, completely foggy again...
• Added 2 extra powerheads with dense filtration medium to try to catch it as much as possible (this is new from yesterday, so can't judge yet on the effectiveness) and add Oxygen.
• Tried Fungicide (Tetra FungiStop) since Yeast is a fungus. Thought I'd nuke them. Only tried that once, but no obvious impact.

CO2 levels are increasing, pH is dropping... Fish so far are OK (Honey Gouramis are breathing from the top during the worst periods, SAE and Neons seem happy, haven't seen the Ancistrus in quite a while, but so many plants, that means nothing on his survival), lost a few kamikaze yamato shrimps, lost Java Moss and some submerged Riccia (not all thougt), but other plants so far are OK.

I am tempted to drain it all, wash everything (well not the fish) in 1/20 bleach dilution, and restart all over. But this will imply (in addition to the crazy work) a new cycle that my fish probably won't like...

Therefore I need help. Big time...

 

[logansmomma1228]

Is it possible in any way for you to set up a holding tank? you could cycle it with your filter media. Not sure if the yeast would get in to that tank from doing so, but if not you could set it up, cycle it real quick (should be quick with est filter media) and then transport the fish there until you tear down the other one and clean it up?

 

[jsoong]

What is your water parameter???

I don't think it is likely that the cloudiness is from the yeast multiplying in your tank. I suspect that your biofilter got clobbered (from the alcohol in the DIY CO2 setup), and you are seeing a bacterial bloom. Check your NH3 & NO2 levels ... you might be surprised!

 

[BigJim]

+1 for jsoong.

 

[Sly_Fra]

My pH dropped to around 6.2. Ammonium was high 2 days ago (before a new spring of water changes) to around 3.5-4

But the smell of yeast is undeniable when you enter the house, let alone open the lid. There is white goowy stuff on some leaves which do look like fungus. The unbelievable amount of bubbles whenever I disturb the soil, most certainly CO2 from fermentation. All seem to point to the yeast multiplication.

The bacterial bloom was my first idea, that the bacteria were getting the better over the yeast. And therefore I did leave it without disturbing it for around 1 week, hoping that it would clear overnight like it often does during cycling. But htings just got worse, way worse...

Next steps? Can I avoid the total draining...?

 

[HN1]

I'd say to drop an airstone in and skim everything you can off of the surface. Just guessing based on a past yeast related catastrophy I witnessed though. A series of daily 50%+ changes (for a week plus) will get you through. The most important thing is your bio filter as jsoong described. Without that clear water means nothing.

 

[Sly_Fra]

I'd say to drop an airstone in and skim everything you can off of the surface. QUOTE]

By "skim everything off the surface", I assume you mean scoop up all debris such as dead leaves for example?

 

[HN1]

Yes along with any foam created.

 

[Sly_Fra]

What creates the foam? Bacterias, or yeast fermentation?

And for the rest, I'll give it another shot, 50% daily, monitor Ammoniac, Nitrates, Nitrate, pH, air stone, moral support to the bacterias and the fish...

That being said, I was under the impression that during cycling, the water was becoming foggy when the nitrites were high. If I am in a bacterial bloom, I am in the ammoniac phase. Does this phase come along with fog...?

 

[MartinBlank]

If you are desperate, you could try a UV Sterilizer. If it is set at a slow enough GPH it should kill much of the yeast free floating in the water.

Darn pricey solution though

Edit: Of course if it is a bacterial bloom, than you definitely don't want a UV sterilizer, as you want that free floating bacteria to get into your filter, substrate etc, and not be killed by the sterilizer

 

[Sly_Fra]

Back from the office... Ammoniac is at 0.2 approx. and pH back to normal at around 7 (of course I did a 90% pwc this AM before leaving, but it didn't re-drop, which probably means the CO2 generation inside is halted). Nitrites and Nitrates still at 0. Temperature stable for the past few days at 84, a bit on the warm side, but I think this should help bacterial growth and slow yeast. No foam at the surface.

Water still cloudy of course. I did put some ClearFast this AM after the pwc (before consulting this forum), and all 3 filters (original plus 2 I added a few days ago) were packed with slimmy stuff when I came back home. I just removed those 2 extras, washed the 3rd (filter floss inside) with chlorine free water and added the air stone.

Will check parameters tomorrow AM, and do 50% pwc tomorrow evening.

Other opinions, expertises or experience sharing more than welcome...

 

[Sly_Fra]

Another few quick questions...

If my parameters stay good (0 Ammonia and Nitrite), do I still need the 50% daily pwc, or should I let nature stabilize itself on her own (of course without skipping the basic weekly pwc)?

Second quick question: any advantages or obvious inconvinients in continuing ClearFast? Will that slow down the cycling process...?

 

[krap101]

Edit: Of course if it is a bacterial bloom, than you definitely don't want a UV sterilizer, as you want that free floating bacteria to get into your filter, substrate etc, and not be killed by the sterilizer

The beneficial bacteria is mainly on the surfaces of objects, and there is very little if any actually in the water.

 

[HN1]

The beneficial bacteria is mainly on the surfaces of objects, and there is very little if any actually in the water.

True except during a bloom.

 

[krap101]

I never really looked into it, but I always assumed a bacterial bloom was a bacteria other than the nitrospira/nitrosoma etc. For awhile I thought that blooms were caused by yeast-like bacteria that ate sugars out of the water, but now I realize that there would be no real source of sugar

Thanks

 

[Sly_Fra]

If all my parameters are good, then what type of bacteria do I have... ?Nitrosoma consume ammonia, which I don't seem to have anymore, and Nitrospira consume nitrite, which I don't have either...

And do I do 50% daily changes if the parameters are good?

 

[krap101]

You want your ammonia to stay under .25 ppm, and nitrites to be under (5?, someone else might want to chime in) and nitrates under 40.

 

[TCool]

When you get past the ammonia spike and into the nitrite spike I would suggest adding a little bit of aquarium salt (unless you have fish super sensitive to salt). Aquarium salt helps protect fish from the effects of nitrites, and they could probably use a little relief by the time you get to that stage. I'd still do the pwcs but keep salt in there until the nitrites are zero.

Just go with the recommended dosage on the box of aquarium salt. It's definitely more than you'd need, but shouldn't harm anything. I'm just too lazy right now to look up the calculations for the proper salinity.

And, most recommendations I've seen is a pwc once a week. And, I'd imagine once your bio filter reestablishes itself that would mean the yeast is gone, so I would say once the parameters are back to normal just go back to a weekly pwc. Unless, of course, you are seeing other problems.

 

[logansmomma1228]

When you get past the ammonia spike and into the nitrite spike I would suggest adding a little bit of aquarium salt (unless you have fish super sensitive to salt). Aquarium salt helps protect fish from the effects of nitrites, and they could probably use a little relief by the time you get to that stage. I'd still do the pwcs but keep salt in there until the nitrites are zero.

Just go with the recommended dosage on the box of aquarium salt. It's definitely more than you'd need, but shouldn't harm anything. I'm just too lazy right now to look up the calculations for the proper salinity.

And, most recommendations I've seen is a pwc once a week. And, I'd imagine once your bio filter reestablishes itself that would mean the yeast is gone, so I would say once the parameters are back to normal just go back to a weekly pwc. Unless, of course, you are seeing other problems.

I do believe the proper salinity is 1 rounded tablespoonful of salt per 5 gallons

 

[mgamer20o0]

When you get past the ammonia spike and into the nitrite spike I would suggest adding a little bit of aquarium salt (unless you have fish super sensitive to salt). Aquarium salt helps protect fish from the effects of nitrites, and they could probably use a little relief by the time you get to that stage. I'd still do the pwcs but keep salt in there until the nitrites are zero.

Just go with the recommended dosage on the box of aquarium salt. It's definitely more than you'd need, but shouldn't harm anything. I'm just too lazy right now to look up the calculations for the proper salinity.

And, most recommendations I've seen is a pwc once a week. And, I'd imagine once your bio filter reestablishes itself that would mean the yeast is gone, so I would say once the parameters are back to normal just go back to a weekly pwc. Unless, of course, you are seeing other problems.

or you just use NaCl vs wasting money on aquarium salt.