Please Help, I'm Desperate !

[aquageek59]

So I bought a 29 gallon setup about two months ago with OK Aqueon components. Haven't had an aquarium since the early 90's. Geeked out heavily
relearning what I forgot and finding out what's new in the hobby. Waited for my water to cycle with 2 fish in the tank. A sailfin molly and a dwarf guorami .
Once my water cycled at about 4 weeks I had 2 different local fish shops test my water and they both said it was great. Since then I have lost almost every fish I put in the tank. Cherry barbs, pristella tetras, ghost shrimp, and even the original two tank inhabitants being the sailfin molly and dwarf gourami. I test my water constantly and do weekly water changes 0f around 30%. I tried to make sure I did not over feed at anytime. I have a quiet 30 hob filter which I changed the cartridge at a little over 4 weeks. One airstone set to a mild bubble .
I have added several live plants to the tank. They seem to do ok.

So here is my question?

Should I start completely over. Should I do like a 90% water change and try again. I spent a good amount of money on fish that have died not to mention the tank ,stand etc. I really want to enjoy this hobby but right now it's only adding stress to my life. Not having a firm grasp with what is killing my fish is very discouraging right now.

Any thoughts, suggestions or other info would be greatly appreciated.
Much thanks in advance.

Gene

 

[mbkemp]

It sounds like it's not cycled. Is there a way not to use the cartridges that come with that hob? You are probably throwing away your cycle when you do that

 

[aquageek59]

It's possible but I'm not seeing any spike in ammonia or nitrites. After 8 weeks I'm thinking there is a fair amount of fish poop and decaying plant leaves in the sand.

This is probably not a problem but I use a plastic garbage pail I bought at Walmart to store and heat my new water for changes . Could there be something toxic leaching out of the plastic. It was purchased new for this purpose and has only had tap water treated with API water conditioner.

 

[Funken_A]

I use 5 gallon buckets from home depot. I never heat my water just feel the tank temp with my hand and try to match the temp as best as possible. I use a chlorine remover sparingly in every bucket

Whats your tap water read. Have you run a full test on the water you use.?

But i would cease using that garbage pail for now even if its to just eliminate it from suspicion. The heater and cheap chinese made garbage pail would be a concern

 

[Paul1792]

Chloraminime may be the problem-it takes three days to remove

I do not have chloramine (just chorine) which takes 24 hours of "standing out in the air." I use the same Walmart plastic "garbage cans" (actually white "paint buckets" for which you can purchase lids) that you do and put warm water (not hot) in them and let it sit 48 hours before using. If in a hurry, I use Seachem Prime to remove choline. I have never had a problem due to WalMart buckeets. Many cheap de-chlorinate products won't effectively remove chloramine.

You should have 0 ppm for ammonia and nitrites? What are your nitrates? Fish shops usually use strips to test. These are never accurate. You can only trust an API "test tube" test kit where you add drops.


Before I joined this forum, I was told by the Petland, the local LFS, that my water tested fine. But it was always cloudy. I was only doing monthly changes and when I got my API test kit based on advice in this forum, I found I had high nitrites & ammonia and Nitrates well over 100 ppm. I was changing my filter pads too often for the thing to properly cycle.

My tap has other problems such as high phosphorous so I use 60% tap, 20% bottled spring water and 20% R/O. water.

 

[superpeytonm]

You should only change filter cartridges if they are just falling apart and useless. When you do that, you throw away the vast majority of your good bacteria.

Instead you should rinse your cartridge in old tank water. If you rinse it in tap water, you are killing most, if not all, of your bacteria.

 

[Toad]

I have a quiet 30 hob filter which I changed the cartridge at a little over 4 weeks.

Gene

This is what crashed your tank, and since then you've been adding more fish to a now re-uncycled, which is probably why the fish that made it through the first one didn't make it either.

I'd recommend reading up on fishless cycling and start over again. Never replace the filter media unless it is literally falling apart, rinse it only in old tank water, and when you do need to replace it, run the old stuff with the new stuff for a couple weeks or a month to be safe. I've had the same filter media for 4 years, only recently needed replace a small chunk of it. Good luck

 

[Funken_A]

Good Catch on that ^^^^.

You could very well be resetting your tank

 

[toolman]

Don't get discouraged, I also got back into the hobby after being out since the 90's. A lot has changed, but several changes are for the better.

This and other internet forum's are a great help, lots of people to share information and learn together. The improvement in hardware is great also. You can order all kinds of things online, including fish and plants.

I might suggest for your situation buying a second aqueon or aquaclear hob filter to go with the one you have. I run two hob's on all my tanks for safety and added flow. You can clean the filter pads in alternating weeks, preserving some bacteria each time in case of issues. I started with aqueon filters also, but would buy Aquaclears now. Much more room for filter media, filter media is easily customized, and are very reliable.

 

[aquageek59]

Thanks All-
So I did some research and think that the problem is
parasite(s). I remember seeing long white feces hanging from a couple
of the fish that died shortly after. I looked into symptoms that the fish displayed and they seem to line up with parasites. I did a 70% water change today and going to dose with API general cure. My water tests show acceptable parameters but would obviously not show what I suspect has been killing my fish. I did remove the carbon filter from the hob but continue to run it. I have a sponge filter on the intake tube.

 

[aquageek59]

I do not have chloramine (just chorine) which takes 24 hours of "standing out in the air." I use the same Walmart plastic "garbage cans" (actually white "paint buckets" for which you can purchase lids) that you do and put warm water (not hot) in them and let it sit 48 hours before using. If in a hurry, I use Seachem Prime to remove choline. I have never had a problem due to WalMart buckeets. Many cheap de-chlorinate products won't effectively remove chloramine.

You should have 0 ppm for ammonia and nitrites? What are your nitrates? Fish shops usually use strips to test. These are never accurate. You can only trust an API "test tube" test kit where you add drops.


Before I joined this forum, I was told by the Petland, the local LFS, that my water tested fine. But it was always cloudy. I was only doing monthly changes and when I got my API test kit based on advice in this forum, I found I had high nitrites & ammonia and Nitrates well over 100 ppm. I was changing my filter pads too often for the thing to properly cycle.

My tap has other problems such as high phosphorous so I use 60% tap, 20% bottled spring water and 20% R/O. water.

My tap water is 7.8 ph and 160 ppm . I only have chlorine in my tap water too.
I have been testing with the liquid drops (API) like you also. The chain pet stores use strips in my area and the two private owned shops I go to use drops.

 

[toolman]

If the 160ppm is nitrates, that's what killed your fish. Poor water conditions cause stress and weakening of the slime coat then your fish would get parasites. Nitrates should be between 5-40, preferably on the low end. Live plants will help to keep nitrates in control with water changes.

 

[toolman]

May have to do several large water changes to get those nitrates under control.

 

[aquageek59]

I tested my water tonight and I am not seeing anything that concerns me. The 160 PPM is mostly calcium and magnesium in our tap water. That's why the PH is 7.8. We have pretty hard water here. The lfs I deal with tell me they don't adjust PH much and that most of the fish I buy from them will be acclimated to the local water.

 

[V227]

Might want to upgrade your bucket anyway. I use a heavy plastic American made 5 gallon horse bucket I bought from a feed store nearly 20 years ago. It's holding up good. There is no telling how many thousands of gallons i have hauled in it.
Don't give up.

 

[Paul1792]

best wishes