Help Fish in Cycle turned Fishless

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sms1852

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Jan 5, 2017
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I have a 29 gallon tank with an AC70 that I've been cycling for the past 3 weeks . I originally had 3 guppies in there. I died the 2nd week. But the other two seemed fine. I have been adding Prime & doing wc every 2-3 days depending on my levels, I have the API master kit.

Last week I added a driftwood with an anubia that I bought at the LFS, another anubia, an air stone & started dosing Excel. The remaining guppies stopped eating last Sunday. On the advice of my LFS I have also been adding Bio Boost once a week. My tank has unexplained white dots in the water. I don't think it's planaria because I don't see any worms.

Yesterday I woke up to 1 dead guppy yesterday. I called my LFS & they advised me to move the remaining guppy into a bucket with an air stone for 2 days & do a 100% wc in my tank. He died within an hour of being moved. I feel very guilty for killing him but I was trying to save him.

My current levels are Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0.25 & Nitrate 5. Should I do a 100% wc? How is this going to affect my cycle?
 

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Apparently after much research & investigation, I believe it was micro bubbles that killed my fish. They stopped eating 1 day after adding a Tetra 49 air pump to power a motion decoration. Today I did a 90% wc & turned off the air pump. White specks disappeared, I turned the air pump on & they immediately reappeared. My air pump was on the opposite side of the intake tube. However I am running an AC 70 on a 29 gallon & my air pump was a Tetra 40. Essentially I killed my fish trying to add something cool to the tank for my kids. I also did a 90% unnecessary wc that might delay my cycle. I'm chalking this up to rookie mistakes but I feel horrible about it.
 
I to am a beginner. Trying to absorb as much knowledge as I can from other's mistakes. Haha
 
If water is flowing out of the top its working. Suction at the intake is not intense.

With no ammonia cycle may have stalled. What are tap parameters?

Micro bubbles won't kill fish.
 
Something not right...is this with a liquid kit that is in date?
 
Something not right...is this with a liquid kit that is in date?



Yes it expires 10/2021. I have a 10 gallon tank at school that Is cycled. I have compared my testing with the LFS water test & they get the same results. I didn't feed the guppies the day I added the air stone & started dosing with Excel. They started refusing to eat the following day. After my 90% wc yesterday my micro bubbles where gone however they reappeared & disappeared when I turned my air pump on & off.
 
If tap has ammonia tank should have anmonia unless using ro/distilled ect. If I get a weird test ill test a couple of times. May be chlormine though.

Why do you have air pump ? Aesthetics?

Guppies are poor indicator fish when new. They have a plethora of common issues/diseases. Id concentrate on one thing at a time. Cycle tank first. May want to consider starting over since your not that far into process.
 
If tap has ammonia tank should have anmonia unless using ro/distilled ect. If I get a weird test ill test a couple of times. May be chlormine though.

Why do you have air pump ? Aesthetics?

Guppies are poor indicator fish when new. They have a plethora of common issues/diseases. Id concentrate on one thing at a time. Cycle tank first. May want to consider starting over since your not that far into process.



I bought the air pump to power a motion boat that my son liked. The 0 Ammonia reading was a day after adding Prime & the tank had been running for 2weeks. By starting over do you mean I need to completely empty the tank & throw away my sand. I have Tahitian Moon Sand & I'd like to keep it if possible. My driftwood has a little green algae on it & an Anubia growing on it . Should I worry about the algae right now? Should I wait until it cycled to continue Excel dosing?
 
Excel shouldnt matter. Algae may or may not be issue need pictures. Step one always id the algae.

What I mean is you need finish cycle decide fish in or fishless. If fishless you need some source of ammonia.
 
Excel shouldnt matter. Algae may or may not be issue need pictures. Step one always id the algae.

What I mean is you need finish cycle decide fish in or fishless. If fishless you need some source of ammonia.



 

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Looks like fish took a bite ?

You can cycle with flakes. I still use this method. Painfully long and lots of work. Constant testing. Hard to know how much to add and how often. But yes it works. How us old people did it 35 yrs ago lol.
 
Looks like fish took a bite ?

You can cycle with flakes. I still use this method. Painfully long and lots of work. Constant testing. Hard to know how much to add and how often. But yes it works. How us old people did it 35 yrs ago lol.



Update: My Ammonia is between 0 & 0.25, Nitrite 1 & Nitrate 5. However my tank seems to have white specks all over it again. I no longer have the air pump in it. I'm puzzled, any idea what this could be? Should I continue dosing my tank with fish flakes?IMG_1357.jpg
 

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Need raise ammonia or cycle stall. I like 3.

The white specks I see but no way to tell. Get a closer picture. Is it all over heater?
 
Need raise ammonia or cycle stall. I like 3.

The white specks I see but no way to tell. Get a closer picture. Is it all over heater?



Tank temperature is 84FIMG_1340.jpg
 

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No I mean are those the specks or are they bubbles. ? Why you got heater at 84
 
There some debate on higher temps helping. I have no education on the matter. At 29g a pair of angels would be ok. Not much room for much else imo.
 
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