Very Upset All My Tigers Died Overnight

[threnjen]

I think osmotic shock sounds possible, in the absence of anything else. But like everyone else, I am kind of at a loss.
Is the tap water filter this thing? Aquarium Water Quality: Tap Water Filter
I just want to study it in more detail

 

[plumwd]

Is the tap water filter this thing? Aquarium Water Quality: Tap Water Filter
I just want to study it in more detail

Yes that's exactly it.

 

[cfosgate]

Wow! The filter cartridge is good for 25-125 gallons before it requires changing. That could get expensive fast.

 

[plumwd]

I've probably done 125 and mine is still going. I test when I make water to be sure.

 

[captaincritical]

Perhaps a redundant question given your water test results, but did your filter media dry out when the tank was moved, by chance?

 

[Caliban07]

What is your tap water quality like? If I were in your shoes, I would not use that filter for your fish tank anymore anymore for a while.

Prime will do the job as far as chloramines are concerned. I just think that the constant changes in water chemistry have something to do with this.

Sorry if it feels like I'm having a go. I'm really not. Just trying to find possibilities and this seems like the most probable to me.

 

[Mebbid]

Test the water ph at least 2 different times. 1 - as soon as the lights come on. 2 - as soon as the lights go off. I like to do an extra check at the halfway mark between lights on and off qt both day and night just to make sure. This will give you a good reading on what your ph is throughout the day. Also, how did you acclimate the fish to the new tank? Once that is resolved then other options can be explored.

Seriously, restating this again. Ph will swing throughout the day and night cycle.

 

[Caliban07]

Seriously, restating this again. Ph will swing throughout the day and night cycle.

My fish are ok. Survived many day and night cycles without adverse affects. This is probably more troublesome in a heavily planted tank with co2 injection. Could become a problem with no buffering capacity in the water and few water changes but the water is being buffered and I'm sure there is good surface agitation to allow for gas transfer.

Ph is a possibility but unlikely. Although the ph up chemical that comes with the filter doesn't fill me with much confidence.

 

[plumwd]

I just tested my water and out of the tap it reads 1ppm Ammonia. That's the primary reason that I got the API Tap Water Filter. I know that Prime will take care of it,and I do use Prime.

The API Master Test Kit always reads positive for ammonia (total) so I've been using Seachem's Ammonia Test Kit that tests for NH3 and NH4 separately. My test results from that always show my tank at 0ppm as it should be.

I'm sure there was a swing when I changed the water, or there was something that contaminated the water while I was changing it.

As far as the filter, the water wasn't running for very long. It took me about 5 minutes to move the tank. Total downtime was no more than an hour. It was just long enough for me to drain the tank, then refill it.

I don't feel you're having a go, I think the feedback is great and I like all the ideas everyone has. That's why I come here

 

[Huro]

Thought I would just pop in and ask if your 2 remaining Gouramis are still doing well?

 

[plumwd]

Thought I would just pop in and ask if your 2 remaining Gouramis are still doing well?

Yes they are. Thank you for asking! They're back to eating and being "normal". I'm still super nervous, but I really think they're going to be okay.

 

[FishEggs]

I think Caliban07 is on to it. Do you have a tds test to see if the filter is doing what it is supposed to? Maybe the color changing cartridge failed and it is time to change it even though it says it isn't. I don't know what causes the color to change or what it measures to say it's time to change though.
I'm on city water which has plenty of chloramines in it too and all i use is prime. I've never had a massive die off like that no matter how much water i've changed. Maybe you should simplify and take the filter out of the equation.

 

[plumwd]

I don't have a TDS test, but it's probably worth looking into just to see.

When you change your water and then test for ammonia after using your conditioner (prime or whatever), do you still test positive for ammonia? I think that's the thing that perplexed me the most when starting out. Even though Free Ammonia was okay, my total ammonia was always still reading at least 1ppm.

 

[threnjen]

Yeah the ammonia is still there, prime just forces it to be non toxic

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Caliban07]

Even at 1ppm ammonia the amount of free toxic ammonia can be minimal depending on your ph and temperature.

Besides a fully cycled tank will get to work on this pretty quickly.

Deionisation and prime would rule out ammonia poisoning I would think. I can

I can only think a dramatic change in ph and/or tds has caused this. Do you buffer the water before or after the addition of the water?

I'm just wondering if that ph chemical where's off after 24hrs or something.

 

[Caliban07]

Wears off*

 

[tylermakin]

Tiger bards are great fish but very sensitive. I moved my tank once and 2 out of 3 died all the rest did fine.

 

[plumwd]

Even at 1ppm ammonia the amount of free toxic ammonia can be minimal depending on your ph and temperature.

Besides a fully cycled tank will get to work on this pretty quickly.

Deionisation and prime would rule out ammonia poisoning I would think. I can

I can only think a dramatic change in ph and/or tds has caused this. Do you buffer the water before or after the addition of the water?

I'm just wondering if that ph chemical where's off after 24hrs or something.

I dechlor while the bucket is filling but put the buffers in after. I'm going to do the next water change without the tap water filter and see how it goes.

 

[Caliban07]

I dechlor while the bucket is filling but put the buffers in after. I'm going to do the next water change without the tap water filter and see how it goes.

Yes I'm not sure how quickly this would effect them but if you place 90% water with low ph and no mineral content then add the buffers that would be a large ph swing and tds change and could definitely make fish sick. A 30-50% change the fish may tolerate but the 90% would be too much.

Good I know you were trying to do the best for your fish but I think that filter is unnecessary.

Tap water and prime is your best bet as prime will rid your water of chloramines and detoxify ammonia for 24 hrs allowing your bacteria to break it down before it unbinds.

 

[Mebbid]

whats your dkh?