Help please

[ryantx23]

I have two 10 gallon tanks. One of my water filters / pumps just went out, so I replaced it with another (same model) tonight. While I was shopping for a new pump, I wanted to add an extra level of redundancy to our aeration to my tanks, so I bought some small air pumps at Wallyword along with bubble stones and tubing to go along with it.

I did a 10 percent water change tonight and put in my bubble stones, fired everything up and two of my danio's have kicked the bucket. I was trying to figure out, what went wrong and I read that you are supposed to soak the bubble stones for an hour before you start supplying air to them. Would that cause my fish to die?

For now, do you suggest I move my fish from that tank to the other and leave it alone for tonight. I don't need anymore dead fish, we bought some algae eaters from PetCo several weeks ago and brought home a nice case of Ich for our aquariums that just so happened to kill about half of our fish.

Any thoughts because I'm an Aquarium newbie? I tested the PH tonight at it was right around 7.2 or so and when I replaced the water I vacuumed out I also added a Correct PH tank buddy tablet (1/2 a tablet) to my new water before it was put back in the tank. Everything else has been stable in this tank for weeks.

 

[tyspot1000]

Welcome to AA !

It sounds like your tank went through a mini-cycle when you changed the filter (Brought ammonia and nitrite into the tank which is toxic to fish). The airstones couldnt of been the problem.

I would recommend doing a Partial water change everyday (Please do not add the Ph tablets anymore. It not that great on your tank to use chemicals to alter your Ph, even sometimes resulting in a cycle restart) until your ammonia and nitrite are at least .25 ppm or lower.

What test kit are you using?

 

[ryantx23]

Mars Fishcare pH TEST KIT (for testing freshwater aquariums) Reads 6.0-7.6 ph

It has a 5cc test tube with a bottle of solution and a color chart / card to compare the water to. Three drops of solution to the test tube.

Think it came from Wallyworld?

 

[ryantx23]

I just realized my wife had some litmus strips from her pregnancy and I just tested it with those and it read 6.75ish...

 

[OhNeil1969]

I have two 10 gallon tanks. One of my water filters / pumps just went out, so I replaced it with another (same model) tonight. While I was shopping for a new pump, I wanted to add an extra level of redundancy to our aeration to my tanks, so I bought some small air pumps at Wallyword along with bubble stones and tubing to go along with it.

I did a 10 percent water change tonight and put in my bubble stones, fired everything up and two of my danio's have kicked the bucket. I was trying to figure out, what went wrong and I read that you are supposed to soak the bubble stones for an hour before you start supplying air to them. Would that cause my fish to die?

For now, do you suggest I move my fish from that tank to the other and leave it alone for tonight. I don't need anymore dead fish, we bought some algae eaters from PetCo several weeks ago and brought home a nice case of Ich for our aquariums that just so happened to kill about half of our fish.

Any thoughts because I'm an Aquarium newbie? I tested the PH tonight at it was right around 7.2 or so and when I replaced the water I vacuumed out I also added a Correct PH tank buddy tablet (1/2 a tablet) to my new water before it was put back in the tank. Everything else has been stable in this tank for weeks.

When you replaced the filter with the same model did you reuse the old filter media? Most of your good bacteria that deals with ammonia and nitrites were in that filter media. The good thing is you brought the same type of filter, so it should have been a matter of simply swapping the media into your new filter.

 

[ryantx23]

When you replaced the filter with the same model did you reuse the old filter media? Most of your good bacteria that deals with ammonia and nitrites were in that filter media. The good thing is you brought the same type of filter, so it should have been a matter of simply swapping the media into your new filter.

Actually, I didn't even think to do that. The filter / pump that I replaced, I bought almost 3 months ago at Wallyworld and the POS went out that quick. I took it back and exchanged it for another one. I was so pissed that it went out that quick, I didn't even think about keeping the filter.

 

[OhNeil1969]

Actually, I didn't even think to do that. The filter / pump that I replaced, I bought almost 3 months ago at Wallyworld and the POS went out that quick. I took it back and exchanged it for another one. I was so pissed that it went out that quick, I didn't even think about keeping the filter.

Unfortunately, it looks like you may have to go through a new nitrogen cycle. The good thing is that if you have gravel/decoration from the previous cycle still in the tank it shouldn't take as long. Just keep on top of water testing and PWC's. BTW, you should invest in a API master test kit for your tank. I've tried the strips in the past and have found that the API test kit is much better (no, I don't own stock in API ). Maintaining a healthy tank is extremely difficult if you don't have the right testing equipment.

 

[ryantx23]

I didn't mention it but I do have several live plants and a bacteria box under the natural rock in each of my tanks. Hopefully that will give me some benefit?

 

[TraceyB4602]

I didn't mention it but I do have several live plants and a bacteria box under the natural rock in each of my tanks. Hopefully that will give me some benefit?

Yup, that should help out a lot. But still watch your levels while it re-cycles.

 

[ChelseaLake]

Hey there!

The bubble stones that you soak...don't worry about it if you didn't. It's just better for the stone itself and makes it more...bubbly. It just takes it awhile to make bubbles through the whole stone if you don't soak it.

It took my 2 10" bubble stones like 3 days to bubble all the way down. I doubt it hurts your fish any if you don't soak. You know, other than just rinsing the contaminants off before you stick it in.

 

[ryantx23]

Thank you all for your responses. I will keep you updated as things progress. I hope it clears up soon or I'm going to need some more fish... I had plenty before the Ich infestation courtesy of Petco.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

One other thing, don't use any PH adjusters to try and keep the PH at a certain level. Most fish can handle lower and higher ph levels as long as it's STABLE. So if your tap water has a higher ph, as long as it's stable, you shouldn't have any problems. Or if it's lower, the same goes that way. As long as it's stable. I never use anything to change the ph, and all my fish are doing great. Just keep up with water changes while finishing the cycle and you should be good.