Hey everybody,
This is my first post but just wanted to introduce myself. I have had tanks all my life from the time I was a kid to present. (I'm not going to tell you how long that's been).
I currently have a 125 gallon flat back hex tank. I keep it as a community freshwater tank. I also keep live plants in it to help keep the water in great shape. Until recently all has been perfect for the last 5yrs or so at least. I never have problems with my tank. I have just yesterday had a very strange emergency with my tank. I have never experienced anything like it before.
I woke up in the morning to find my huge 10 year old clown loach floating and gasping for air. My bala shark was in the opposite corner doing the same. My black ghost knife was hanging out vertically in the corner underneath the shark. Not normal behavior for him.
My water test revealed nothing amiss. Of course something obviously was. I quickly did a 50% water change followed up with my running out to buy two chem-sorb pillows and after rinsing out both filters in tank water I put one in each canister filter to absorb any toxins that may be present. I run a Magnum 350 and a Rena Filstar 2 on the tank so both have one of these in now. They seem to be recovering, all except the shark. I swear he has brain damage and seems blind. He darts around the tank like he saw a ghost and one time he hit the top glass so hard it would scramble anybody's brain.
Anyway, I have researched all of this online and have pretty much come to the conclusion that I had a drastic drop in oxygen during the night. I believe that came about because I decided to change my routine of running a Maxijet 1200 at night to running it during the day. Since the plants give off oxygen during the day and not so much at night the gas exchange dropped off and they were suffocating. I now added an airstone under a large ornament and also added a small overflow filter to the back of the tank to further move water on the surface to help with the gas exchange.
Wow nothing like jumping right in there. I think that about covers my introduction, LOL I was just curious if anyone else has ever encountered anything like this before. Also if I have done everything I can to remedy this fiasco. If anyone has any input or suggestions I would greatly love to hear it.
So that's about it, and greetings to all
This is my first post but just wanted to introduce myself. I have had tanks all my life from the time I was a kid to present. (I'm not going to tell you how long that's been).
I currently have a 125 gallon flat back hex tank. I keep it as a community freshwater tank. I also keep live plants in it to help keep the water in great shape. Until recently all has been perfect for the last 5yrs or so at least. I never have problems with my tank. I have just yesterday had a very strange emergency with my tank. I have never experienced anything like it before. I woke up in the morning to find my huge 10 year old clown loach floating and gasping for air. My bala shark was in the opposite corner doing the same. My black ghost knife was hanging out vertically in the corner underneath the shark. Not normal behavior for him.
My water test revealed nothing amiss. Of course something obviously was. I quickly did a 50% water change followed up with my running out to buy two chem-sorb pillows and after rinsing out both filters in tank water I put one in each canister filter to absorb any toxins that may be present. I run a Magnum 350 and a Rena Filstar 2 on the tank so both have one of these in now. They seem to be recovering, all except the shark. I swear he has brain damage and seems blind. He darts around the tank like he saw a ghost and one time he hit the top glass so hard it would scramble anybody's brain.
Anyway, I have researched all of this online and have pretty much come to the conclusion that I had a drastic drop in oxygen during the night. I believe that came about because I decided to change my routine of running a Maxijet 1200 at night to running it during the day. Since the plants give off oxygen during the day and not so much at night the gas exchange dropped off and they were suffocating. I now added an airstone under a large ornament and also added a small overflow filter to the back of the tank to further move water on the surface to help with the gas exchange.
Wow nothing like jumping right in there.
I think that about covers my introduction, LOL I was just curious if anyone else has ever encountered anything like this before. Also if I have done everything I can to remedy this fiasco. If anyone has any input or suggestions I would greatly love to hear it. So that's about it, and greetings to all
