Mollies keep dying

[DrBoyd80]

Hi people,

I recently did a dry start method with Glosso seeds and everything went well. Once i had a good thick 1.5inch layer I added water then a couple days later added 6 Mollies. Now 1 week later all the fish have died and I'm getting patches of dead glosso.
It's a brand new 144L tank with 1400L/H pump, 9W UV Light, 55w A901 Chihiros 8000K 8.200 Lumen LED and CO2 injection that I built myself.
I tested the water every day and the pH hovered around 7.1 and Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates were all 0ppm.
I fed the fish once a day in the morning. I also added some java moss super glued to the spider root, some needle leaf Java Fern and some dwarf sagittaria which I pre dipped in 1:20 ratio of bleach for 3 min before soaking in an anti chlor solution before adding to tank.
My rocks I collected from a local gorge but I soaked them in a chlorine solution and scrubbed them clean and let sit in the sun for a week before I added them to the tank. The wood I purchased from a fish store.

I guess there's a lot of potential causes from all the new equipment but I was hoping someone out there may have some advice for me.

 

[colinquilliam1]

Hi. Looking at your pics you have an api mater kit. Reading your post you've done a dsm in a new tank, filled it once your carpet has grown, waited a few days then added fish. You have had clear test results for a few days then your fish died. Have i got that right?

 

[colinquilliam1]

Before anything, "don't add anymore fish". You NEED to let your tank cycle first. Everything is new, let it settle down. This can take weeks so dont rush. What have you planted the seeds in? It looks like ada soil

 

[DrBoyd80]

The bottom layer is standard scoria (I've forgotten the exact details) then a layer of Seachem Fluorite. Both purchased from the fish store specifically for a planted aquarium.

I'm unsure what the API kit is or what you mean by a dsm? Now that my fish have died is it still possible to cycle the tank as there will be no Ammonia for the bacteria to feed on?

 

[DrBoyd80]

I've also just increased my CO2 output to about 4-5 bubbles per sec. It was on about 1 bubble per sec and the CO2 indicator showed little to no CO2 in the water.

 

[King Fisher]

Put some raw shrimp in a mesh bag or panty hose and put it in your tank to create ammonia for the cycle. Or buy pure ammonia in a bottle with no additives and dose the tank. Keep the ammonia between 2 to 4 ppm consistently.

 

[DrBoyd80]

Awesome thanks. It's illegal to sell or buy live shrimp where i live so I'll locate some Ammonia in a bottle. Would you recommend doing a complete water change and wash the mesh filter as well? (Not the porcelain rings)
Also I've adjusted the CO2 back down to 2 bubbles as the indicator shows that I now have enough.

 

[King Fisher]

I mean raw frozen or not shrimp from the grocery store. No need to do a complete water change or wash the filter unless it's really dirty where it's affecting the operation of your unit.

I don't run co2 so I can't help you there.

BB needs ammonia to feed off of to multiply.

 

[colinquilliam1]

The bottom layer is standard scoria (I've forgotten the exact details) then a layer of Seachem Fluorite. Both purchased from the fish store specifically for a planted aquarium.

I'm unsure what the API kit is or what you mean by a dsm? Now that my fish have died is it still possible to cycle the tank as there will be no Ammonia for the bacteria to feed on?

Hi. Dsm is dry start method. Most api test kits only test for ph, amonia, nitrite and nitrates. The fact they are all zero says its not cycled yet. Your filter needs time to establish good bacteria too. There is no point adding loads of stuff to speed it up because the more you add the more risk of messing up the balance. My advice is keep up with your water changes, 25% every few days, keep dosing your plant ferts and just take your time. 1 or 2 bubbles per second is fine for that size tank. Its not a race to add fish but will be worth it in the end. I've just set up a 6ft long tank 5 nearly 6wks ago and only just added my fish. Good luck