Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
Go help out anyway
Need some quick advice
- Thread starter illuminum
- Start date
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Massive ammonia spike! 2.0 on the scale. One Platy died Just completed a 75% water change and, during the process, one angel died. I figured out what caused the spike. Let me know if it's true. During the time the tank was cycling, we added substrate. After adding fish, another pound of substrate was added. While cleaning it, I estimate that there was @ 30 lbs of substrate. The substrate cleaning that was done during the previous PWC's did not remove all of the waste. I removed the extra substrate (gravel) and now just hoping for the best. I won't be sensitive at this point if everyone agrees that the above explanation is true. I accept full responsibility for my actions.
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
When you disturb the substrate you kill off bacteria, pretty much, so I'd say you were almost starting all over with your cycle.
There are so many factors at play - it is really hard to do all the right things, and if you do, it is by accident because you might not even know what the "right things" are without having messed up in the past. Over the years I have made all of the mistakes, believe me, and that's how I learned, so I'm really sorry about your fish losses but in the end you'll come out of it a more knowledgeable aquarist. I think that's what keeps me here at AA - trying to help others through the rough patches may make up a little bit for some of my foolish mistakes!
There are so many factors at play - it is really hard to do all the right things, and if you do, it is by accident because you might not even know what the "right things" are without having messed up in the past. Over the years I have made all of the mistakes, believe me, and that's how I learned, so I'm really sorry about your fish losses but in the end you'll come out of it a more knowledgeable aquarist. I think that's what keeps me here at AA - trying to help others through the rough patches may make up a little bit for some of my foolish mistakes!
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
You're so right. Starting from scratch (so to speak). ...mistakes...I've made a few. I've learned a valuable lesson...don't rush and do not disturb. I really wish I had found AA a lot sooner...most of the "bad" advice I got when I started was from my LFS. ie: using AMRID and Cycle during the "fishless" cycling period. "Go ahead and add more gravel". Add fish (up to 5 at a time). No mention of QT prior to adding to tank...no mention of testing water (ammonia, nitrite, nitrate). Whew! Since the mistakes were made at the very beginning, I'm just glad they all occurred when they did. It brought me to AA! No one should start an aquarium without consulting AA first!
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
Hmmm, a new slogan!
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Grrrrr....one of the sharks (the one who had the original ich outbreak) just started "bugging out". He doesn't want to swim and is allowing the current to take him around the tank. He actually got stuck on the filters extension tube a couple of times and actually laid upside down on the bottom in the "hiding" place. What is this? We moved him out to QT but he doesn't seem to have any spunk.
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
Oh dear, it's rare to see a fish come back from that. It could be a number of things. The ich made him weak and the ammonia spike weakened him further. Clean water is the best you can do for him now.
What are your current water parameters?
What are your current water parameters?
Jchillin
Aquarium Advice Addict
Too late Menagerie...he went late last night.
Stats:
Ammonia - 0
trites - 0
trates - 0
Temp - 81
Keeping in mind that I just did a complete overhaul of tank (expect filter) the numbers above are not unusual (cycling with livestock present). I really thought he was the strongest of all the fish I have left
Not to worry, I won't give up!
Stats:
Ammonia - 0
trites - 0
trates - 0
Temp - 81
Keeping in mind that I just did a complete overhaul of tank (expect filter) the numbers above are not unusual (cycling with livestock present). I really thought he was the strongest of all the fish I have left
Not to worry, I won't give up!
Menagerie
Aquarium Advice Addict
I'm so sorry to hear that
