Repopulating tank after decimation

[MurderComplication]

Hi all;

I had a huge ammonia - 0 to 8ppm - jump over night after a full tank vacuum and clean. It's day three of the ordeal and so far, three drawf gouramis, two neons, and a pleco have passed on. I am currently left with four neons and three angels in my 55g.

What would you guys suggest for my restock? Even if my angels don't make it - although 2 of the 3 seem as if they're doing well - I'll be keeping three angels in the tank. I'll be adding in six or seven neons after as well to get the numbers of the group back up.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

I just want to understand the problem before I suggest fish. You said the ammonia jumped after a tank cleaning. So you tested you water before the tank cleaning and is was 0, then after the tank was cleaned you woke up and fish were dead and the ammonia was 8ppm?

 

[MurderComplication]

The ammonia currently is at 2.0ppm, but I'm still going to try to get it lower with two more 35% pwc today. The fish died slowly over the course of three days. It took two days for three gouramis and one neon to die, and another day for the pleco to die. The others seem okay besides for my Wild Silver Angel at the moment.

I took all the rocks, plants, drift wood, and the bridge I have in there out and cleaned all the spots that my Mother could get too when she was looking after my tank for the past four months while I was at university this past semester. Then I replanted everything, put the rocks and everything back in their spots and then added the water with a double dose of prime due to the high chlorine content in my area's water.

I later tested my tap water to see if that was the problem, and ammonia was 0.25ppm and pH 6.4. I only tested the numbers I was most worried about since the pH in my tank has been floating at 6.0 when I returned. I finally managed to get it up to 7.0 in the last month I was home - water readings were 0 for the first two, and 0.25 for the last one - I just woke up so I can't remember the one that safe for fish... >.< - when this ammonia spike happened...

Apparently - this has happened to a few other members as well.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

Ok... Did you also clean the filter? You may have done a little bit too much all at once. Major changes in water parameters are not good. You might have had your tank cycle again...

 

[MurderComplication]

Yes, I wash my filter ever time I do a water change - I havn't been doing it since three days ago - should I still wash the filter everytime I do a pwc when it hasn't been a week?

I won't be getting any new fish for about three to six weeks in case of any more sudden spikes happen.

 

[NYgiantsRP]

You rinse the filter media in dechlorinated water right?

 

[MurderComplication]

I rinse it in the water I just took out of the tank as per instructed in my research. So yes it is chlorinated. I don't do it in the first batch since that's generally dirtier then the last bucket I take out. I've only had this tank up and running for four months after it cycled the first time.