Fish Died After Adding New Substrate

[Fishmanic46 162]

In my opinion, the best white substrate is pool filter sand. I used it in my 29 gallon tank. It hardly requires any rinsing and is inert.

 

[BKyler]

Wouldn't sand just go right down through the beige gravel substrate that I already have in the aquarium?

 

[anewbie]

Wouldn't sand just go right down through the beige gravel substrate that I already have in the aquarium?

At this point it isn't relevant. However wait a couple of days for the water to clear and then see if it helps with your light issue.

 

[BKyler]

Hi, looking at your photo, it looks like you have a lot of water movement. Have you tried taking a glass of water out and just seeing if the water in the glass settles overnight and becomes clear? It will help determine if it's fine sediment in the water that will eventually settle.

The water is as clear as it was when I took it out of the aquarium yesterday. Nothing at the bottom of the glass. Two more tiger barbs aren't looking so good this morning. pH is 7.6 and ammonia is 0.0. Water is still cloudy.

 

[anewbie]

The water is as clear as it was when I took it out of the aquarium yesterday. Nothing at the bottom of the glass. Two more tiger barbs aren't looking so good this morning. pH is 7.6 and ammonia is 0.0. Water is still cloudy.

Was the ph 7.6 when you started (which is high); can you test tds/kh/gh and do you know the values before you added the new substrate ?

7.6 suggest modest hard water though there are other reasons the ph might rise

 

[BKyler]

No I can't test for those and I don't know what the values were before I added the new substrate.

 

[TwoTankAmin40]

7.6 ph means any ammonia can be more toxic. I have just sent BK a PM with some thoughts and suggestions. One included the possibility that topping off one's substrate can cause some of the bacteria which lives there to die off.

It is possible that there was an ammonia spike which was not detected because the testing was done after it self corrected but not before it was able to harm the barbs. What I can say is that different species of fish are more or less able to handle any given level of ammonia as well as for it being present for different amounts of time.

Water change and declor can help but they need to happen fairly quickly after any dangerous level of ammonia has been handled by the bacteria being able to reproduce because there is excess ammonia available. There was no information on a time line between when the new substrate was added and when the first test was done. Also cloudy water can alter the color of test results.

 

[FattyFish]

The water is as clear as it was when I took it out of the aquarium yesterday. Nothing at the bottom of the glass. Two more tiger barbs aren't looking so good this morning. pH is 7.6 and ammonia is 0.0. Water is still cloudy.

Just another thought... have you tried anything like "API ACCU Clear Water"? It binds tiny particles into bigger ones, making it easier for your filter to trap them. I used it when I first set up my tank with sand, and it definitely helped.

 

[BKyler]

Just another thought... have you tried anything like "API ACCU Clear Water"? It binds tiny particles into bigger ones, making it easier for your filter to trap them. I used it when I first set up my tank with sand, and it definitely helped.

Yes I've used it before but it didn't seem to help. I also read somewhere where you weren't supposed to use it for some reason.

 

[Essjay46 161]

It can stick to the fish's gills which is why it's use is not recommended.


Do you have any fine filter wool/floss in the filter? That won't remove the finest particles but it can help with the slightly larger ones.

 

[Innesfan44 6]

I'm still stuck on the fact that the new substrate was layered over the old. Since this was done for a desired color change, does that mean you are not vacuuming the gravel during water changes in order to keep the new layer in tact?

 

[BKyler]

It can stick to the fish's gills which is why it's use is not recommended.


Do you have any fine filter wool/floss in the filter? That won't remove the finest particles but it can help with the slightly larger ones.

I have a polishing filter pad

 

[BKyler]

I'm still stuck on the fact that the new substrate was layered over the old. Since this was done for a desired color change, does that mean you are not vacuuming the gravel during water changes in order to keep the new layer in tact?

I didn't want to change the color from beige to white but no matter what settings I had with the Aquasky light the water always had a yellowish tint. Fluval said the reason the Aquasky light was making my water a yellowish tint was because it was reflecting off the beige substrate and white would be better. I am vacuuming the gravel clear down to the bottom of the aquarium and everything is staying in tact.

 

[BKyler]

I did a water change this afternoon and tested the water parameters.

Done with API Water Test Kit

pH 7.6
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrites 0.0
Nitrates 5.0

Done with Test Strips

GH 25
KH 80

Water temperature in aquarium 79.1 degrees

Attached are two pictures of the aquarium. I changed the lighting so it's not so blue but I still don't like how it looks. Still seems cloudy and not clear. One picture is how the tiger barbs are all gathered in the corner .

 

[anewbie]

How are you removing chlorine when you do water changes? The fishes hanging at the top like that 'esp the tiger barb suggest there is ammonia or chlorine in the water though your test suggest no ammonia.