Help With Tank

[bigdave2009]

Hello everyone,

I need some help. My roomate started a fish tank for his first time, once he saw the tanks i had. Any who, I was helping him with his tank and he began to get to excited and started to not listen to me. He was rushing his aquarium and stocking it with loads of fish before it even cycled. Now all of his fish are dead, due to high nitrites resulting in fin rot and the worse case of ich i have ever seen. I really should have taken pictures to show you guys what can happen if you are careless in regards to maintaining a good aquarium. Now that all his fish are dead, and I was able to say, " I told you so." He is ready to listen and cooperate. I am going to try and help him again of course. Now my questions for you people are: If the tank water is pretty much black, there were dead fish in the tank for days, and the tank had ich, must he change ALLLLLL of the water? Must he restart the whole cycle over? His tank has been running four about 3-4 weeks. But it is no shape for fish. It is truly disgusting to look at and smell his tank right now. Must he clean all the items in the tank as well?

And the last question, if i let him use my net, my gravel vaccum, my bucket....could the bacteria from his tank get on my items and then transfer in my tank? It was really bad in his tank, so I am scared to let him use my gear to clean his mistake. Let me know guys, thanks!!


any questions or comments please ask!

 

[darrel69]

Everything may be dead, but i wouldn't take any chances. It sounds quite bad... Id give everything a really good scrub, maybe someone can recommend some sort of solution...

Also dont let him use any of your equipment !! not untill he's scrubbed everything. Better to be safe than sorry !!

 

[backtotropical]

Hi Dave,

If it is really that bad, i would advise to change all the water and wash everything, just to get rid of the smell.

With regard to cycling, if you have established tanks, you could give him 1/3 of the filter media from one of your tanks and he could stock his tank to around 1/3 the capacity of yours immediately. No cycling required.

Regarding the nets, buckets etc, disease can be passed this way, so make sure you wash everything in HOT water before it goes near your tank again.

Cheers

BTT

 

[bigdave2009]

Hi Dave,

If it is really that bad, i would advise to change all the water and wash everything, just to get rid of the smell.

With regard to cycling, if you have established tanks, you could give him 1/3 of the filter media from one of your tanks and he could stock his tank to around 1/3 the capacity of yours immediately. No cycling required.

Regarding the nets, buckets etc, disease can be passed this way, so make sure you wash everything in HOT water before it goes near your tank again.

Cheers

BTT

the funny thing is that i had given him some media from my tank and helped cycle is tank. but he put way to many fish in, and the tank could not handle the bioload. what parts do you recommend of my filter media do i give him? also, hot water will kill the bacteria if he uses my stuff? one more, does he have to change his sand?

 

[waterdrop]

Why not BOIL the gravel/sand. A big ole tall pot should do it. Then after it cools, run your fingers through it as fresh water washes over it. Keep doing this until the water clears.

I've read on TFF that you can clean the inside of the tank with a mild bleach solution if you then follow that with a thorough rinse of fresh water. Seems like CFC or Tolak or someone outlined this to someone recently who had a badly dirty used tank.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[littlest]

Why not BOIL the gravel/sand. A big ole tall pot should do it. Then after it cools, run your fingers through it as fresh water washes over it. Keep doing this until the water clears.

I've read on TFF that you can clean the inside of the tank with a mild bleach solution if you then follow that with a thorough rinse of fresh water. Seems like CFC or Tolak or someone outlined this to someone recently who had a badly dirty used tank.

~~waterdrop~~

I've done this before after mystery deaths because I was concerned it was bacterial. Some people recommended a bleach solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water. Others recommend 1 part bleach to 19 parts of water. I personally used 1:19 but no idea which is better.

You want to boil gravel, ornaments etc in a large pan at a rolling boil.
Add bleach solution to tank, run for an hour or so, drain the tank, fill with water with dechlorinator (the dechlorinator will help to neutralise the bleach or somthing), leave for an hour, drain, fill with water etc etc etc.

If he has a hosepipe and garden he can take the empty tank outside and use a hosepipe to rinse after the bleaching.

It then needs to be left to dry (preferably in sunlight) before being used again.

It's a pain to do but I personally didn't want to take the risk of any bacteria lurking, and killing any new fish I get.

If he does decide to use bleach solution, make sure he doesn't get over-excited and start buying fish without rinsing it fully, as a tank with bleach is probably much worse than a tank with bacteria

 

[OldMan47]

Most anything that will grow in the tank will not survive being thoroughly dried out. It is especially true of ich but also many other things. Once the tank has had a good clean, let it dry completely. That should put you in a good position to start again.

 

[waterdrop]

Yes, a good bake in the sun. Don't we wish it were summer?