Idon't Have A Clue What Is Going On..

[KezJona]

I have a 160L tank which was set up over a week ago, however, I used my old fish water from my older tank to begin the cycle, as well as the sand as well so all the good bacteria would be in the new tank and the nitrogen cycle would get a head start.

However, I woke up today and my male betta fish has died, I was so devastated, felt like crying, he really was an amazing fish. He always used to come up to me when I was at the tank, and I swear when I called him Doogle, his name, he actually understood it.

I tested my water parameters and my PH is 7.6, something I have been trying to battle with for the last week with PH down and it isn't working. I have all live plants in my tank and some 3 big pieces of driftwood, even though the tannings have leeched out and made my water go brown, quite a nice effect in some way.

I tested my ammonia, nitrite and nitrate and the first tweo seemed to have raised over night. Ammonia is 0.25 ppm and my nitrite is 0.25 ppm... I really want to get my PH down but it won't budge and have done a massive water change, 50% to get these levels down, but what else can I do? I miss Doogle so much

 

[Louiseness]

I wouldn't worry about your PH. I have absolutely no idea what my PH is and my betta has always been fine. Sorry about your loss though

I'd be worrying about your levels of ammonia and nitrite because having any of these showing means either you aren't cycled properly or your filter isn't coping - I suspect the first is the culprit there.

 

[fluttermoth]

Sorry for your loss

Did you move the filter media (the sponges or whatever was in the old filter) when you changed tanks? As that is where the bacteria live; there are almost none on the sand or lose in the water column.

Stop worrying about the pH; 7.6 is perfectly fine for most fish, and you're likely to do more harm than good trying to change it.

Keep testing the water, and do large (50 or 60% or even more if neccessary) water changes any time you see any reading for either ammonia or nitrite.

Best of luck.

 

[KezJona]

I wouldn't worry about your PH. I have absolutely no idea what my PH is and my betta has always been fine. Sorry about your loss though

I'd be worrying about your levels of ammonia and nitrite because having any of these showing means either you aren't cycled properly or your filter isn't coping - I suspect the first is the culprit there.

I suspected that my tank may not have been cycling properly and it has me so worried for my other fish I really hate seeing them die on me, especially when you get so attached.

Sorry for your loss

Did you move the filter media (the sponges or whatever was in the old filter) when you changed tanks? As that is where the bacteria live; there are almost none on the sand or lose in the water column.

Stop worrying about the pH; 7.6 is perfectly fine for most fish, and you're likely to do more harm than good trying to change it.

Keep testing the water, and do large (50 or 60% or even more if neccessary) water changes any time you see any reading for either ammonia or nitrite.

Best of luck.

I always was under the impression at 7.0 is the best PH for your tank, and just wondered why my won't stay at this, especially when my tap water is around the 7.2-7.4 mark, so I don't understand why it is blue after a test, 7.6.

The filters are different on my new tank then my old tanks filter so I didn't have a choice to put them in feel like I made such a mistake, wish I could go back in time :'(

That is my tank, notice the brown colour from the driftwood? Will this not be making anything bad hapen in my tank as I have never used it before.

Kez

 

[Louiseness]

The brownness is tannins, it's harmless, in fact it may even help to bring your PH down a little.

I know it's a bit late now but you can usually take the media (sponge, ceramic bits, whatever) out of the old filter and cram them somehow into the new one - they don't have to be the same type, Or run two filters simultaneously can work too.

For now I'd just be checking your water for ammonia and nitrite daily and changing water if any shows, that's pretty much all that can be done but I'm sure you already know that.

 

[KezJona]

The brownness is tannins, it's harmless, in fact it may even help to bring your PH down a little.

I know it's a bit late now but you can usually take the media (sponge, ceramic bits, whatever) out of the old filter and cram them somehow into the new one - they don't have to be the same type, Or run two filters simultaneously can work too.

For now I'd just be checking your water for ammonia and nitrite daily and changing water if any shows, that's pretty much all that can be done but I'm sure you already know that.

Well on my new tank I have 2 filters running, as it came with them both to keep the tank filtration system working correctly, but my old filters have been out of water for a few days so I suspect the good bacteria would have died?

Also, I just want to make sure I am doing water changes correctly just in case I am doing something noobish...

1) I empty the tank into a bucket(s) and then drain that away.
2) I fill up the bucket(s) with tap water to a temperature roughly the same as the fish tank.
3) I add API Stress Zyme and API Stress Coat into each bucket, with the correct amount needed.
4) I let the water settle for around ten minutes before adding to the tank slowly as to not disturb the fish or the environment.
5) Repeat with any other buckets needed.

Is this correct?

Kez

 

[coldcazzie]

Well on my new tank I have 2 filters running, as it came with them both to keep the tank filtration system working correctly, but my old filters have been out of water for a few days so I suspect the good bacteria would have died?

Yes unfortunately if the media is dry then the bacteria will have died. This means you're now in a fish in cycle.

Also, I just want to make sure I am doing water changes correctly just in case I am doing something noobish...

1) I empty the tank into a bucket(s) and then drain that away.
2) I fill up the bucket(s) with tap water to a temperature roughly the same as the fish tank.
3) I add API Stress Zyme and API Stress Coat into each bucket, with the correct amount needed.
4) I let the water settle for around ten minutes before adding to the tank slowly as to not disturb the fish or the environment.
5) Repeat with any other buckets needed.

Is this correct?

Kez

Yes, that's fine, although stress zyme is unneeded. Stress coat alone will be fine. Also, there's no need to let the water settle. Dechlorination is almost instantaneous. By the time you've got the bucket from the tap to the tank the water is dechlorinated. Letting it sit just wastes time! But everything else is spot on

Couple of tips for you as you're now fish in cycling:
1. Feed sparing amounts about once every 3-4 days. The fish will be fine to eat that often, and less food = less poo = less ammonia.
2. Every time you clean do a thorough gravel vac, or if it's sand waft the end of the hose over the top of the sand to suck up all the poo. More poo in the tank = more ammonia.
3. If you've live plants, that's great, they will use some of the ammonia, however, you need to keep a close eye on them and if you see any of them with damaged leaves, or rotting stmes or anything, remove those bits straight away. Rotting plants = more ammonia.
4. Do as many large water changes as you need to do to keep your ammonia and nitrite levels as close to 0 as possible. You've a bigger tank now, which means that the ammonia that your fish do produce will be more diluted than in a smaller tank. That's good! It means you have more leeway in between water changes. But remember basic maths. If you take out 50% of the water, you take out 50% of the ammonia. On an ammonia reading of 1, that will only reduce it to 0.5, which is not enough. On the other hand, take out 90% of the water, you remove 90% of the ammonia, which will give 0.1. That's much better, and is safe to leave until tomorrow. The amount you remove is dictated by your ammonia and nitrite readings.
5. Stop messing about with your pH. Messing about with it will cause more problems than leaving it alone. 7.6 is fine. As is 6.6. As is 6 which is where my tank is.
6. Don't, and I cannot emphasise this enough, DO NOT add any more fish until your cycle is complete!

Good luck

 

[nehpets81]

It's not the priority right now, but I just wanted to mention the PH - do you have any rocks in the tank? If so, this might be the reason the PH has risen. If you are curious and you have an API Nitrate test kit then you can take any rocks out and drip a few drops of each of the two bottles (only one is necessary but I can't remember which one it is!). This test kit is quite acidic and will react with any alkaline rocks, causing them to fizz.

A PH of 7.6 is fine for most fish, unless you are dealing with some wild caught tetras that are used to a PH of around 5 (like some in my LFS that are labelled as such) and certainly I would have thought a Betta is more than happy at 7.6. As has been mentioned above, trying to change the PH manually can cause more harm than good but if you find a rock that reacts to the acid test and you really want your PH to be closer to neutral then you could permenantly remove that rock...

 

[KezJona]

Well on my new tank I have 2 filters running, as it came with them both to keep the tank filtration system working correctly, but my old filters have been out of water for a few days so I suspect the good bacteria would have died?

Yes unfortunately if the media is dry then the bacteria will have died. This means you're now in a fish in cycle.

Also, I just want to make sure I am doing water changes correctly just in case I am doing something noobish...

1) I empty the tank into a bucket(s) and then drain that away.
2) I fill up the bucket(s) with tap water to a temperature roughly the same as the fish tank.
3) I add API Stress Zyme and API Stress Coat into each bucket, with the correct amount needed.
4) I let the water settle for around ten minutes before adding to the tank slowly as to not disturb the fish or the environment.
5) Repeat with any other buckets needed.

Is this correct?

Kez

Yes, that's fine, although stress zyme is unneeded. Stress coat alone will be fine. Also, there's no need to let the water settle. Dechlorination is almost instantaneous. By the time you've got the bucket from the tap to the tank the water is dechlorinated. Letting it sit just wastes time! But everything else is spot on

Couple of tips for you as you're now fish in cycling:
1. Feed sparing amounts about once every 3-4 days. The fish will be fine to eat that often, and less food = less poo = less ammonia.
2. Every time you clean do a thorough gravel vac, or if it's sand waft the end of the hose over the top of the sand to suck up all the poo. More poo in the tank = more ammonia.
3. If you've live plants, that's great, they will use some of the ammonia, however, you need to keep a close eye on them and if you see any of them with damaged leaves, or rotting stmes or anything, remove those bits straight away. Rotting plants = more ammonia.
4. Do as many large water changes as you need to do to keep your ammonia and nitrite levels as close to 0 as possible. You've a bigger tank now, which means that the ammonia that your fish do produce will be more diluted than in a smaller tank. That's good! It means you have more leeway in between water changes. But remember basic maths. If you take out 50% of the water, you take out 50% of the ammonia. On an ammonia reading of 1, that will only reduce it to 0.5, which is not enough. On the other hand, take out 90% of the water, you remove 90% of the ammonia, which will give 0.1. That's much better, and is safe to leave until tomorrow. The amount you remove is dictated by your ammonia and nitrite readings.
5. Stop messing about with your pH. Messing about with it will cause more problems than leaving it alone. 7.6 is fine. As is 6.6. As is 6 which is where my tank is.
6. Don't, and I cannot emphasise this enough, DO NOT add any more fish until your cycle is complete!

Good luck

Thank you for all the advice Really am apreciative of it and I will definitely not add anymore fish until the cycle has completed itself. I don't want another loss like Doogle =/

It's not the priority right now, but I just wanted to mention the PH - do you have any rocks in the tank? If so, this might be the reason the PH has risen. If you are curious and you have an API Nitrate test kit then you can take any rocks out and drip a few drops of each of the two bottles (only one is necessary but I can't remember which one it is!). This test kit is quite acidic and will react with any alkaline rocks, causing them to fizz.

A PH of 7.6 is fine for most fish, unless you are dealing with some wild caught tetras that are used to a PH of around 5 (like some in my LFS that are labelled as such) and certainly I would have thought a Betta is more than happy at 7.6. As has been mentioned above, trying to change the PH manually can cause more harm than good but if you find a rock that reacts to the acid test and you really want your PH to be closer to neutral then you could permenantly remove that rock...

I only have one rock in the aquarium and that is covered in moss, but the actual rock is sandstone in colour. I will definitely do this test on it though to see what it looks like. When adding my tap water with all the dechlorinator added into it, I tested it and it came back around the 7.0 mark, so hopefully that will make some form of a difference. Here is another picture, the tank defrinitely looks like it has cleared up now.

Kez