Betty1987
New Member
Ok i will get one. i cleam my filter in water that is treated to be safe and use a brush to clean it with.
My Fish Keep Dying!
- Thread starter Betty1987
- Start date
phishyphil
Fish Addict
Where do you get your water from? from the tap or from the tank?
Betty1987
New Member
I get it from tap then treat it then wash it, thats the way ive been told to do it
phishyphil
Fish Addict
Who told you to do that? 
There is a good chance this has killed all the nitrifying bacteria present in the filter media, which means that it no longer has any beneficial bacteria to remove Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate.
When you do a water change, You should wash the filter in the tank water you remove, as this will not kill any of the bacteria in your tank. Also, No need to scrub it with a brush, your only scrubbing the bacteria off the filter media which you need.
I would Drain off a bucket of water, Remove the filter media, and just swish it around a little bit in the bucket of FISH water , and put it back into the filter. Thats all it needs
If this is the case you will have to start the cycle all over again and will result in fish loss such as the ones you have recieved recently
There is a good chance this has killed all the nitrifying bacteria present in the filter media, which means that it no longer has any beneficial bacteria to remove Ammonia, Nitrite or Nitrate.
When you do a water change, You should wash the filter in the tank water you remove, as this will not kill any of the bacteria in your tank. Also, No need to scrub it with a brush, your only scrubbing the bacteria off the filter media which you need.
I would Drain off a bucket of water, Remove the filter media, and just swish it around a little bit in the bucket of FISH water , and put it back into the filter. Thats all it needs
If this is the case you will have to start the cycle all over again and will result in fish loss such as the ones you have recieved recently
Betty1987
New Member
when i clean the filter out i dont put the water bk in tank i throw it so i am doing it wrong?
I'm new too Becky so Hi and welcome. On reading this I thought the same as the rest were saying. Too many fish all at once has caused the ammonia to spike. Also, one thing I've learned from the guys on here is ... leave the filter and it's sponges alone unless it's not working properly or appears to be blocked. NEVER clean the sponges in anything but old tank water and only do that if you think that is causing the blockage.
I'd also say never buy fish from P@H but it's not always an option.
Good luck and hopefully everyone on here will sort you out and stop your fishies dying
I'd also say never buy fish from P@H but it's not always an option.
Good luck and hopefully everyone on here will sort you out and stop your fishies dying
Betty1987
New Member
hey i havent brought them from pets at home but i was trying to explain the rating thing. i have been cleaning the sponges too so maybe thats y. i will leave that alone and just keep testing water! thank u
Betty1987
New Member
No its fine x
x
phishyphil
Fish Addict
Here's The process I reccomend You do when you perform your weekly Water Changes.
STEP 1) : Draw out 1 Bucket full of tank water from your tank. (Either by using a syphon, jug whatever it takes to take out the water). So you will now have a bucket of water that has come from your tank. You will need this for the next few steps.
STEP 2 : Remove the Filter media from the Filter itself, which I assume in your case is a series of Sponge cartridges, and place them into the dirty tank water that is in the bucket that you have just taken out of the tank.
STEP 3 : Now just dip them in the bucket of tank water and gently squeeze them, re-dip, re squeeze. Do this a couple of times.
STEP 4 : Now put the filter Media (sponges) back into your filter which is in the tank. DO NOT wash any of the filter media with tap water please.
STEP 5 : Throuw the dirty Tank Water away (down the drain) as you will not put this back into the tank, Instead, fill up the bucket with clean tap water, TREAT IT with a dechlorinator such as Stress Coat or PRIME. These take anywhere from a couple of seconds to 5 minutes. A Rule of thumbs is allow 2 minutes to remove Chlorine and 5 mins for Chloramines.
STEP 6 : Add the newly treated water into the tank
Hope this helps. Do not worry as All of us, Including myself, have made mistakes or been "lost" in the beginning but you will get there, and constantly learn new things
STEP 1) : Draw out 1 Bucket full of tank water from your tank. (Either by using a syphon, jug whatever it takes to take out the water). So you will now have a bucket of water that has come from your tank. You will need this for the next few steps.
STEP 2 : Remove the Filter media from the Filter itself, which I assume in your case is a series of Sponge cartridges, and place them into the dirty tank water that is in the bucket that you have just taken out of the tank.
STEP 3 : Now just dip them in the bucket of tank water and gently squeeze them, re-dip, re squeeze. Do this a couple of times.
STEP 4 : Now put the filter Media (sponges) back into your filter which is in the tank. DO NOT wash any of the filter media with tap water please.
STEP 5 : Throuw the dirty Tank Water away (down the drain) as you will not put this back into the tank, Instead, fill up the bucket with clean tap water, TREAT IT with a dechlorinator such as Stress Coat or PRIME. These take anywhere from a couple of seconds to 5 minutes. A Rule of thumbs is allow 2 minutes to remove Chlorine and 5 mins for Chloramines.
STEP 6 : Add the newly treated water into the tank
Hope this helps. Do not worry as All of us, Including myself, have made mistakes or been "lost" in the beginning but you will get there, and constantly learn new things
Betty1987
New Member
All i have been adding to water is water safe thats all i have been told to do. but i will do that next time i do a water change. i did a water change on friday but i didnt clean the filter out.
phishyphil
Fish Addict
You will need to Keep an eye this week as I suspect you are going to be going through a Cycle where your filter will try and Re-stablish the bacteria. You need to get your water checked asap, Then you will know more If you see your fish at the surface alot "gasping for air" then there is a good sign there suffering from ammonia poisoning, same if they are lethargic at the bottom of the tank, swaying, spinning around, or have red gills.
Monitor your fish. Get a water check done, and ask for the Levels of Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia, Also pH will be handy too. When you have them, post them here
pH - ?
Ammonia - ?
Nitrite - ?
Nitrate - ?
If you see your fish at the surface alot "gasping for air" then there is a good sign there suffering from ammonia poisoning, same if they are lethargic at the bottom of the tank, swaying, spinning around, or have red gills.Monitor your fish. Get a water check done, and ask for the Levels of Nitrite, Nitrate and Ammonia, Also pH will be handy too. When you have them, post them here
pH - ?
Ammonia - ?
Nitrite - ?
Nitrate - ?
Betty1987
New Member
I will get a check done later, gonna get ready n go get a test thing.. but all my fish r swimming around ok, one is hiding in my flowerpot thing but they all seem happy
phishyphil
Fish Addict
No probs. Report back with the results 
Betty1987
New Member
Hello i have just got back, i went to a local fish shop and they tested my water. they said my ammonia was up and my nitrite was up which means my tank is dirty which is cauing my fish to die, so she adviced me to do water changes every other day and to clean the gravel while doing this. then to go back and get it tested again..
but while i was out i got some 6-1 test stipes which were £15 and some stress coat! these fish cost me a fortune!! haha
but while i was out i got some 6-1 test stipes which were £15 and some stress coat! these fish cost me a fortune!! haha
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