Will Cucumber Foul Your Water

[Ludwig Venter]

After doing a water change yesterday, I noticed that the Pleco and Giant Gourami can look a bit better, So I chucked 2 thin slices of cucumber into the tank ( one I'm maintaining for a friend in a restaurant).... (1,100liters)

Today I got a call from his manageress saying that the water is milky and the fish are at the top gulping for air.... and one convict died... She blamed it on the cucumber....

I went in and gave another 20% water change, and everything is back to normal.

In my own tank, I sometimes also feed cucumber and after about 3 days, I remove the remainder that was uneaten.... Could it have been the cucumber fouling the water (in one night)???

 

[Jazzzz]

Didn't with me although non of my fish touched it also with 1,100 litres surely you would need 2 whole cucumbers to make a diference

 

[8inary]

i find that it does if left in long enough - i therefore only put a slice or two or three...in for a few hours, then i remove it

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Ludwig Venter

That seems rather drastic. I'd be more inclined to think something else might have gone wrong during the water change.

 

[rocknurworld2006]

After doing a water change yesterday, I noticed that the Pleco and Giant Gourami can look a bit better, So I chucked 2 thin slices of cucumber into the tank ( one I'm maintaining for a friend in a restaurant).... (1,100liters)

Today I got a call from his manageress saying that the water is milky and the fish are at the top gulping for air.... and one convict died... She blamed it on the cucumber....

I went in and gave another 20% water change, and everything is back to normal.

In my own tank, I sometimes also feed cucumber and after about 3 days, I remove the remainder that was uneaten.... Could it have been the cucumber fouling the water (in one night)???

no defo not as i use cucumber all the time

and no problems , sometimes causes a little cloudyness slightly if left for a few days, but doesnt affec water quality

 

[backtotropical]

I agree. Probably not the cucumber that is the problem. I have left cucumber in my tank overnight with no problems, and for 2 thin slices of cucumber to cause problems like that in a 1100 litre tank.......................................well it would have to be some pretty rotten cucumber.

I agree with Inchworm, something else has gone wrong. Don't know what. Can you give us any more info? Water stats etc?

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Well... as was said,....a water change was done the previous evening.... straight from a borehole.... was aiming at doing a 70% water change, which turned out to be a 90% change.. (got caught up in a conversation while the water was draining)...

The photos below was taken about 3 hours after refilling the tank (& all looked happy at that stage)... It has 3 internal filters which were not touched during the process....

The barman says that the power was off for an hour or 2, but the manageress denies that.... but even if it was, I cannot see that an hour or 2 would be a problem....

 

[kevinthecow]

Slices of cucumbers --> huge tank.

How can that affect the water quality? I mean, it could make the water a little cloudy, but not damage the water quality alot.

And the manageress is going through denial with the power off. :3. How strong is the heater? I've had a blackout for liek, two hours or three. My temp dropped very low, everyone survived though. (not sure about a big 1 100l though,

 

[Ludwig Venter]

Slices of cucumbers --> huge tank.

How can that affect the water quality? I mean, it could make the water a little cloudy, but not damage the water quality alot.

And the manageress is going through denial with the power off. :3. How strong is the heater? I've had a blackout for liek, two hours or three. My temp dropped very low, everyone survived though. (not sure about a big 1 100l though,

No... Around this time of year our heaters rarely if ever kicks in.... I mean the outside temperature today is 36 deg C.... She persists that is the cucumber, so I want to print a couple of these replies and show it to her.... What the experts say....

 

[Truck]

if the bar lady is persisting its cucumber, maybe she did something to the tank by accident (ie' over fed etc) just a thought

 

[aaronnorth]

Even still a 1100l tank would not lose much heat due to the size of it! I have a 60l tank and a 1hr powercut usually drops the temp about 1C (from 26C > 25C).

I dont think it is the cucumber, i have been using it for years, and once i left it in for a few days unknowingly as it got pushed behind all the plants - No adverse affect.

Perhaps the powercut may of affected the bacteria? It could of caused a bacteria bloom and the low oxygen content may be causing the fish to gasp, put a couple of airstones in there, or do another water change.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Ludwig Venter

Well... as was said,....a water change was done the previous evening.... straight from a borehole.... was aiming at doing a 70% water change, which turned out to be a 90% change.. (got caught up in a conversation while the water was draining)...

Hummm.....

Doing a virtually unattended water change in a bar, during the evening, might not have been the best idea. Goodness knows what, beside water, the patrons might have dumped into the tank.

 

[wolfwolf]

I've let slices of cucumber in my 29 gallon tank for 2-3 days. Never had a problem.

How about doing a breathalyzer on the fish to see if some beer "accidently" made it in to the tank.

 

[Ludwig Venter]

I've let slices of cucumber in my 29 gallon tank for 2-3 days. Never had a problem.

How about doing a breathalyzer on the fish to see if some beer "accidently" made it in to the tank.

Deffo not from me,... & I had a (basic) watchfull eye on the tank.... They were not very busy....

 

[Davo86]

Just a thought but how were these filters matured? new tank syndrome always comes to mind when i hear "cloudy water"
especially considered the bioload on this system,

and to answer your original Question, - No