Barracuda-m Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 hi everyone I did my usual 30% w/c this morning on my 55 gal malawi tank, and went about life as usual. I'm running a Fluval 305 canister filter as well as a penguin 250 HOB for a little extra movement. I decided I'd like to have silence for a while, not hear running water (I quit smoking 18 days ago, and am still a bit edgy. silence is golden right now) so I removed the HOB. I usually do a water change one week, and filter maintenance the next. I've been doing this for a couple of years, and never had a problem. I checked on my fishies 30 minutes ago, and the ones that were able were at the top, gasping for air. A few of my electric yellow/fuelleborni hybrids died, and my big male blue Ahli has periods of lying on the bottom on his side, then flopping up to the top to breathe a little bit. I immediately put the Penguin filter back on, and everyone perked up a little. Some are acting normal again, although all look like crap. I tested the water with my useless little test strips (I loaned my "real" test kit to a friend, who never returned it) and it shows elevated nitrate (100ppm) and 1ppm nitrite. ph is around 7, low alkalinity, and very hard water. (I hate these little strips) I do water changes every 2 weeks to 18 days, and change the filters alternately. Is this an oxygen problem? Most of my fish are swimming normally and doing their thing now, so they're improving rapidly. What else should I check for? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 (edited) By removing the HOB you removed part of the bio filter, so you are probably going through a mini cycle. Keep up with water changes untill the bacteria can catch up. If your HOB is making a trickle noise, find some clear plastic film(I use plastic projector films) and cut a pice to fit on the HOB outflow and secure it with electrical tape. This way the outflow is extended and the water doens't fall into the tank anymore. I do this to all my HOB filters and my tanks are silent(I have 6 in my bedroom and can't hear them). Congrats on quitting smoking! :thumbs: Edited March 1, 2008 by degrassi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 Don't think it is a oxygen problem. I think you need to do more water changes Maybe your test strips are not far off. I do water changes once a week at least 40 % and I am runing almost a 1000 gal,s here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 hi everyone I did my usual 30% w/c this morning on my 55 gal malawi tank, and went about life as usual. I'm running a Fluval 305 canister filter as well as a penguin 250 HOB for a little extra movement. I decided I'd like to have silence for a while, not hear running water (I quit smoking 18 days ago, and am still a bit edgy. silence is golden right now) so I removed the HOB. I usually do a water change one week, and filter maintenance the next. I've been doing this for a couple of years, and never had a problem. I checked on my fishies 30 minutes ago, and the ones that were able were at the top, gasping for air. A few of my electric yellow/fuelleborni hybrids died, and my big male blue Ahli has periods of lying on the bottom on his side, then flopping up to the top to breathe a little bit. I immediately put the Penguin filter back on, and everyone perked up a little. Some are acting normal again, although all look like crap. I tested the water with my useless little test strips (I loaned my "real" test kit to a friend, who never returned it) and it shows elevated nitrate (100ppm) and 1ppm nitrite. ph is around 7, low alkalinity, and very hard water. (I hate these little strips) I do water changes every 2 weeks to 18 days, and change the filters alternately. Is this an oxygen problem? Most of my fish are swimming normally and doing their thing now, so they're improving rapidly. What else should I check for? Did this happen the same day you took the HOB filter off? If it happened the same day I am thinking it had to be an oxygen problem.. If was a few days later then its likely biological.. seems strange though because a 305 should be sufficient for a 55 Gallon by itself there has to be another problem.... unless the tank is a way overstocked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 Did this happen the same day you took the HOB filter off? If it happened the same day I am thinking it had to be an oxygen problem.. A oxygen problem will not happen the same day unless the tank is way over stocked. I think it is a lack of water change. I mean a 55 gal and they do not say what they have for fish in the tank, but even with 4 or 5 fish I would be doing a water change at least once a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New to Alberta Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 (edited) I agree - start doing some daily partial water changes. Those waste levels are not good at all. Any Nitrite is toxic and how it is toxic is that it makes it harder for oxygen to be absorbed in the blood. The fish might have been fighting for just enough oxygen or in a weakened state of health until the pump was shut offand then they just couldn't survive at that level. Also, cut back on feeding for a bit to help lower the waste levels. I would monitor your Nitrates on a more frequent basis as that level is really undesirable for optimum fish health. Oh and a quick remedy for Nitrite poisoning is the addition of aquarium salt which won't bother your type of fish at all or add some Prime to the tank as it also can aid in detoxifying the effects of Nitrite. Hope this helps you out. As to what caused this to happen in the first place could be a combination of things. It may have been that your waste (Nitrate) levels have been slowly rising to the point that they are at now which is extremely high. Then when you cut back some of the filtration causing your bacterial counts to drop temporarly the high waste levels at the point they had reached overwhelmed your system to not being able to process the situation causing the toxic Nitrite. Normally this would not occur in situations where wastes are kept lower. I have seen this happen many times in older established tanks where water parameters are not monitored on a regular basis and the aquarist always sticks to the same cleaning regime. All it takes over time, is running a little later here in doing a water change, and feeding a bit more here at other times, and adding a fish or two, or fish getting bigger or breeding, which slowly adds more and more waste (Nitrate) creeping up to undesirable levels for the environment. Then one small incident occurs to break the camels back so to speak and disaster strikes. I'm happy you have caught the situation before it got too out of hand for you. My heart breaks for the people who have told me that they have lost a whole tank of beloved fish. Test your water at least once a month and do some extra water changes from time to time making sure to really siphon out that gravel. I know when I kept cichlid tanks I really get in there under the rocks and stuff and move around some decor to get at that gunk hiding under there at least once or twice a year. Edited March 1, 2008 by New to Alberta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 Did this happen the same day you took the HOB filter off? If it happened the same day I am thinking it had to be an oxygen problem.. A oxygen problem will not happen the same day unless the tank is way over stocked. I think it is a lack of water change. I mean a 55 gal and they do not say what they have for fish in the tank, but even with 4 or 5 fish I would be doing a water change at least once a week. It is curious Frank.... I agree the tank has to be a way overstocked for something to happen so quick Weekly water changes is good practice to keep a healthy environment for your aquarium fish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corrosionjerry Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 I agree - start doing some daily partial water changes. Those waste levels are not good at all. Any Nitrite is toxic and how it is toxic is that it makes it harder for oxygen to be absorbed in the blood. The fish might have been fighting for just enough oxygen or in a weakened state of health until the pump was shut offand then they just couldn't survive at that level. Also, cut back on feeding for a bit to help lower the waste levels. I would monitor your Nitrates on a more frequent basis as that level is really undesirable for optimum fish health. Oh and a quick remedy for Nitrite poisoning is the addition of aquarium salt which won't bother your type of fish at all or add some Prime to the tank as it also can aid in detoxifying the effects of Nitrite. Hope this helps you out. As to what caused this to happen in the first place could be a combination of things. It may have been that your waste (Nitrate) levels have been slowly rising to the point that they are at now which is extremely high. Then when you cut back some of the filtration causing your bacterial counts to drop temporarly the high waste levels at the point they had reached overwhelmed your system to not being able to process the situation causing the toxic Nitrite. Normally this would not occur in situations where wastes are kept lower. I have seen this happen many times in older established tanks where water parameters are not monitored on a regular basis and the aquarist always sticks to the same cleaning regime. All it takes over time, is running a little later here in doing a water change, and feeding a bit more here at other times, and adding a fish or two, or fish getting bigger or breeding, which slowly adds more and more waste (Nitrate) creeping up to undesirable levels for the environment. Then one small incident occurs to break the camels back so to speak and disaster strikes. I'm happy you have caught the situation before it got too out of hand for you. My heart breaks for the people who have told me that they have lost a whole tank of beloved fish. Test your water at least once a month and do some extra water changes from time to time making sure to really siphon out that gravel. I know when I kept cichlid tanks I really get in there under the rocks and stuff and move around some decor to get at that gunk hiding under there at least once or twice a year. good advice.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 That is a good reply New to Alberta. But the thing is if they did there water changes every week there shouldn,t be a problem. I think you nailed it right on . but hey , even if they are over feeding. ( which I love to do). If you are doing your water changes you should not loose fish. If you think I am wrong, Come on over and see how I feed and how I maintain my tanks. Water change every week . Garvel clean once a month on the tanks that I have garvel in. Have sand in most tanks which just take a lite vacum job to clean. And I do not over stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barracuda-m Posted March 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 hi thanks for the responses The fish in that tank are listed in my signature, minus 2 hybrids right now. I vacuum my gravel (crushed quartz) twice monthly. I keep the gravel shallow because they're just going to move it all around anyways. I replace no less than 30% every 2 weeks. I haven't had any new fish for quite a while, and have been using the same filtration for over a year. The gasping happened within hours of removing the HOB. Since re-running the HOB, they've all pretty much recovered. The male Ahli still looks a little wonky, but much better than he was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
New to Alberta Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 (edited) Good to hear and all the best of luck to you. Especially with quitting smoking - keep at it even though this was probably a very stressful day. Edited March 1, 2008 by New to Alberta Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barracuda-m Posted March 1, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 update: absolutely everyone is completely back to normal. They all just ate, and the tank is very active right now. My male Ahli, who I was super worried about, has clear eyes, and full color has returned. My nyerereis have both colored up again, and the electric yellow has lost the "dirty smears" on his face. It's like the attempted suffocation never happened Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vallisneria Posted March 1, 2008 Report Share Posted March 1, 2008 I would up your water changes to 30% once a week and gravel vac at each water change. Are your nitrates still testing high? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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