Suffering fishes, Nitrite Ammonia 0

[carcraze]

Hi all, need some advise.

Started a new 2ft planted tank about 2 month ago. Everything went well. Cycled it about 2 weeks, added fishes (with casualties) and after another 2 weeks, all was good. Tank was perfect for about 1 month.

Then itchy backside, thought my biofilters may be slightly dirty, took it out to change 1 container, kept the other. Also changed the carbon filter and sponge. Stupid me!

Fishes started gasping for air on the surface again, had some immediate casualties. Tested the water, Nitrite was pink (about 0,5-1mg/l). Changed about 30-40% water every day, for 3 days. Now Nitrite test is clear (0mg/l).

Problem : All my fishes are still gasping for air since Nitrite dropped to 0 yesterday. This morning there were still 2 casualties.

How long does it take for the fishes to recover, if they ever recover at all? They were exposed to Nitrite for about 3 days, although levels decrease by the day.

I remember when I started this tank, during the cycle, same thing happened to my 1st batch of fishes. After I added the 2nd batch (about 8-10 fishes) the earlier rest stopped gasping for air and joined the new batch. Is this like a fish schooling thing?

Thank you.

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[genki89]

The tank is in cycling stage. Nitrite 0 does not mean ammonia is 0. 2ft tank without the help of quickstart (bb solution such as super 8000 or another brands) will take longer time (1 month and above).

Next, activated carbon. The use is to absorb any impurities in the water for 2weeks to 1month before it exhausted. After exhausting, it needs to be remove or replace with a new set. If the exhausted set is still been used, it will release all the things absorbed back to the water.

Last, never change anything in the filter. If u need to change, setup the new filter to run co-currently. If u need to wash, use the tank water to wash and not with new water (treated or rodi)

Hope it helps.


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[greenie]

I believe you are rushing things a wee bit. I will add fishes only when my plants starts to thrive and that also with maybe 1-2 Otocinclus or nerite snails when there is enough brown or diatom algae in tank. Doing it this way I can save time and money on test kits, only testing the water before I add more fishes.

When you add fishes, the bioload capacity of your filter needs to gradually increase before it can cope with the waste demand. I believe, each and every time we add fishes, change water or clean filter, the filter will go through another round of cycling. The keyword is gradual. Adding 8-10 fishes to the already strained bio filter only cause a big round of cycling.

Sudden spike of ammonia/nirite cause the bio bacteria population to bloom exponentially. The large explosion of aerobic bacteria population in you filter consume more oxygen before they start to taper off in population, corresponding to the amount of ammonia /nitrite in the water. Adding an air stone/ pump helps to provide extra oxygen for both fishes and bacteria in the filter.

If the idea is for planted tank, I would concentrate on the plants first before the fishes or other critters. I'm a believer of Seachem Purigen for new setups. it is better than activated carbon to efficiently remove impurities without leeching it back later. Furthermore, Purigen can be regenerated to be re used over and over again for few times.

[carcraze]

I believe you are rushing things a wee bit. I will add fishes only when my plants starts to thrive and that also with maybe 1-2 Otocinclus or nerite snails when there is enough brown or diatom algae in tank. Doing it this way I can save time and money on test kits, only testing the water before I add more fishes.

When you add fishes, the bioload capacity of your filter needs to gradually increase before it can cope with the waste demand. I believe, each and every time we add fishes, change water or clean filter, the filter will go through another round of cycling. The keyword is gradual. Adding 8-10 fishes to the already strained bio filter only cause a big round of cycling.

Sudden spike of ammonia/nirite cause the bio bacteria population to bloom exponentially. The large explosion of aerobic bacteria population in you filter consume more oxygen before they start to taper off in population, corresponding to the amount of ammonia /nitrite in the water. Adding an air stone/ pump helps to provide extra oxygen for both fishes and bacteria in the filter.

If the idea is for planted tank, I would concentrate on the plants first before the fishes or other critters. I'm a believer of Seachem Purigen for new setups. it is better than activated carbon to efficiently remove impurities without leeching it back later. Furthermore, Purigen can be regenerated to be re used over and over again for few times.

@greenie thanks for your advise. My Otos are doing fine, it's my Cardinals and Rasbora that is suffering from the cycling tank. Lately, bacteria bloom occured and the whole tank is cloudy.

Should I remove those suffering fishes and place them in a separate tank while waiting for my tank to cycle? If yes, should I use the current tank's water or fresh tap water?

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[greenie]

Suffering fishes, Nitrite Ammonia 0
This one is tricky. While your tank sort cycling and causing to stress out, putting in another uncycled tank can cause more stress, almost like putting them from one cycling tank to another.

But of course it is better to remove them but ensure the temporary tank doesn't cause ammonia spike. Frequent water changes in small amount of 10% volume to the temporary tank to frequently dilute ammonia is important. Important too is putting an airstone/ pump to help in the recovery. Anti chlorine/chloramine to be used on the top up water.

Get a pH meter, to match both tank pH. pH shock can cause fish to up lorry. Do this before putting fishes in temporary tank.

[carcraze]

Suffering fishes, Nitrite Ammonia 0
This one is tricky. While your tank sort cycling and causing to stress out, putting in another uncycled tank can cause more stress, almost like putting them from one cycling tank to another.

But of course it is better to remove them but ensure the temporary tank doesn't cause ammonia spike. Frequent water changes in small amount of 10% volume to the temporary tank to frequently dilute ammonia is important. Important too is putting an airstone/ pump to help in the recovery. Anti chlorine/chloramine to be used on the top up water.

Get a pH meter, to match both tank pH. pH shock can cause fish to up lorry. Do this before putting fishes in temporary tank.

@greenie thanks bro. Will remove all the fishes except for the Oto. What should I do with the water in the main tank besides removing some for the temporary tank? Should I just leave it for the cycling process to complete? I've been adding Fritz Zyme 7 on a daily basis to boost the good bacteria.

Nitrite = 0
Ammonia = 0

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[greenie]

carcraze, remove the otos too. Don't use the tank water in your temp tank.

Get airstone and air pump. Run it 24/7. Finish dosing the Fritz Zyme 7 and continue cycling.

If you using CO2 cylinder, can continue using it. Supplement CO2 by adding twice to four times the dosage of Seachem Excel to keep help growing your plants as airstone will dissipate some of the diffused CO2.

Reason for air stone is the beneficial bacteria also consume oxygen. Excel dosing depletes O2 in the water. So extra O2 will prevent those beneficial bacteria massive die off which in turn cause ammonia spikes.

The hazy water is a sure sign of bacterial bloom of free bacteria in the water. This depletes oxygen.

No need to change water but continue to test for Nh4, NO2, NO3.

Kill 2 birds with one stone.

[carcraze]

carcraze, remove the otos too. Don't use the tank water in your temp tank.

Get airstone and air pump. Run it 24/7. Finish dosing the Fritz Zyme 7 and continue cycling.

If you using CO2 cylinder, can continue using it. Supplement CO2 by adding twice to four times the dosage of Seachem Excel to keep help growing your plants as airstone will dissipate some of the diffused CO2.

Reason for air stone is the beneficial bacteria also consume oxygen. Excel dosing depletes O2 in the water. So extra O2 will prevent those beneficial bacteria massive die off which in turn cause ammonia spikes.

The hazy water is a sure sign of bacterial bloom of free bacteria in the water. This depletes oxygen.

No need to change water but continue to test for Nh4, NO2, NO3.

Kill 2 birds with one stone.

@greenie the air stone really helped. Fishes are back to normal. Thank you.

I got another question though. Before the cloudiness, I did a massive trim on my stem plant and MC. It seems those leaves that were lower, shaded from light, are pale and brownish. Could see brownish stems below the leaves of my MC as well, not sure if it's brown algae or dead leaves/dead stems from the trimming.

Have been dosing Excel and today I spot treat Excel at designated spots.

Any advise on what could be happening?

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[greenie]

Those pale leaves and brownish stem due to insufficient lighting at the base of the plants.

Don't need to spot dose. Otos loves brown algae or diatom algae.

If you want to clear whole tank of algae, just dose 4x concentration of Excel based on your water volume daily for 10 -14 days.

Run airstone during the 10-14 days duration.

As of now, just let airstone run 24/7 for a week. After that you can try switching off and monitor your fishes. Try slowly increasing the time airstone is off until finally everything is back to normal. It may take a couple of days.

[carcraze]

Those pale leaves and brownish stem due to insufficient lighting at the base of the plants.

Don't need to spot dose. Otos loves brown algae or diatom algae.

If you want to clear whole tank of algae, just dose 4x concentration of Excel based on your water volume daily for 10 -14 days.

Run airstone during the 10-14 days duration.

As of now, just let airstone run 24/7 for a week. After that you can try switching off and monitor your fishes. Try slowly increasing the time airstone is off until finally everything is back to normal. It may take a couple of days.

Thanks @greenie Going to try the above. Water change 20-30% as usual every 5-6 days?

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