Water problem

[Patrick84]

Hi Everyone,
I am posting here today to find out problem with my tank.

I always keep all my discus in 5ft tank BB tank. Roughly about 1 month ago, I took all fish out and wash inside and replace all the filter materials , I used cholox to clean the tank. After wash properly, I cycle the tank for 2 weeks with new biofilter rock like in my sumps, though I kept 2 old sponge filter remained.

So, As I though tank is ready, I put them back, as I can said after an hour or so... few of my fish feel uncomfortable. scratching surface, breath fast, fins are moving fast, appeared dark.
Strange things is, when I put those darkened fish back to 3ft tank, they appear normal in a very short time, colour appear bright, not scratching....

I checked on PH was 8.5 from 5ft tank, tap water and 3ft tank were ph 8
no chlorine, no nitrates/nitrites/ammonias....

So, question is:

Is my tank not fully cycled? If so, what else needed to monitor them?

p/s: my other fish appear normal in the 5ft tank, eating well... only these few of them....I tot of disease but why are they so well when transfer back to 3 ft tank? For me must be water problem..
I am doing wc every 48hrs about 50% of volume...as I tot 48hrs of aging water will be better for them and my tank is not dirty to step up the wc.

Please comment,
Patrick.

[Patrick84]

I am doing this big tank cleaned up at the first place because havent done it in almost 1 year.... I know...my bad

[Mattgoanna]

Do you know why one tank is 8.5 and the other is 8? Have you introduced something that is increasing pH and hardness?

[Patrick84]

I don't know the reason for this... maybe not fully cycled.
But ph different by 0.5 can be the reason?

[Mattgoanna]

I am just wondering if the scratching is somehow related to something you have added to the filter that is making the water harder or dissolving something else into the water. The scratching sound like something is irritating them. Strange that it only impacts on some and not others.

[Akili]

After using clorox to clean the tank,did you use anything else to wash the tank? and did you use anything to neutralize the residual bleach?.Posted this on another thread just recently "Going from water of lower pH to higher pH is not stressful to fish but the reverse has adverse effects".

[bluelagoon]

Your measurements indicate that your tank hasn't even started to cycle yet.You say you cycled it for 2 weeks.What did you use to help cycle the tank this 2 weeks?

[bluelagoon]

Are your sure there is no ammonia?At that PH it can be toxic.

[Filip]

I'm guessing a noncycled filter with posibble ammonia , nitrate presence in the water .
No matter how long you have waited the cycle once you put your discus in it , the beneficial bacteria needs some time to catch up with the huge bioload added to the system.
You need to do daily , big WCs until your filter catch up with the bioload , to prevent discus damage .

[Filip]

Oh , and I forgot to mention.
You do not need to do those bleaching cleanups like the one you have preformed .Just a regular glass wipedown and filter cleanup along with regular WCs is all that you need in a BB tank for your discus to thrive.

[Lido]

So you bleached your tank because you hadn't cleaned it in a year? I'm confused. Other than wiping the glass, cleaning out the poop on the bottom and in the filter media why do you need to "bleach your tank?" Are you sure that there isn't bleach residue in the aquarium system?

[Neptune]

Did you have any fish in the tank after the bleach job?
If you just had a tank with water and no fish the BB will die back to a population that can sustain itself with available food.
Then when you add a larger bioload it takes awhile to catch up.

You pretty much gave yourself a BIG clue.....fish are fine in the smaller cycled tank, distressed in the new one....something amiss with water in the bleached tank.

[Patrick84]

I am just wondering if the scratching is somehow related to something you have added to the filter that is making the water harder or dissolving something else into the water. The scratching sound like something is irritating them. Strange that it only impacts on some and not others.

I am thinking maybe residue of chorox.... But Before I cycled the tank, I did wc almost 100% three times.

[Patrick84]

After using clorox to clean the tank,did you use anything else to wash the tank? and did you use anything to neutralize the residual bleach?.Posted this on another thread just recently "Going from water of lower pH to higher pH is not stressful to fish but the reverse has adverse effects".

No, I didnt put anything to neutralise.... Just basic wc few times before started on tank cycle.

[Patrick84]

Yes, Mervin, Filip and Lido.... I think you guys are right. Tank simply not yet cycled well. I didnt put anything for that 2 weeks, just add some fish food.

Today, I looked at tank again, they look better.... I will keep an eye on those inside and will start to introduce those in other tank back slowly.... I think at this step... just wait and see....

Thanks a lot... I will keep an update.