Emergency- killed my bacteria

[mmdiscus1]

I have 100 gallon tank, new tank i decided to go with discus. For two months ive been creating bio load, and done fishless cycle. My amonia was eeading zero, nitrate zero, nitrate 20ppm. I use api master kit,

I run eheim 2217 cNister and internal sponge, use 50 percent ro, 50 percent tap filtered theough 3 stage carbon cag filter. My chlorine levels are zero. Tds in tank read about 280. Temp 29.7

Aboiut month ago, put 10 cherry barbs and 3 corrys, when my nitrogen cycle was over. Everything was fine untilmyesterday when i decided to clean eheim filter.

I cleaned it in my tank water, no tap used. Just washed throurougly in tank water, and put it all back, changed 40 percent of my tank water, as usual.

This morning i notice all fish on the bottom, i understood something was wrong. I check api amonia, it shows 2ppm its green in color. I added 5 caps of prime, now fish seems to got up from the bottom and swimming more actively.

I am really dissapointed, i new how not to break my good bacteria, read about disasters here on forum, but still got myself into the same situation.

What are your suggestions? What should i do now.. Btw, i dont have discus yet, was planning to get my first couple these days, but thats off for now i guess..

Guess, i need to go through cycle with fish now? Didnt want to do so, thats whyndid fishless cycle in the begining formabout a month..

Thanks in advance.

[rcomeau]

Something isn't right with that story. I think it takes about 8ml of bottled ammonia to get 2ppm in 100g. I highly doubt that you can get the equivalent of that 8ml from those small fish in <12hours.

Consider more frequent ammonia tests, including testing your prepared water, to clarify what is going on.

Using Prime was a good move. I forget what Prime does to the ability to accurately measure ammonia.

I did a fishless cycle in 2006 (http://rycomeau01.home.comcast.net/~rycomeau01/fishlesscycle.html). Bacteria started keeping the dosed ammonia at 0 ppm in about 25 days, I added fish then they died in a few days. Ammonia was still at 0ppm. I never found a good explanation. I was left with a belief that it takes much longer for a tank to cycle than most believe. It takes a lot a patience to wait for the bacteria to grow in the filter and water column.

[mmdiscus1]

After adding prime, my api test is clear yellow, reading 0 ammonia. I know ts a false positive since prime detoxifies it only for about 24 hours.. But still gish is eating, and swimming as if all ok. I guess i will be adding prime every 24 hours, and doing frequent wc

[mmdiscus1]

Something isn't right with that story. I think it takes about 8ml of bottled ammonia to get 2ppm in 100g. I highly doubt that you can get the equivalent of that 8ml from those small fish in <12hours.

Consider more frequent ammonia tests, including testing your prepared water, to clarify what is going on.

Using Prime was a good move. I forget what Prime does to the ability to accurately measure ammonia.

I did a fishless cycle in 2006 (http://rycomeau01.home.comcast.net/~rycomeau01/fishlesscycle.html). Bacteria started keeping the dosed ammonia at 0 ppm in about 25 days, I added fish then they died in a few days. Ammonia was still at 0ppm. I never found a good explanation. I was left with a belief that it takes much longer for a tank to cycle than most believe. It takes a lot a patience to wait for the bacteria to grow in the filter and water column.

This a new plantedtank now running for about two months, with established cycle. Myguess is after i cleaned filter, the day before yesterday, i killed good bacteria that was eating up my amonia and others... Thats why the spike pf amonia happnened.

[mmdiscus1]

As a side note: for the last week ive been dosing tank withnflourish excel, every two days, diluted in a bottle with tank water. But that should cause amonia spike right

[PP_GBR]

It's good to have a some Tetra Safe Start on hand. Add some to the canister after major cleaning. What's the pH?

[mmdiscus1]

Ph 7.4

[Second Hand Pat]

Is it possible you forget to add prime while doing your 40% WC?

[mmdiscus1]

Nops, i added it. 2 capfuls.

[Skip]

did you test your water right out of the tap?

[mmdiscus1]

tap all zero , except nitrates - about 20-30 ppm.

Why are people still asking me how and why it happened, instead of giving me advice on what to do next... isnt't it clear that i cleaned my filter too much, and killed all good bacteria in it, and i did also gravel vacuum - deep vacuum - on that day.. am i missing here something?

[Second Hand Pat]

We are asking questions to rule out other possibilities...just due diligent.

[mmdiscus1]

We are asking questions to rule out other possibilities...just due diligent.

sure. sorry, i didnt' mean that. i am just in this situation for the first time, and want to get it right.

[Len]

You could get some pure aquarium or pure pond and put some in your canister. It will reseed your beneficial bacteria quickly. Both Chicago Discus and Inland Empire Discus sell it, both are sponsors and ship.

On another note, dosing with excel isn't going to do anything directly for your ammonia issues, it will help your plants possibly, but that doesn't seem to be an issue atm.

[mmdiscus1]

but again, not a single "what I should do" suggestion... its night here. tomorrow when i wake up it will be 24 hours since i added prime. what should i do?

The reason why it happened to me right isnt that relevant. What I need is experienced SD users to suggest me please what to do next.
Thanks. Hope you understand me.

[Len]

If you read my post I suggested you get some Pure Aquarium or Pure Pond and put it in your canister filter. It will reseed your beneficial bacteria which will in turn drop your ammonia levels. I even went so far as to tell you where to get it.


Call one of these two sponsors and they will arrange to have it shipped to you.

Josie (Chicago Discus) 312-622-0055

or

Bill (Inland Empire Discus) 909-349-0033


Also if you tell us where you are, there may be other places to get it or products similar that will have the same effect.

[Second Hand Pat]

Ok, if you have partially or totally wiped out your BB then in the morning test for ammonia. If you have measurable ammonia due a large WC and continue this until your BB is established again. If you need to speed the progress then do as Len suggested.

[Len]

There may be a language barrier, but I'm not certain. It appears you are in Russia. The manufacturer is in UK, so you could contact them directly and ask your easiest source for the product:

Tel. 01942 216 554
Fax. 01942 216 562
info@evolutionaqua.com

[PP_GBR]

Sounds like you have a perfect storm. Deep cleaning your gravels seems to be the culprit here. Go to Petsmart/Petco to buy some Tetra Safe Start to add to the canister while you're waiting for your order to arrive.

IME with Eheim Prof. wet n dry filter, I have ammonia spikes whenever the pH drop to 6.00 due to my very soft tap water.

[mmdiscus1]

ok. will try tetra safe.
i am not in US, cant go to Petco.

[mmdiscus1]

thankx for your help.

IS it possible to wipe out bb while cleaning canister? even if using aquarium water? no chlorine

[mmdiscus1]

Sounds like you have a perfect storm. Deep cleaning your gravels seems to be the culprit here. Go to Petsmart/Petco to buy some Tetra Safe Start to add to the canister while you're waiting for your order to arrive.

IME with Eheim Prof. wet n dry filter, I have ammonia spikes whenever the pH drop to 6.00 due to my very soft tap water.
is it OK to add tetra safe to water column? At my LFS they sell tetra safe start, i could get it tomorrow. Woudln't want to bother with opening canister, if its at all possible.

[mmdiscus1]

There may be a language barrier, but I'm not certain. It appears you are in Russia. The manufacturer is in UK, so you could contact them directly and ask your easiest source for the product:

Tel. 01942 216 554
Fax. 01942 216 562
info@evolutionaqua.com
No language barrier, I understant you quite OK . I used to work/live in US for quite some time:)
It is just I cant order anything now.. its an emergency deal-now situation.



Its about 1am here. I am off to sleep. Please give me some more info peeps, I will read first thing tomorrow morning.

[PP_GBR]

Where are you located? Could you get Tetra Safe Start from there or something similar? TSS is nitrifying bacteria.

http://www.petco.com/product/118196/Tetra-SafeStart.aspx

[Skip]

tap all zero , except nitrates - about 20-30 ppm.

Why are people still asking me how and why it happened, instead of giving me advice on what to do next... isnt't it clear that i cleaned my filter too much, and killed all good bacteria in it, and i did also gravel vacuum - deep vacuum - on that day.. am i missing here something?

I asked.. because sometimes the city add additional levels of ammonia. . When it flushes the system. . That's why
So maybe it was not the filter but a much higher ammonia level then expected

[BODYDUB]

Did you empty the water from your canister filter when you cleaned your media???????

[mmdiscus1]

Did you empty the water from your canister filter when you cleaned your media???????

Ys, but at all tims i kept media submrged in water from tank

[mmdiscus1]

Where are you located? Could you get Tetra Safe Start from there or something similar? TSS is nitrifying bacteria.

http://www.petco.com/product/118196/Tetra-SafeStart.aspx

I am in Turkmenstan.
We do have tetra safe start here

For 100 gallons, how many bottls do i need?

[Elliots]

It says on the bottle of TetraSafeStart how many gallons it treats. Buy the largest size and you can re-add TetraSafeStart. You are not limited to a single dose. Maybe you want to add TSS every 2-3-4 days? I do not recall your first post, did you cycle your tank and then add fish? If you did that the established BB may not have been enough to handle the bioload from the fish. It may take time for the BB to grow to handle the bioload.

[GeauxDiscus]

My advice: Keep it simple. Keep doing large daily water changes (50-70%) and keep adding Prime. That's gotten me out of a few bad situations. Your beneficial bacteria will recover - just keep changing the water, and the Prime will detoxify what's left. It will be a lot of extra work for a week or so, but your tank will recover. Hope that helps.

[musicmarn1]

+1 water changes are GODLY



My advice: Keep it simple. Keep doing large daily water changes (50-70%) and keep adding Prime. That's gotten me out of a few bad situations. Your beneficial bacteria will recover - just keep changing the water, and the Prime will detoxify what's left. It will be a lot of extra work for a week or so, but your tank will recover. Hope that helps.

[mmdiscus1]

Over 24 hours since i added Prime. Checked tank, api test shows 0 ammonia. Fish seems active.
Closely monitoring tank, will let u know. I didnt add tetrasafe yet, no wc yet. I want to confirm amonia spike again, before i do anything. My ro water is ready waiting in my container, filled up 75 liters of it overnight.

[mmdiscus1]

I keep checkng amonia levels since the incident, everyhthing seems fine , amonia zero, fish acting normal.
Hmm..looks like it was some sort of sudden amonia spike. Anyone experienced it?

[mmdiscus1]

Btw, i didnt add anything, no safe start nothing. Not even a wc

[Skip]

Probably jus a mini cycle

[mastermamo]

Do yourself a favor and get either Stability or better still a bottle of Special Blend. The latter is incredible. I had a completely uncycled tank beside a Biolife filter. I added a Fluval FX5 and remember I had discus in already.? The Fluval went in straight out the box. I then added Special Blend to the intake nozzle of the Fluval and presto seeded it within 24 hours.

This really will help u in an emergency like u had

M

[mmdiscus1]

Thanx everyone for your suggestions

[ronald sherman]

yess I used pure in a uncycled fish tank exactly 1 yr with discus mind you not cherry barb's fot the fish from Kenny and have nothing but good thing's too say about the product my tank was completely cycled in about 1 week had had nitrate within 24 hr's btw no fish died the 1 st 6 month and obvious none died from the tank going threw mini cycles which it will be it will stabilize your tank and after adding you can then go too adding discus aa soon as you like btw it now over 1 yr latter and have 5 of my 7 discus and 6 month ago I ordered 3 more from the org sponsor on this site Kenny and all 8 discus are alive today, the scret of success keeping discus is water changes often and feeding 4-6 times a day quality food btw I lost those 2 dish when I went almost 2 week's without a water change knowing what I know today would never go more than 3 day's

[mmdiscus1]

yess I used pure in a uncycled fish tank exactly 1 yr with discus mind you not cherry barb's fot the fish from Kenny and have nothing but good thing's too say about the product my tank was completely cycled in about 1 week had had nitrate within 24 hr's btw no fish died the 1 st 6 month and obvious none died from the tank going threw mini cycles which it will be it will stabilize your tank and after adding you can then go too adding discus aa soon as you like btw it now over 1 yr latter and have 5 of my 7 discus and 6 month ago I ordered 3 more from the org sponsor on this site Kenny and all 8 discus are alive today, the scret of success keeping discus is water changes often and feeding 4-6 times a day quality food btw I lost those 2 dish when I went almost 2 week's without a water change knowing what I know today would never go more than 3 day's

I didnt get your part about cherry barbs, did u have the with discus? Whats your experience.

[strawberryblonde]

Probably jus a mini cycle

+1

Just keep testing the water on a daily basis and do a 50% WC if you note any ammonia or nitrites. I have a mini cycle sometimes when I get too aggressive with rinsing the sponge media in my filters. I've learned over time to go REALLY easy on the rinsing and now rinse them just enough to remove any built up brown gunk on the outer surfaces of the media. I never bother with cleaning ceramic media, they are just fine as they are.

[mmdiscus1]

Its been more than a week, nothin unusual, thanks God everything fine. Amonia nitrite zero.