Blackwater Extract and Peat Moss

[crubino]

In the past week I have been running into some problems with my tank. On monday I came home from work to see every fish in my tank (7 discus, 12 bleeding heart tetra, pleco, and 2 corys) gasping for air at the top and drasticly dark color. Upon further review I discovered the spray bar from my eheim 2215 cannister running like a dripping facuet. I quickly did a 25% wc and they looked a little better and were eating. When I did the wc I put the water in directly from the tap (which i usually dont do). I tried to fix the eheim myself with no luck, and for two days after did twice daily wc's. On wednsday i picked up a sponge filter power head. Being shure the oxygen problem was under control, i was expecting the colors to brighten up. As i was thinking about it, the lack of my blackwater extract and tap water conditioner was probably to blame, but does it really effect color that much or could there be permanent damage from lack of oxygen? I am still relatively new to discus and need help!

[Don Trinko]

I'm not an expert but.... If you have clorine or cloramine in your tap you need a conditioner and the water temp of the water should be similar to tank water. Also any drastic change in water parameters can causw problems particularly ph.
Don T.

[accessj]

i would put in a water treatment , asap, to remove the clorine/clorimanes. I'm guessing that you have chicago city water. i put my treament (stress coat) into my tank, then put the water in directly from the faucet.

The black water extract is nice, but it is more important to remove the clorine. If you get the water under control, they should brighten upl

[Harriett]

Crubino,
Do you have a new canister filter now or are you running just the sponge filter? Did you pop in a new sponge or happened to have an aged one for that sponge filter? A new sponge filter does not have the seeded bacteria to process and break down anything going on in the tank and you have a sizable fish load. How big is this tank? HOw large are your [daily?] aged water changes? They are not permanently damaged, but If they are still dark, they are at the least still quite stressed. I am concerned if you are only running a sponge filter and doing small water changes, they are getting into trouble. If all that was happening was a temporary O2 shortage and you fixed that problem, they should have straightened out and returned to normal color and behaviour within some hours or overnight I think.
From what you wrote, it sounds like they were 2 days with no filter but with decent water changes--is that right?

I have had a canister go to hell, and it is a crazy making situation-- you have my sympathy!

The immediate water change was the right idea, but they also would need to be aggressively oxygenated right away for the interim period while you would be solving the bigger issue---you would need to quick throw powerheads or an old aquaclear, stuff like that on the tank to get that water moving and keep it going while you solved the permanent filter issue. Lots of big water changes; and I would throw 2tbl/10g of salt in there to to soothe them---
I would have pulled the media from the Eheim immediately, put it in a container of tank water with a powerhead to oxygenate and move the water around to preserve the bacteria for a few days while I got another canister in the house quick. In an underfiltered or possibly nonfiltered tank after a major stress and without huge water changes daily, they may have been compromised enough to be getting sick. [Possibly an external bacterial infection?] What is going on now?
It's a live and learn through experience sort of thing--sorry for your trouble.
I am also in Chicago [Evanston]--we have pretty decent water here--for the record, I use a python and rarely ever use water conditioner, and never black water extract--have been doing this way for years...I just don't think what is going on is from doing one 25% change without those chemicals.
Best regards,
Harriett

[crubino]

Hello and thank you for your responses. I got my canister running again (thank you Scotts Pet Shop) and added the tap water purifier and my blackwater extract and almost everyone has brightened up and looks a lot better. 1 of them has remained dark and I am going to treat for parasites today just in case. I had a problem about a month ago and thought the problem was gone but I am starting to notice the stringy faeces again, though not as bad as the first one who I am afraid did not make it. Thanks for advice and I will post again soon with an update.

[Apistomaster]

Spray nozzles, as designed, tend to restrict return flows. I encourage you to replace the spray bar with one of these flared return nozzles. I use them with all my Ehiem Canister filters. I own only Eheim Classics #2217 and one #2215.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14680
This type of nozzle will not restrict return filter flows.

Adding a power head is also a good idea but it should be attached to a sponge filter and an airline connected to a air pump should be run into the venturi inlet. It is necessary to use low pressure air to force air to the bottom of a deep aquarium. Use a valve to control the amount of air reaching the venturi. It doesn't take much air to reap the benefits.

It sounds like your other problems are resolving.

[crubino]

[QUOTE=Apistomaster;453143]Spray nozzles, as designed, tend to restrict return flows. I encourage you to replace the spray bar with one of these flared return nozzles. I use them with all my Ehiem Canister filters. I own only Eheim Classics #2217 and one #2215.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=14680


I like that idea and may have to take your advice. Kind of like the return on my wet/dry I am running in my saltwater. I also forgot to mention that I am running a UV sterilizer (I think I forgot to) and the intake sprang a leak and I woke up a few days ago to a fish tank -10% water. I keep the canister in a pan so the pool was held to a minimum. Someone told me to heat the tubing up with a lighter to make a seal. Any suggestions.

[Apistomaster]

If the leak is at the hose to barbed fitting you should use a plastic hose clamp if your filter lacks compression fittings. if you have compression fittings the it is probably best to fresh head the end of the hose back to the original size section and be sure it is fully seated on the barb and completely within the compression ring than is normally threaded and hand tightened.

I cannot see how a flame can be of use. Also, be sure that when you cut the used leaking end of the hose that the cut is even and straight; not at all diagonal or ragged. Inspect that plastic compression nut and barb to be sure there are no cracks.