Fletch Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 I can't believe I did this. I am so disappointed in myself. As most of you know, I am concentrating on my plants in my community tank. This is a steep learning curve for me as I have zero experience with planted tanks. Anyway, I got my stuff of Aquagreen (seems to be working great) and had a faulty co2 diffuser. I bought another one last Sunday and hooked it up. While I was at it, I cleaned my canister filter out. I only do this once a year and always carefully watch water conditions for next six weeks. I also turned off internal filter as i wanted to get rid of the current in my tank as it was a bit strong. I was running my co2 into the internal filter so the bubbles would go through the impeller. It worked a treat. Anyway, yesterday I thought the fish looked "strange". Couldn't put my finger on it. Also noticed I was missing one angel. This morning I had fish gasping on the surface. I immediately tested water and ammonia was HIGH. I was confused as I did water change on Sunday as well. I have lost a few fish and found no bodies but that shouldn't effect it like this. As I did a 50% wc, I though I might as well remove the internal filter. Christ, I almost spewed when I pulled it out. Bloody thing was going septic as no water was flowing through it. :-(. As I said at the start, I can't believe I did this. Too busy thinking about plants and new "problems" that i forgot the absolute basics of fish care. Guess I am just lucky I reacted quickly and at least recognized issues. Hopefully no fish has suffered any gill damage. Will have a better idea in the morning. Hope I can save someone else doing such a stupid thing. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiameseFightingFist Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Sorry to hear that, this sort of thing scares me as it is something I could very easily do too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrefly Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 We've all done it Busman Paul Don't beat yourself up, at least you caught it and probably saved most of your fish in the process :bighug: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted November 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 (edited) Not good news. More fish doing the same. Any chance I have overdosed co2? Just at a loss. I have bristlenose now sitting very close to the top. I have disconnected co2. Any ideas? Edited November 12, 2011 by Busman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted November 12, 2011 Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 Can you disconnect the co2 overnight? I may be over simplifying here, but once the lights are turned off at night, the plants stop photosynthesizing and are not using the Co2/producing O2. By removing the internal filter, you are getting less surface movement and therefore less O2 exchange. You could also try an airdrome hooked up to a timer to go on once the lights go out...Oops... Airstone... Damn iPhone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted November 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 12, 2011 That's exactly what I am thinking mate. Fish look a lot better already. My peppermint still near the surface but never really see him so hope he survives. Two clown loaches still the same but all others seem better. Might have to put internal filter back in. Will leave co2 off till tomorrow and see how they are. If all good I will reconnect it for 24 hrs and check again. Just lucky I am on late shift which has given me this time in the mornings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Try putting an airstone in, if it is CO2 it will help gas it off. I don't think it would be CO2 though with only diy. Did the filter smell like rotten egg gas? If so I suspect it is hydrogen sulphide poisoning the fish. I think an airstone will help that also. Don't beat yourself up over it, we all make mistakes.Oh, how old is this batch of yeast mixture? If it is less than 24 hours then I would see more reason for it being CO2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Mixture four days old. Might have put a little extra sugar and or yeast in it. :-). The old filter just smelled bad. Lol. Fish looking better. Not eating but better. Will leave co2 off till tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zhong89 Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Don't connect your CO2 into your internal filter. Coz good bacteria needs O2 to breathe and convert ammonia etc eventually into nitrate. By not allowing them to do that you allow a new type of bacteria call anabolic bacteria to take over and produce toxic gases into your tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournebetta Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Bussy, While this is all dutch to me (I keep my tanks as boring as possible to avoid chemistry lessons like these) it's not nearly as stupid as what I was doing putting my external cannister filter on a 12 hour timer on/off...... pumping pure acid into the tank every morning, letting it clear up, build up good bacteria, then killing it off over night and pumping acid back into the tank! What a great idea ness! We all done stoopid mistakes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 (edited) All points noted people. Thanks. This is the thing, I have been running my co2 through my internal filter for a while now. This filter is more for water movement than filtration. Only has sponge in it and that is cleaned every wc. Have had a nutrient issue (potassium deficiency maybe??) which looks to have been solved since I started using Dino Pee and Dino Dung. Never had this issue with the fish before now. From what I have read, it's almost impossible to overdose DIY co2. So, what's different now? I turned internal filter off and left it in the tank for six days. This was removed with 40% wc. Fish recovered. My tank is in the lounge room and when I am working late shift, my wife leaves kitchen light on which allows me to view the tank. Last night I had two fish on the surface, gulping, by the morning more. Disconnect co2 this morning and left it off all day. Tonight the fish look ok. None on the top. Tomorrow morning I will connect up the co2 again and see what happens. Nothing to lose now but I might just learn something. :-) Edited November 13, 2011 by Busman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Have you checked your kH and pH? If not, do it. In the morning after lights have just come on and again about midway through the light cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_95 Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 If you just turned the internal off I could have gone anaerobic causing toxic gasses to be produced. I beleive gill irritation/damage and loss of appetite are both symptoms. I'm putting my money on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 No idea about kH. Ph is usually stable as I have shell grit in the gravel. Sits about 7.8. What am I looking for Yan? :-). I understand what your saying Matt but the fish were better once wc was done. It was that night they got bad again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yanagi Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 pH can swing a bit from lights on to lights off, and normally people have their pH about 6.8 for plants. If it does climb at any point I was concerned about ammonia skyrocketing along with it but I guess that isn't the case. :P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted November 13, 2011 Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 How are they this morning with the Co2 turned off? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted November 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 13, 2011 Tanks looks good this morning. No fish at the top. Will connect co2 back up later. And leave it running for 24 hrs. That will at least give me an answer. If it happens again I will put internal filter back in, mainly too disturb the water surface. :-). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fletch Posted November 15, 2011 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 I reconnected co2 and have had no issues since. Put it down to the internal filter. Not sure why symptoms still showed up 24 hrs after it was removed and wc done. Guess it doesn't really matter now, it was obviously the filter and the co2 must have reacted in some way to other gasses present. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiameseFightingFist Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 I don't really know why but when I had trouble with my tank, no matter how often or how large the water changes, the water readings also showed the same, regardless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shadoh Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 Great news! Regardless of the cause, it is good that things seem to have stabilized! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiameseFightingFist Posted November 15, 2011 Report Share Posted November 15, 2011 I was doing 40%-50% water changes almost everyday or every second day. Water parameters stayed the same throughout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pyrefly Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 Glad things are settling down again Busman Paul! SFF - Have you tested your water straight from the tap? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiameseFightingFist Posted November 16, 2011 Report Share Posted November 16, 2011 ah crap no I forgot. The water has been good before and after that incident though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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