Aquarium problem and fish dying

[MysterioMask]

Since June I had been doing most everything right when starting up an aquarium. But maybe 3 weeks ago maybe 2 and a half. I did something stupid and screwed everything up. Essentially killed my bacterial filter. Killed off my inverts and had huge spikes in ammonia and nitrites and nitrates. I figured out what I did wrong and did water changes. Used ammo lock as my test told me to do. Also got bottled bacteria to try to get the filter going once more.

During this whole time the ammonia was reading off the charts and nitrite read really high a few times. Over time I did plenty of water changes and continues to dose stuff as said by instructions. But during those days when everything was way off the fish seemed to be fine. Ate fine swam fine, reacted to everything fine. This last week I managed to get my levels down to near normal. Ammo is .5, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. everything else is almost perfect or spot on. But the last few days when the levels were going back to normal the fish are now acting like everything has gotten worse. I had 1 maybe 2 die.

Any idea why they might be acting this way when the tests are reading back to or almost normal.

Also another question is I am using api tests and my readings I shared are from that. I also use tetra strips to confirm the reading. I also have a seachem ammonia badge. My question is my seachem badge is reading high levels at alarm or toxic. I got a new test because the older badge read toxic and got stuck and wouldn't change to any other color even if left out. The new test reads alarm. But the api says only .5 on ammonia now. Why the huge difference between the 2?

In the past when everything was fine I would read at safe/normal but I would still sometimes get .25 on api . But now api is going down and the seachem is reading high levels. Which is right?

 

[cmcoker]

Since June I had been doing most everything right when starting up an aquarium. But maybe 3 weeks ago maybe 2 and a half. I did something stupid and screwed everything up. Essentially killed my bacterial filter. Killed off my inverts and had huge spikes in ammonia and nitrites and nitrates. I figured out what I did wrong and did water changes. Used ammo lock as my test told me to do. Also got bottled bacteria to try to get the filter going once more.

During this whole time the ammonia was reading off the charts and nitrite read really high a few times. Over time I did plenty of water changes and continues to dose stuff as said by instructions. But during those days when everything was way off the fish seemed to be fine. Ate fine swam fine, reacted to everything fine. This last week I managed to get my levels down to near normal. Ammo is .5, nitrite 0, nitrate 0. everything else is almost perfect or spot on. But the last few days when the levels were going back to normal the fish are now acting like everything has gotten worse. I had 1 maybe 2 die.

Any idea why they might be acting this way when the tests are reading back to or almost normal.

Also another question is I am using api tests and my readings I shared are from that. I also use tetra strips to confirm the reading. I also have a seachem ammonia badge. My question is my seachem badge is reading high levels at alarm or toxic. I got a new test because the older badge read toxic and got stuck and wouldn't change to any other color even if left out. The new test reads alarm. But the api says only .5 on ammonia now. Why the huge difference between the 2?

In the past when everything was fine I would read at safe/normal but I would still sometimes get .25 on api . But now api is going down and the seachem is reading high levels. Which is right?

Based on fish death, and acting like something is wrong I would trust the seachem badge more.
What happened? Are you using rodi or tap water? I ask cause chloramines in tap water could cause issues with ammonia.

I would continue using the ammonia binder need and doing water changes. Reduce feedings as well until your filter catches up.

 

[MysterioMask]

Based on fish death, and acting like something is wrong I would trust the seachem badge more.
What happened? Are you using rodi or tap water? I ask cause chloramines in tap water could cause issues with ammonia.

I would continue using the ammonia binder need and doing water changes. Reduce feedings as well until your filter catches up.

Well what happened was I saw some spots on one of my fish and some ragged fins so I wasn't sure if it was a disease or just fighting with another of the fish. Anyway after looking around a bit and doing some research I decided I didn't want a treatment with copper so it wouldn't harm my invertabrates but I never though or read that it would destroy my good bacteria so I never thought about that before dosing. Once I dosed a couple times I noticed the spike and stopped but by then it seemed to be too late and the medicine had destroyed a lot of the filter. (Yes I know I made a huge mistake but I figured it couldn't hurt the other fish in the tank) anyway I am using tap water but I have always used tap water because I have this huge bottle of stuff to dechlorinate the water and want to use it all and its been fine in the past. I'm just mostly wondering why things seem to be getting worse as the ammonia seems to be dropping now much lower than over 8+ at its peak.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

What medicine did you use so we're all in the same page...

 

[MysterioMask]

What medicine did you use so we're all in the same page...

I don't remember right now. I don't have it any longer. This was some weeks ago and I forgot the name. I can find out if absolutely necessary .

 

[SashimiTurtle]

It would help in figuring out what steps you'll need to take to keep inverts again. If it was copper it'll give you a false negative on ammonia. Trust the alert badge, not your test kit. Also, if it was copper, your rock and sand have absorbed it and will leach back out over time.

Best thing to do to help the fish is to use Prime and a bacteria booster to try and power thru a cycle as fast as you can while keeping ammonia to a minimum.

 

[cmcoker]

Also if it was a copper based med I would be wary of using Prime. Prime makes copper more toxic.

I ask about tap water because if your city uses chloramines that can effect your ammonia. Basically, a dechlorinator breaks the bond between the chlorine and ammonia. Chlorine is detoxified, but if you are using a product that doesnt specifically says it is for chloramines, then the ammonia is still there and can affect the fish.

@Humblefish might have some input, since this sounds maybe water issue from meds, maybe fish issue.

 

[MysterioMask]

Figured out what medicine it was. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OTH66K8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 it says its non anti bacterial though. So I'm even more confused.

Also if it was a copper based med I would be wary of using Prime. Prime makes copper more toxic.

I ask about tap water because if your city uses chloramines that can effect your ammonia. Basically, a dechlorinator breaks the bond between the chlorine and ammonia. Chlorine is detoxified, but if you are using a product that doesnt specifically says it is for chloramines, then the ammonia is still there and can affect the fish.

@Humblefish might have some input, since this sounds maybe water issue from meds, maybe fish issue.

I had read somewhere once that chlroamines is an old form of chlorination for water and not used much anymore. As such many prodcuts don't list that they take that away even though they do because many public water systems no longer use chloramines. I could be wrong though. Anyway my bottle says removes chlorine and chloramines anyway.

 

[MysterioMask]

So I was down to .25 ammonia, 0 nitrates and nitrites yesterday. Today I tested and the ammonia is 8+ again, still 0 on nitrites and nitrates. I did do a water change last night. So I went looking around in the tank and found a dead six line wrasse. it was pretty tore up and smelled terrible. I don't know if something was eating it or just bacteria is working. Don't know I am now down to 2 living fish. an engineer goby, and an orchid dottyback which ironically is what I was trying to use the medicine on in the first place.

I am still confused as to what may have happened if the medicine claims its non antibacterial.

Also if the engineer goby dies I don't know what I could do to remove it besides tear the whole tank down which I don't particularly want to do.

 

[cmcoker]

I am not familiar with that product so can't knowledgeably speak to it's effects, the description aays something about stabilized oxygen chlorine agent. Faq on fritz website Recommends a dechlorinator if fish are having a negative reaction.. sounds bleachy, wondering if maybe it took out some of the lower life forms in the tank, pods and such to start a cycle ... really just guessing.
What size is this tank? What's the alert badge reading?
I would keep up water changes and just try to keep things stable.

 

[MysterioMask]

I am not familiar with that product so can't knowledgeably speak to it's effects, the description aays something about stabilized oxygen chlorine agent. Faq on fritz website Recommends a dechlorinator if fish are having a negative reaction.. sounds bleachy, wondering if maybe it took out some of the lower life forms in the tank, pods and such to start a cycle ... really just guessing.
What size is this tank? What's the alert badge reading?
I would keep up water changes and just try to keep things stable.

Tank size is 30 gal with 40 gallons in the sump.

Badge is reading alert/toxic I think one or both of the badges may be stuck and not working.

today Api tests read ammo at 8+ nitrite and nitrate both 0.

Ive done so many water changes now does it even help to keep doing them or am I just doing more harm than good and need to just let stuff settle down and figure itself out?

Also today I woke up to the water being a super cloudy white color. Does that mean I'm having a bacteria bloom?

 

[cmcoker]

Tank size is 30 gal with 40 gallons in the sump.

Badge is reading alert/toxic I think one or both of the badges may be stuck and not working.

today Api tests read ammo at 8+ nitrite and nitrate both 0.

Ive done so many water changes now does it even help to keep doing them or am I just doing more harm than good and need to just let stuff settle down and figure itself out?

Also today I woke up to the water being a super cloudy white color. Does that mean I'm having a bacteria bloom?

Yeah probably bacterial bloom, which can happen during cycling.
Water changes are not going to keep things from settling down assuming there is nothing wrong with the new salt water. They can keep the ammonia from killing you fish. Ever smelled ammonia and it burns your nostrils? That's what is doing to the fish but they can't move away from it.

Have you tested your fresh salt mix to see if you are getting a ammonia reading there?
You could take the ammonia alert badge out and let it soak in some rodi or distilled water and see if it changes back to the safe reading.

 

[MysterioMask]

Yeah probably bacterial bloom, which can happen during cycling.
Water changes are not going to keep things from settling down assuming there is nothing wrong with the new salt water. They can keep the ammonia from killing you fish. Ever smelled ammonia and it burns your nostrils? That's what is doing to the fish but they can't move away from it.

Have you tested your fresh salt mix to see if you are getting a ammonia reading there?
You could take the ammonia alert badge out and let it soak in some rodi or distilled water and see if it changes back to the safe reading.

I bought some prime. The ammonia is still sky high 8+ tonight. I cant find the orchid. Dead or alive. So maybe given the ammonia is high it might be dead? the engeineer goby is alive but hasn't been eating from what ive seen.

I did a 60% water change last night. And I mixed up a gallon of fresh salt mix to test ammonia on tomorrow when I do the water tests tomorrow. I will also use some of the water I mixed tomorrow to put the badges in and see what happens with them.

 

[MysterioMask]

Ammonia is still 8+ today. Although nitrites are now .50 and nitrate is about 2. so it seems like the nitrate cycle is starting to work somewhat. Still haven't seen the orchid I suspect it went into a rock hole and died somewhere I cant see it. Engineer is alive but has been in its hole and hasn't been coming out to eat anything to my knowledge.

I put the badges in some fresh mixed saltwater. I'm currently waiting for any change. I tested the fresh mix I did last night and it reads 0 ammonia.

 

[Maritimer]

My tendency at this point would be to do a major water change (>50%, and possibly more than one) and dose either Dr. Tim's One-And-Only or Bio-Spira, which are basically instant cultures of nitrifying bacteria.

The original "Maracyn" and "Maracyn-2" are antibiotics - this "Maracyn-Oxy" claims to be an antifungal, but wouldn't likely be useful in a saltwater system. True fungal infections are almost vanishingly rare in salt water . . .

~Bruce