Ammonia coming out of my tap.

[mbpted]

Don't know the type of filter, but ion my experience the foam or sponge-like media can be rinsed repeatedly. The white wool pad that sits at the top of my two canisters tends to get so clogged it won't rinse out without getting completely thin or out of shape, and I replace this at every rinsing (6-7 weeks now).

The filter I changed was the carbon filter. it slides into what's described as a "bio-holster" when I change it, it has a film of green where the pump as pulled the water through it. If rinsing it will be better than changing it, I can certainly do that. I've been replacing it every 6 weeks. The guy at the LFS says I should replace it every month.

I have not touched the foam filter since I added it to the tank. It went from bright yellow to a nice dark green, and I've kept it that way.

Any chance they are adding something to the main water that wasn't being added before this started? When we are doing the same routine for months, and then suddenly fish all die from one water change, it has to have been something in the water. This could arrive via the water authority, or a reaction within the tank, or an additive you add... ?

I've done some research but haven't found out anything that might have been in the city's water. It has been very hot lately. The water from the tap was coming out at about 82 degrees F (30 C). At the high end of the "green zone" on the thermometer. I'm starting to make random guesses.

I don't suppose you have another tank, even a small one, that the pleco could go into? Obviously it is under probably severe stress if all the other fish died.

What is the GH and KH of the source water (will assume the tank is the same)?

From what I can tell from the latest water quality report in my area, the GH is an average of 100 ppm, and the KH is 24 ppm. They are not labeling them as GH or KH, but "General Hardness" and "Calcium" so I hope I've found the correct numbers.

Perhaps your test kit has expired or is no longer working. Also what type of test kit are you using.

My testing kit was several years old, so I bought a new one. It's an API Freshwater Master Test Kit. These are the latest readings from the tank:

ph = 7.6
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrite = 0 ppm
Nitrate = 0 ppm.

I'll discard the older tests in favor of these. As far as I can tell, these are what I should be shooting for. In fact the pH levels have come out lower than before.

The Pleco has eaten his cucumber, and seems to be behaving normally.

 

[mbpted]

If your only fertilizer is iron and potassium your plants have likely consumed most of the nutrients in your tap water. Iftshis happens you will have multiple nutrient deficiencies. What that happens your plants will not be able to consume the ammonia in the water. Floating plants were listed as one possible solution. However in nutrient deficient water even those will have a hard time growing and may not be able to consume ammonia.

If your plants are growing well you should rarely see and transparent, dead, or black leaf tips. The fact that you see this is more evidence of nutrient deficient water. In these conditions you may see some plant growth. But often the pants is sacrificing parts of itself to support new growth.

I will look for the fertilizer Byron recommended in an earlier response to see if that helps.

I think I'll wait a few weeks before I attempt to add any new fish. See how my sturdy Pleco fares, and attempt to help the plant thrive a bit better.

I'd like to try adding a floating plant as well, do you have any suggestions on what I should look for?

Thanks again for all the advise and help!

 

[Essjay]

From what I can tell from the latest water quality report in my area, the GH is an average of 100 ppm, and the KH is 24 ppm. They are not labeling them as GH or KH, but "General Hardness" and "Calcium" so I hope I've found the correct numbers.

Water companies use the term hardness rather than GH so if they say hardness is 100ppm that's your hardness. They use alkalinity instead of KH, not calcium. If they don't give a value for alkalinity, they don't give KH.

Hardness is made up of several minerals, calcium is just one of them. The value they give for calcium is the amount of that on its own.






Hardness is actually quite complicated. My younger son used to work as an analyst for a water testing company and he explained exactly what water companies mean by hardness. I can explain further if anyone wants to know.

 

[Byron]

The filter I changed was the carbon filter. it slides into what's described as a "bio-holster" when I change it, it has a film of green where the pump as pulled the water through it. If rinsing it will be better than changing it, I can certainly do that. I've been replacing it every 6 weeks. The guy at the LFS says I should replace it every month.

I have not touched the foam filter since I added it to the tank. It went from bright yellow to a nice dark green, and I've kept it that way.

Carbon works by adsorbing (note it is adsorb, not absorb, two different things) various "stuff" in the water. At some point, the carbon becomes clogged or full, and can no longer remove impurities. It then needs to be replaced with fresh carbon (there is no way to "clean" it). That is what the store was referring too. However, there is no harm in rinsing the carbon and re-using it; it will no longer remove impurities, but it will merely act like any filter media, providing a surface for bacteria to colonize. The length of time it takes for carbon to become "useless" varies, depending upon the impurities it is removing and how much. Most suggest a few weeks. Many of us do not bother with carbon; if you have live plants you don't need it normally, as plants can do much the same thing. Carbon is useful if you have used medications, and it can remove some of them more rapidly following treatment (if it is fresh). So, there is no need to replace carbon, just rinse it.

The foam should be rinsed regularly. I rinse my sponge filters (these act identically to the foam in other types of filters) at every weekly water change, and the canister filters are rinsed every 6-7 weeks (they can go longer, depends upon the tank, filter, etc). You want to keep the foam free of too much gunk, that usually brown stuff which is organics, as this can clog the filter. Water needs to run freely through the filter media for it to be effective.

I've done some research but haven't found out anything that might have been in the city's water. It has been very hot lately. The water from the tap was coming out at about 82 degrees F (30 C). At the high end of the "green zone" on the thermometer. I'm starting to make random guesses.

If the cold water tap is over 80F, that is indeed warm; the city may be adding additional chlorine, chloramine or something else to kill bacteria.

From what I can tell from the latest water quality report in my area, the GH is an average of 100 ppm, and the KH is 24 ppm. They are not labeling them as GH or KH, but "General Hardness" and "Calcium" so I hope I've found the correct numbers.

Essjay explained this well. I will just add that 100 ppm equates to 5.5 dGH, so you have soft water. [The KH (Alkalinity) is probably similar.] Cardinal tetra and rummynose tetra will do well in soft water, so no issue there. Still not certain of the cause of the sudden demise, but not likely related in any way to the hardness.

My testing kit was several years old, so I bought a new one. It's an API Freshwater Master Test Kit. These are the latest readings from the tank:

ph = 7.6
Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrite = 0 ppm
Nitrate = 0 ppm.

I'll discard the older tests in favor of these. As far as I can tell, these are what I should be shooting for. In fact the pH levels have come out lower than before.

The Pleco has eaten his cucumber, and seems to be behaving normally.

These numbers are fine. The pH may tend to lower once the aquarium is established. This is natural due to organic processes, and nothing to worry about.

I'd like to try adding a floating plant as well, do you have any suggestions on what I should look for?

Floating plants like Water Sprite (Ceratopteris cornuta), Water Lettuce (Pistia stratiotes) or Frogbit are nice because they are of sufficient size to provide interest; the dangling roots can be attractive, and fish like to browse among them for microscopic food (both live and prepared tidbits) and fry use them for cover. Smaller floating plants like the Salvinia species provide less "bulk" but are still better than no floaters. Duckweed is about the smallest floating plant, and considered a true weed by many, as it can reproduce incredibly fast. I wouldn't use duckweed alone except in breeding/spawning tanks or as food for vegetarian fish (some will eat it).

I would continue using the API Leaf Zone until it is gone, then switch to the Flourish Comprehensive Supplement for the Planted Aquarium. Make sure it is this long name, as they make several different products under the "Flourish" label. The smallest bottle will do; you use very, very little once a week, on the day following the water change.

Let's hope the pleco survived whatever the issue was, that is sounding promising.

 

[mbpted]

If the cold water tap is over 80F, that is indeed warm; the city may be adding additional chlorine, chloramine or something else to kill bacteria.

Hm. If that's the case, maybe my dosage of water conditioner was not enough, and the chlorine and chloramine was too high?

Does this stuff expire as well? I've had this bottle for a while now.

I've always used the amount recommended on the bottle. Can you over do it?

 

[Byron]

Hm. If that's the case, maybe my dosage of water conditioner was not enough, and the chlorine and chloramine was too high?

Does this stuff expire as well? I've had this bottle for a while now.

I've always used the amount recommended on the bottle. Can you over do it?

Without knowing what was or wasn't added, and the directions for the conditioner, difficult to answer your first question. I've never heard of conditioner expiring, and I buy it in a jug as I have a fish room of tanks, and the 2 gallon jug lasts me a few years after opening, so I doubt it expires though it might in time. You can overdo conditioner, but this will not kill fish like happened here, it would only stress them, depending upon the level.

 

[mbpted]

Without knowing what was or wasn't added, and the directions for the conditioner, difficult to answer your first question. I've never heard of conditioner expiring, and I buy it in a jug as I have a fish room of tanks, and the 2 gallon jug lasts me a few years after opening, so I doubt it expires though it might in time. You can overdo conditioner, but this will not kill fish like happened here, it would only stress them, depending upon the level.

The instructions on the conditioner bottle says 1 teaspoon for every gallon. I always add it to the bucket as it is being filled.

I guess my question was, if the city was adding more chlorine/chloramine to accommodate the heat of the water coming out of the tap, should I have compensated by adding more conditioner? And would an increase in the chlorine and chloramine have killed my fish?

And if I've been under conditioning my water, I wondered what might happen if I increased it? (and you have answered that)

Again, I can't think you enough for all your help. And for everyone else who has participated in this discussion.

 

[Byron]

You're very welcome.

The instructions on the conditioner bottle says 1 teaspoon for every gallon. I always add it to the bucket as it is being filled.

That's a lot of conditioner, but some are like that. I am now using API Tap Water Conditioner which takes 1 drop per gallon, or 1 ml (1/4 tsp) for 20 gallons (this is the suggested dose for chlorine, they advise increasing it for chloramine which I don't have, fortunately); it is highly concentrated, but I like the fact that less goes into the water. Using a bucket to fill, you don't want to overdose conditioner, it is just more chemical stuff getting inside the fish.

I guess my question was, if the city was adding more chlorine/chloramine to accommodate the heat of the water coming out of the tap, should I have compensated by adding more conditioner? And would an increase in the chlorine and chloramine have killed my fish?

Unless the instructions say to increase for something, there should be no need. Without a conditioner, chlorine/chloramine fairly quickly impacts fish, to death. But again an increase in the water should not do anything if you are following the product's instructions, which you certainly seem to have done.

You can usually tell when chlorine/chloramine is at issue, as the fish will quickly gather at the opposite end to the incoming water, near the surface, usually gasping, red gills, gill covers extended because of the difficulty in respirating...lethargy and death very soon after. Once or twice I have forgotten the conditioner, and I fill with a Python (large tanks are impossible with buckets) so the tap water is entering the tank direct; I have the habit of observing the fish when I am filling, on and off, and afterwards, so I caught it quickly and had no losses. But the aforementioned symptoms (gathering at the opposite end, near the surface) were in evidence. It is pretty rapid. Chlorine burns the gill filaments.