Disaster

[KeithV]

So I got all excited about having a densely planted tank...and messed it all up.


I woke up yesterday to a stagnant mess, both my HOT filters died and could not be brought back to life. My tank was full of sediment and had practically rotted over night (It seemed)

My mistakes were many but here's a short list so that maybe you won't repeat them:

• I literally filled my tank with plants and moss
• I then decided to add more substrate by dumping it in slowly (this was last week) until I had about 4-6 inches of mixed gravels and sand
• I overpopulated my tank with fish
• I took the carbon out of my filters and replaced with coarse sponges (I had 2 h.o.t filters that could cut it)


I’ve been keeping fish for many years so naturally no rules apply to me and I can do whatever I want and my planted tanks will look all Amano-ish overnight just by my “willing” them into existence.

The fix: I removed the fish and spread the population out over a couple tanks, dumped the 40 gallon mess out and started over the right way. I purchased a bag of black fluorite and some eco-complete and a heavy duty Fluval external canister filter and followed every rule to a T when setting my new system up.

What I learned again (I thought I already knew):
1. The care and installation techniques of purpose appropriate substrates, the caliber of filtration, and the amount of fish per aquatic real-estate do in fact apply to “everyone”.
2. The cost of the hobby is accumulative.
3. Think through what you’re doing and research.

This experience hurt my pride bad and my wallet worse. I sincerely hope this note encourages readers to slow down and think things through, other wise I would never have shared this as it’s quite frankly embarrassing.

 

[luckyd]

Thanks for sharing! It looks like the fish survived at least.

 

[Dan-CR4]

Thanks for the post, we always hear the good points as most people are too embarrassed to admit when they messed up, and it takes a real man/woman to admit when they got it wrong. It just shows that you are human after all and can make mistakes, but you have admitted it to yourself and sent out a warning to us all that we dont always knows whats best and its good to read up on things just a little bit more.

well done for making this post

 

[Wills]

I’ve been keeping fish for many years so naturally no rules apply to me and I can do whatever I want and my planted tanks will look all Amano-ish overnight just by my “willing” them into existence.

Ive had a similar disaster as well recently and that above statement is so true for me as well... At the end of the day thngs like this are always a constant learning curve.

Wills

 

[KeithV]

Thanks for sharing! It looks like the fish survived at least.

Very true! The new setup is very nice looking and the fish look happy. I'm really down about the whole thing and kicking myself for messing it up so bad and costing myself stress and expense, but I did gain some hard-knock expirience....I wish I could say that it feels good, but honestly...it's a crap sandwich. BUT I'd beat all that money I spent though that what I've learned will pay off in the long run.

 

[Andeekaii]

Had a problem like this myself last year. Filled my tank with plants, set up my DIY co2, a few days before going on holiday for a week.
Come back and the tank was green, couldn't even see through the glass. £40 worth of plants killed, and a weeks worth of work to start again.
Fish were fine though

I'm just about to start a high-tec planted tank though. But i'm not rushing.

We live and we learn lol.