EMERGENCY. FISH DYING RAPIDLY

[lambrettali1753]

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have had my tank setup for about 3 months, and everything has been fine, until now,
This morning i came down to find that my tank was black?
Inside everything was covered in a black soot (like the fine powder that comes off new filter carbon) The plants, the sand.. And the fish!
The fish still seemed fine and happy. I cleaned the filters out and filteed the sand, the water was alot better. but now 2 angel fish and 7 guppys are dead!
I have never had any fish die in such mass in one day.
PLEASE HELP AS I HAVE MORE FISH STILL IN THERE AND DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO.

 

[breezer40]

First thing I would do test the water for Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite then do a 50% water change..let us know what the water test is.

 

[WILDER]

Never heard of black soot before, is it something to do with the black carbon, do a water change, and put a new carbon sponge back in the filter, and run alot of new filter floss to remove fine particles.

 

[CathyG]

I am not sure what the "black" stuff was, and it should be investigated, but how did you "clean out" your filter? Could it be possible that you have started a cycle in your tank by killing off the good bacteria?

 

[lambrettali1753]

I took some water out of the tank, and rinsed it out. like the man in the shop told me.

 

[wetwetwet]

Did you do anythign to the tank last night? water change / change carbon...

What type of filter is it and where does carbon go?

I presume the 'black stuff is carbon - what type of carbon is it - granuals or a sponge?

And any water readings?



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[lambrettali1753]

The filters are just simple box filters. they are only 4 pounds each. but the shop i use, use them themselves. They work excelently normally. the carbon goes under the cotton wool stuff, they are powered by an air pump. I put 4 mollys and 1 angel in the tank yesterday morning. They were fine when i got them and fine all day.

 

[lambrettali1753]

the amonia in the water was between 0.25 and 1.5mg/l,
I put the correct amount of ammolock in the tank.

 

[wetwetwet]

So is the carbon in granual form?

The black stuff I can only assume is carbon (unless you have other ideas?) Was it rinsed wellbefore use?

Also yesterday you did nothing else to the filter or airpump that might have disturbed the media?

That level of ammonia may well have killed the fish.

What size tank and how many/size of other inhabitants?



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[lambrettali1753]

The tank is 20 gallons. the carbon is in granules amd have been in there since i set the tank up. I had 7 guppies, 2 angels, 2 mollies, 2 guramies, 1 apple snail and a small blue lobster. I also have a few plants (very healthy).

 

[wetwetwet]

Activated carbon only has a usefull life upto a couple of months at which time it can start leeching toxins back into the tank... - so should be replaced

You didn't mention any other filter media - high surface area eg. sponge

The only thing I can imagine is that over a little time a hole developed in the filter floss allowing carbon granuals/dust to enter the uplift and hence cover the tank...

I not familiar with box filters but would have thought you'd have other media for bacteria colonisation and should of had the carbon granuals in a net/nylon bag inside the box to prevent this situation and also make it easier to replace..

In addition I'd be concerned about the size of the box filter and whether its up to the job of biological and mechanical filtration.

Feed sparingly till you get the ammo under control and do partial water changes to keep it down...

Maybe look at getting a small internal power filter?



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[lambrettali1753]

Thanks. I'll give it a try.

 

[wetwetwet]

I'd still be interested in the size of the box and any other media in there...

Also were the granuals in a bag? If not then I think the above is likly to the 'soot' problem...

Don't get me wrong box filters have there uses but might not be up to the job for your community (more for quarantine tanks and breeding projects/fry where you don't want too much flow...)

If your local shop uses them then they must also be doing very regular large water changes. Probably every shop I know now uses a centralised filtering system... were you doing many water changes?



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[lambrettali1753]

No, the carbon is just under the cotton wool.
I have only been doing partial water changes of about 25% every couple of weeks as i thought the filters were upto the job. My local shop said that i should use these because i wanted to keep angel fish, and they needed a slow water flow. As my angels are now angels. what type of filtration system would you recomend. Now i have nearly got to start from scratch.

 

[wetwetwet]

'angels are now angels' - Oooo thats bad

Depends what country you're in as to what's available I haven't brought any in a while and there pros and cons to different types. Internals are simple, quite cheap, small and easy to maintaine but are inside the tank. Though there are others, externals, hang ons...

Maybe post a new topic on filtering a 20g and see what people come up with



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