HELP water change killed all my fish!!

[Lcc86]

@Essjay will know. I wonder if the Seachem product increases the KH, because with straight RO the KH is zero which makes buffer products real risky for pH swings. I don't think that happened, but worth knowing.

It does increase using Equilibrium, I was testing gH and kH before water changes but have got a bit lax recently as I know how much it should take to get to my desired hardness, so it may not have been on point.

 

[TNG]

Apart from ammonia, you changed the pH from highly basic to very acidic in an instant. That sudden pH change is a fish killer.

 

[Lcc86]

Apart from ammonia, you changed the pH from highly basic to very acidic in an instant. That sudden pH change is a fish killer.

Gah I'm really angry at myself for causing this. Need to get some sleep and come back to things tomorrow with a fresh brain.

 

[Fishfunn]

2. I've accidentally added alkaline buffer instead of acid buffer and increased the pH

That would explain the high pH. Also, ammonia has a very high pH. I suspect your fertilizer is where your ammonia issue is originating. Sorry about your fish.

 

[Lcc86]

That would explain the high pH. Also, ammonia has a very high pH. I suspect your fertilizer is where your ammonia issue is originating. Sorry about your fish.

Thanks, hopefully can save the ones I have left.

 

[Fishfunn]

Thanks, hopefully can save the ones I have left.

Seachem Prime can be used to temporarily detoxify ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates for 48 hours, so you would be adding the amount every day until you get your ammonia down. This could save your fish while you are doing water changes. Prime can be safely added to the tank 5X its normal dosage.

 

[Lcc86]

Seachem Prime can be used to temporarily detoxify ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates for 48 hours, so you would be adding the amount every day until you get your ammonia down. This could save your fish while you are doing water changes. Prime can be safely added to the tank 5X its normal dosage.

Thanks, they are in a QT tank with no substrate atm, just an established filter and lots of floating plants. Will need to figure out what to do with the main tank where the ammonia issue started tomorrow morning. Possibly tear it down and put fresh sand in? Too extreme?

 

[AJ356]

Are you pretty sure looking back it was the root tabs causing the ammonia? I guess so, but was also wondering if a pH swing can crash a cycled tank? Not sure. You were not getting any nitrite readings despite very high ammonia. Maybe essjay will know something on that. Maybe there is nothing to read in on that. I've had twice in my fish keeping life a tank full of dead fish or dying fish. Horrible experience.

 

[Fishfunn]

Thanks, they are in a QT tank with no substrate atm, just an established filter and lots of floating plants. Will need to figure out what to do with the main tank where the ammonia issue started tomorrow morning. Possibly tear it down and put fresh sand in? Too extreme?

Water change and intensely gravel vacuuming the sand should be okay. Whenever I do a water change (partial or full), I always add the dosage of Seachem Prime for the entire volume of the tank. That detoxifies any ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates in the water, so the biological filter can safely take them out.

 

[Fishfunn]

The nitrogen content of your fertilizer can come from several processes, depending on how your fertilizer was made. Notice 2 or 3

Nitrogenous fertilizers can be classified into four classes based on forms of nitrogen (N) present in straight nitrogenous fertilizers:
1.
Nitrate nitrogen-containing fertilizers (NO3-N):
e.g., NaNO3—16% N; Ca(NO3)2—15.5% N
2.
Ammonium containing nitrogenous fertilizers (NH4-N):
e.g., (NH4)2SO4—20% N; NH4Cl—24% to 26% N, anhydrous ammonia, 82% N
3.
Both NH4 and NO3-N containing nitrogenous fertilizers:
e.g., ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)—33% to 34% N, calcium ammonium nitrate—20% N
4.
Amide fertilizers—it is the organic form of N-containing fertilizers:
e.g., Urea [CO(NH2)2]—46% N, calcium cyanamide (CaCN2)—21% N.

3.1.1 Ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4]​

 

[Seisage]

Thanks, they are in a QT tank with no substrate atm, just an established filter and lots of floating plants. Will need to figure out what to do with the main tank where the ammonia issue started tomorrow morning. Possibly tear it down and put fresh sand in? Too extreme?

Yes, too extreme, I think. Your sand hosts a lot of nitrifying bacteria along with your filter, so removing it will remove a good portion of that bacteria and may temporarily worsen ammonia issues. If it were me, I'd leave the main tank running as is, testing and doing water changes until the ammonia issue is sorted. You could try sifting through the sand to continue removing fertilizer beads too, and get some floating and/or stem plants to help absorb the rest of the ammonia faster.

I'm so sorry that such a freak accident happened The pH increase could've been due to a number of factors, whether it was a simple slip-up in dosing the buffer/minerals, or as you mentioned, potentially something strange going on with the RO water itself. Either way, don't beat yourself up over it. You were already in a tough position with the ammonia and that was a water chemistry curveball in and of itself. You were doing all you could to resolve the issue. Rightfully focusing on the ammonia and doing frequent large water changes inherently leaves a lot of room for other issues to sneak in, with large swings in parameters that aren't easily controllable. You were doing your best (especially after the treatment for your back!) and I'm very glad you were able to save some of your fish and that the ADFs didn't seem to be affected (I wonder if it's because they don't have gills?). It seems like you've been able to stabilize your fish in QT, so I think just put your focus on getting the main tank back up on its feet

 

[Lcc86]

Are you pretty sure looking back it was the root tabs causing the ammonia? I guess so, but was also wondering if a pH swing can crash a cycled tank? Not sure. You were not getting any nitrite readings despite very high ammonia. Maybe essjay will know something on that. Maybe there is nothing to read in on that. I've had twice in my fish keeping life a tank full of dead fish or dying fish. Horrible experience.

It's the only thing I can think of as the tank was fine and running for a long time with no issues.

 

[Lcc86]

Water change and intensely gravel vacuuming the sand should be okay. Whenever I do a water change (partial or full), I always add the dosage of Seachem Prime for the entire volume of the tank. That detoxifies any ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates in the water, so the biological filter can safely take them out.

So I did that yesterday when I first saw the issue, drained the entire tank, vacuumed the sand and went through removing any bits of root tab I could still find. But the fish immediately acted off when I put them back in which is when I grabbed the QT tank. I left the main tank running about half full with an air pump overnight, will test shortly.

 

[Lcc86]

The nitrogen content of your fertilizer can come from several processes, depending on how your fertilizer was made. Notice 2 or 3

Nitrogenous fertilizers can be classified into four classes based on forms of nitrogen (N) present in straight nitrogenous fertilizers:
1.
Nitrate nitrogen-containing fertilizers (NO3-N):
e.g., NaNO3—16% N; Ca(NO3)2—15.5% N
2.
Ammonium containing nitrogenous fertilizers (NH4-N):
e.g., (NH4)2SO4—20% N; NH4Cl—24% to 26% N, anhydrous ammonia, 82% N
3.
Both NH4 and NO3-N containing nitrogenous fertilizers:
e.g., ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3)—33% to 34% N, calcium ammonium nitrate—20% N
4.
Amide fertilizers—it is the organic form of N-containing fertilizers:
e.g., Urea [CO(NH2)2]—46% N, calcium cyanamide (CaCN2)—21% N.

3.1.1 Ammonium sulfate [(NH4)2SO4]​

Thank you, I'm afraid I'm not sure how the tabs were made as they were unbranded. Lesson learned, only stick to reputable brands, or perhaps just liquid ferts as I've never had issues with liquid ferts.

 

[Lcc86]

Yes, too extreme, I think. Your sand hosts a lot of nitrifying bacteria along with your filter, so removing it will remove a good portion of that bacteria and may temporarily worsen ammonia issues. If it were me, I'd leave the main tank running as is, testing and doing water changes until the ammonia issue is sorted. You could try sifting through the sand to continue removing fertilizer beads too, and get some floating and/or stem plants to help absorb the rest of the ammonia faster.

I'm so sorry that such a freak accident happened The pH increase could've been due to a number of factors, whether it was a simple slip-up in dosing the buffer/minerals, or as you mentioned, potentially something strange going on with the RO water itself. Either way, don't beat yourself up over it. You were already in a tough position with the ammonia and that was a water chemistry curveball in and of itself. You were doing all you could to resolve the issue. Rightfully focusing on the ammonia and doing frequent large water changes inherently leaves a lot of room for other issues to sneak in, with large swings in parameters that aren't easily controllable. You were doing your best (especially after the treatment for your back!) and I'm very glad you were able to save some of your fish and that the ADFs didn't seem to be affected (I wonder if it's because they don't have gills?). It seems like you've been able to stabilize your fish in QT, so I think just put your focus on getting the main tank back up on its feet

Thanks, my back has woken me up today and is quite sore so ideally I don't want to be messing with the tanks or lifting anything heavy if I can help it. I left the main tank running, all my stem plants are still in a d a few floating ones, I took some out to go in the QT but there's plenty to go round. I removed all the beads before I'd set the QT tank up. I'll test parameters soon and post results.