Kitchen Sponge Disaster

[Clarousel]

Argh I know this is my second time posting in the emergency section this week and I'm really sorry!

I don't know where to start. I went to take a look at my tank after dinner and saw all my fish dead 'cept my pleco and the swordtails and realised the new kitchen sponge I used to clean the algae earlier on was the culprit. I know I'm really stupid for not knowing I had to rinse the sponge before using (or not even use it at all) it. I got really upset and started crying because I knew it was my fault. I did a 25% water change but I'm really at a loss at what to do right now. This is probably to most absurd thing you've heard/read today so you can go ahead and bash me up for this.

 

[fishyfeet]

oh my goodness, we all make mistakes, learn and move on - I guess that you killed on the helpful bacteria in your filter sponge and you are now haveing to recycle your tank with your fish, i would feed very sparingley if at all for a couple of days so 30% daily water changes and make sure the temperature is about 78-80 anything that restricts the ammonia (which is what killed your fish) can only help. Get a test kit the dip strips are ok for what you want, and test your water every other day for a idea of how you are doing, you can cut the strips in half and make them go twice as far and half as expensive.

Do not add any more fish regardless of how many fish die, the cycle may take a month but keep changing and testing until you have little ammonia and little nitrites and keep them like that, after a week or so you may be able to do water changes every other day, then twice a week as things start to improve.

Once you have 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and nitrates of 50 or less and it stays constant the only one that will increase and decrease are the nitrates with your water changes, i hope thats clear if not pm me, di

 

[willowstwin]

wait... why would a new kitchen sponge (that hasn't had any washing up liquid or bleach on it) harm the fish? unless you left it in there and they've eaten it and it's killed them...?

 

[fishyfeet]

I assume you cycled the tank properly before adding fish, di

 

[Malawi MaD]

Even though the sponge you used was new was it the type of brillo pad that had chemicals on it already? If it was just a normal sponge then that shouldn't of killed your fish, was your heaters and filters all working ok? sorry for you loosing your fish its disheartening when a group die all at once

 

[Clarousel]

oh my goodness, we all make mistakes, learn and move on - I guess that you killed on the helpful bacteria in your filter sponge and you are now haveing to recycle your tank with your fish, i would feed very sparingley if at all for a couple of days so 30% daily water changes and make sure the temperature is about 78-80 anything that restricts the ammonia (which is what killed your fish) can only help. Get a test kit the dip strips are ok for what you want, and test your water every other day for a idea of how you are doing, you can cut the strips in half and make them go twice as far and half as expensive.

Do not add any more fish regardless of how many fish die, the cycle may take a month but keep changing and testing until you have little ammonia and little nitrites and keep them like that, after a week or so you may be able to do water changes every other day, then twice a week as things start to improve.

Once you have 0 ammonia 0 nitrites and nitrates of 50 or less and it stays constant the only one that will increase and decrease are the nitrates with your water changes, i hope thats clear if not pm me, di

Yes I'm planning on that. Great thing I've got all my test kits now. When you say "stays constant" you mean like a week?

Actually, my ammonia and nitrites were both around zero and zero respectively before the WC and cleaning. Could so much ammonia have built up in 2 hours to have killed them?

wait... why would a new kitchen sponge (that hasn't had any washing up liquid or bleach on it) harm the fish? unless you left it in there and they've eaten it and it's killed them...?

That's what I thought when I used the sponge.. Apparently it has toxic stuff in it.

 

[Malawi MaD]

That's what I thought when I used the sponge.. Apparently it has toxic stuff in it.

Ah that's why then

 

[Clarousel]

I assume you cycled the tank properly before adding fish, di

The tank started out really chaotic but I got the beneficial bacteria growing and removing the ammonia for around 3 weeks already. When things started going well it came crashing down today

Even though the sponge you used was new was it the type of brillo pad that had chemicals on it already? If it was just a normal sponge then that shouldn't of killed your fish, was your heaters and filters all working ok? sorry for you loosing your fish its disheartening when a group die all at once

What's a brillo pad It only says how well it can clean stuff in the kitchen and that it will kill germs. I don't use a heater cause I'm in a tropical country and yes filter was A-okay and in fact working brilliant. This really annoys me big time

 

[Malawi MaD]

I assume you cycled the tank properly before adding fish, di

The tank started out really chaotic but I got the beneficial bacteria growing and removing the ammonia for around 3 weeks already. When things started going well it came crashing down today

Even though the sponge you used was new was it the type of brillo pad that had chemicals on it already? If it was just a normal sponge then that shouldn't of killed your fish, was your heaters and filters all working ok? sorry for you loosing your fish its disheartening when a group die all at once

What's a brillo pad It only says how well it can clean stuff in the kitchen and that it will kill germs. I don't use a heater cause I'm in a tropical country and yes filter was A-okay and in fact working brilliant. This really annoys me big time

A sponge/pad thingy which can sometimes hold detergent in side for cleaning dishes/cutlery. If you manage to save a couple of your fish at least that's something and we all learn by are mistakes.

 

[fishyfeet]

this explains a lot, right so ammonia is not the problem if you have tested the water and its 0, i would leave well alone now and keep testing daily for a week, if it does not change then maybe the bacteria may have recovered sufficiently, now you have a lot less fish causing it, at any sign of ammonia or nitrite the do a 30% water change daily for a few days, then retest, if not just let it all recover, low food, and i hope its going to ok now, my only concern is the ammonia may start to build up gradually and become a mini cycle. Keep an eye on them, di

 

[Clarousel]

this explains a lot, right so ammonia is not the problem if you have tested the water and its 0, i would leave well alone now and keep testing daily for a week, if it does not change then maybe the bacteria may have recovered sufficiently, now you have a lot less fish causing it, at any sign of ammonia or nitrite the do a 30% water change daily for a few days, then retest, if not just let it all recover, low food, and i hope its going to ok now, my only concern is the ammonia may start to build up gradually and become a mini cycle. Keep an eye on them, di

Thanks fishyfeet for the advice. Should I rinse my filter media and do a small WC (around 30%) tomorrow just in case or just leave it, that is if ammonia and nitrites are 0.

Yes I'm hoping not too much bacteria was killed off.

 

[fishyfeet]

i would clean your filter now, empty out about 10% of your tank and rinse all the filter out in that tank water then put the filter back and rinse out the bucket with boiling water and refil the tank as normal, just watch those ammonia levels its vital, di

 

[Clarousel]

i would clean your filter now, empty out about 10% of your tank and rinse all the filter out in that tank water then put the filter back and rinse out the bucket with boiling water and refil the tank as normal, just watch those ammonia levels its vital, di

Found only 2 surviving fish left. I'm thinking to do a fish-in cycle if things aren't looking good (can't find ammonia anywhere). Will check and clean tomorrow since it's late now.

 

[fishyfeet]

have you got a reading for nitrates?

 

[Clarousel]

have you got a reading for nitrates?

Dad told me the last 2 fish died too..

Yes it just came in the mail today. Will test all 3 tomorrow and do WC plus clean the filter media.