Nitrites n plants

[Tyler777]

Today I came from work n found 3 of my koi female bettas dead.
I had ammonia n PH detectors in place but it showed everything was fine.
I then used the ammonia, ph n so on chemical testers n there was no ammonia n ph was fine now nitrites were sku high.
My wife turned the koi bettas tank into a heavily planted tank but also added garden mix dirt n play sand into wine glasses were she put the plants to grow.
We found 2 of those glasses tipped over n pouring the dirt n sand into the bottom of the tank. Can that garden dirt make nitrites go crazy high ? Or too many plants could have done it ?

 

[MaloK]

Yes. Packed with organic matter, it's a breeding ground for bacteria. When introduced to a water environment, these bacteria rapidly decompose the organic matter, releasing more ammonia. Your filter was probably not ready to cope with a sudden rise of nitrite. Or the rise was strong enough to cause a stall in the cycle of the tank.

Immediate water change + remove all the dirt you can.

Explain the plant in wine glasses ? Planting in closed container in an aquarium is nearly sure to make the roots rot in short notice and create a oxygen deprived environment that will create noxious gazes dissolving in the water.

 

[MattW]

Dirt can cause a spike into the water column if not capped by sand or gravel especially when disturbed. If the dirt was collected from a garden it can also contain higher levels of nutrients since many people add fertliser to help garden plants grow. I also don’t see too many plants being the cause here.

I’m interested by the wine glasses do you have a pic of them?

 

[Tyler777]

Yes. Packed with organic matter, it's a breeding ground for bacteria. When introduced to a water environment, these bacteria rapidly decompose the organic matter, releasing more ammonia. Your filter was probably not ready to cope with a sudden rise of nitrite. Or the rise was strong enough to cause a stall in the cycle of the tank.

Immediate water change + remove all the dirt you can.

Explain the plant in wine glasses ? Planting in closed container in an aquarium is nearly sure to make the roots rot in short notice and create a oxygen deprived environment that will create noxious gazes dissolving in the water.

I made the tank looking like the bettas natural environment but bcause it's my wife's tank she put plants with a mix of garden mix n sand into wine glasses , shots glasses n tiny pots she crowded the tank with that n the dirt spilled on the tank n out of the blue 3 girls were dead n one more seems to be going quick n our queen B isn't doing great either

 

[Tyler777]

I made the tank looking like the bettas natural environment but bcause it's my wife's tank she put plants with a mix of garden mix n sand into wine glasses , shots glasses n tiny pots she crowded the tank with that n the dirt spilled on the tank n out of the blue 3 girls were dead n one more seems to be going quick n our queen B isn't doing great either

I made the tank looking like the bettas natural environment but bcause it's my wife's tank she put plants with a mix of garden mix n sand into wine glasses , shots glasses n tiny pots she crowded the tank with that n the dirt spilled on the tank n out of the blue 3 girls were dead n one more seems to be going quick n our queen B isn't doing great either

I did make a 70 % water change

 

[Tyler777]

Dirt can cause a spike into the water column if not capped by sand or gravel especially when disturbed. If the dirt was collected from a garden it can also contain higher levels of nutrients since many people add fertliser to help garden plants grow. I also don’t see too many plants being the cause here.

I’m interested by the wine glasses do you have a pic of them?

 

[MaloK]

I did make a 70 % water change

Do you have methylene blue ?

 

[MattW]

@MaloK I noticed a Cory is present in one of the pics. Could that have caused a spike if It disturbed the dirt? I’ve heard they do like to dig sometimes.

 

[Tyler777]

Do you have methylene blue ?

Don't even know what that is so I'm gonna say NO

 

[Tyler777]

Don't even know what that is so I'm gonna say NO

Dunno but that Cory loved to lay down in the wine glass . He has been very happy lately

 

[MaloK]

@MaloK I noticed a Cory is present in one of the pics. Could that have caused a spike if It disturbed the dirt? I’ve heard they do like to dig sometimes.

Not sure, would need close up pics on how the plants are installed in the glasses...

 

[Tyler777]

Not sure, would need close up pics on how the plants are installed in the glasses...

She put the plants in the glasses n then added garden mix dirt n play sandonce the whole thing was done she put e

Not sure, would need close up pics on how the plants are installed in the glasses...

Well my queen B koi betta survived the night so far. After the catastrophic day yesterday losing 3 girls. I did a 70 % water change. I took all the plants out, and told my wife to never add that mix of dirt n sand into the tank again just add the plants.
The ammonia reader is getting to a safe zone. My reader is one of those colorful circle that alerts you changing colors.
The chemical test yesterday showed between 0 to 0.25 % . Today after work I will test the water again for everything including ammonia and nitrites.
If I find high concentration of nitrites or 0.25 % of ammonia is it safe to make another water change so soon ?
Is there anything to help control nitrites n nitrates ? Cause I know there stuff to control ammonia n ph but never heard of anything to control nitrites/nitrates

 

[Naughts]

is it safe to make another water change so soon ?

Yes, 70-90%, use dechlorinated water at the same temperature as the tank.
I believe Prime and similar products sometimes claim to detoxify nitrite as well as ammonia. Aquarium salt stops the nitrites effects on the fishes gills. Water changes remove nitrates. If you have removed all the soil and dead fish, daily (or more) large water changes with salt could get the water conditions back. It seems like the cycle is processing the ammonia but not nitrite yet. Adding aquarium salt will protect the fish from the nitrite. Test all a couple of times a day and post the results here.

 

[Tyler777]

Yes, 70-90%, use dechlorinated water at the same temperature as the tank.
I believe Prime and similar products sometimes claim to detoxify nitrite as well as ammonia. Aquarium salt stops the nitrites effects on the fishes gills. Water changes remove nitrates. If you have removed all the soil and dead fish, daily (or more) large water changes with salt could get the water conditions back. It seems like the cycle is processing the ammonia but not nitrite yet. Adding aquarium salt will protect the fish from the nitrite. Test all a couple of times a day and post the results here.

Thank you, I will

 

[Tyler777]

Thank you, I will

I just ordered Seachem Prime from Amazon. I hope that would help