Nitrites n plants

[Lcc86]

Ok new test from tap water n yes I guess tap water comes with nitrites. Weird thing is that I fill my other tanks with the same water n the other tanks are fine n nobody is dying

That suggests that there is still something in the tank leaching into the water column and causing the issue.

Do you have a spare tub you can temporarily put all the fish in while you remove the substrate and start again with something like inert sand? I know it's a lot of work but might be worth trying so that you know there's nothing in the substrate leaching out.

 

[Tyler777]

That suggests that there is still something in the tank leaching into the water column and causing the issue.

Do you have a spare tub you can temporarily put all the fish in while you remove the substrate and start again with something like inert sand? I know it's a lot of work but might be worth trying so that you know there's nothing in the substrate leaching out.

That's the plan we have now. We r gonna move the fish to another tank n take everything out wash n rinse n get rid of all n everything in the tank meaning coal black sand and everything at the bottom n clean the glass tank n do a full makeover. I also read that duck weed helps against nitrate n I have tons of that plant. I will put em in eery tank we have

 

[Tyler777]

That's the plan we have now. We r gonna move the fish to another tank n take everything out wash n rinse n get rid of all n everything in the tank meaning coal black sand and everything at the bottom n clean the glass tank n do a full makeover. I also read that duck weed helps against nitrate n I have tons of that plant. I will put em in eery tank we have

What's " inert sand " ?

 

[Essjay34 149]

Sand which does alter water chemistry. Some sands are made from coral or limestone which increase hardness and pH. Sand was suggested rather than gravel as sand is better for cories.

Sand is the best option here, many US members use Quickrete play sand, it does need a lot of washing to prepare it for use as play sand can be very dusty.

 

[Tyler777]

Sand which does alter water chemistry. Some sands are made from coral or limestone which increase hardness and pH. Sand was suggested rather than gravel as sand is better for cories.

Sand is the best option here, many US members use Quickrete play sand, it does need a lot of washing to prepare it for use as play sand can be very dusty.

Thank you brother for your advice n sharing ur knowledge

Sand which does alter water chemistry. Some sands are made from coral or limestone which increase hardness and pH. Sand was suggested rather than gravel as sand is better for cories.

Sand is the best option here, many US members use Quickrete play sand, it does need a lot of washing to prepare it for use as play sand can be very dusty.

UEGENT QUESTION

2 more koi betta girls aren't looking good so I moved em into the hospital tank.
And tomorrow we will get the other girls out n redo the whole tank getting rid of the coal black sand n everything at the bottom besides washing n rinsing ornaments n plants.
My question is ..... do that the plants were before in a little pot with that mix of garden dirt n sand that possible is the cause of my water problems n killing my girls could those plant absorbed that nasty mix n even when we rinse em up they might still have that mix inside them n after putting em back into the tank they're causing the problem n killing ?

 

[Tyler777]

Also, my wife had success growing plants in a tank where we keep just plants n we move plants into the other tanks with fish here n there n I just remember those plants we grow are growing in the same mix of garden dirt and sand that caused my problems in the betta Tank. Could it be also that those ants are contaminated n break havoc in my fish tank ?

 

[Naughts34 106]

Can you post photos of the ailing fish?

What is your feeding routine (frequency, quantity and product)?

 

[Lcc86]

If you rinse the plants before reusing them they should be fine. Are you absolutely sure there's also no bullying going on, sororities are a bit controversial as they can break down quickly. (Not saying that's what's happened but you mentioned your cories are fine and it's just the bettas affected so just hypothesising).

 

[Tyler777]

I'm re doing my betta Tank today. I'm gonna get the fish out, get the ornaments out n the plants. Wash n rinse everything but mostly I will get rid of the black coal sand that is still in the tank bcause there might still be some garden dirt mixed in there causing the nitrates go crazy so I will clean the whole tank up n get rid of all the sand n re start the tank.
I got me new bottles of api quick start bacteria n water conditioner. Once I cleaned the tank up n put stuff back in there like new sand n ornaments can I still use the same live plants that were in there ? Cause those plants grew in another tank with that garden dirt/play sand mix that cause the trouble in my betta Tank.
Also how soon can I put the bettas n corys back in that tank ? Cause I'm running out of tanks to keep the betras n corys n don't have extra filters n air pumps I have only a 10 gallons hospital tank wich has 4 upside down catfish n 2 sick bettas.and in the tank that needs to b clean up I still have 3 more bettas n 4 or 5 corys too many fish to put in a 10 G hospital tank.

I need advice

 

[Tyler777]

If you rinse the plants before reusing them they should be fine. Are you absolutely sure there's also no bullying going on, sororities are a bit controversial as they can break down quickly. (Not saying that's what's happened but you mentioned your cories are fine and it's just the bettas affected so just hypothesising).

I'd seen one female pretending to become the queen but she's not too aggressive since my queen B died everyone wants to b queen now. I don't see bullying being the problem. The nitrates looks to b the killer.

 

[Tyler777]

Can you post photos of the ailing fish?

What is your feeding routine (frequency, quantity and product)?

The koi female on the bottom floor looking dead is not but she seems to be going fast

 

[Tyler777]

The koi female on the bottom floor looking dead is not but she seems to be going fast

I used to feed em every morning n honestly quiet a bit bcause we used to have 15 bettas us 5 corys but I read 2 days ago to stop feeding em for 3 to 4 days to let the ants deal n work on the excess of nitrates so they haven eaten in 2 days so far

 

[MaloK]

How many and how big of water changes did you do since the beginning of this Nitrate rise ?

The water quality seems to still be bad and it looks very murky on the pictures.

 

[Tyler777]

How many and how big of water changes did you do since the beginning of this Nitrate rise ?

The water quality seems to still be bad and it looks very murky on the pictures.

We did 2 massive water changes of 80% and 70% plus another of 25%.
Right now we are actually emptying it we got the girls n corys out n everything else we r getting rid of the water now n once is empty we will get rid of all the black sand n everything that's with it then clean the tank n re start it. The girls will stay in the hospital tank for a couple of days at least.
Till their tank is ok to go back in.
The pics r from the hospital tank I know it looks murky but I had to re do the hospital tank bcause it was in the 2nd floor of the house n it was heavy to carry it to the basement where is at now. So I kept 25% of that water bcause it has bacteria n added 75% tap water with water conditioner.

 

[Tyler777]

Well re done Betta tank. No plants so far except for duck weed.
All soil n dirt from bfore is gone nbtank was washed