Unknown fish deaths

[Maxt]

Just an fyi. It took like 8 weeks for my 120 gal to cycle all the way to nitrate with a few livebearers in there after a few weeks pushing it (with some seachem). As to adding ammonia and stuff, I don’t do it, some say it goes faster. I just plop some food and maybe some detritus to marinate.

Things like rasboras and tetras won’t live. Plecos and platys seem to withstand very adverse conditions. Surprised your shrimp are doing ok.

 

[Ichthys]

As to adding ammonia and stuff, I don’t do it, some say it goes faster.

It takes time for food to become ammonia, so obviously adding ammonia is quicker.

 

[Byron]

I assume the terrestrial plants in the backdrop are live. Are the roots in the tank water? My thinking here is you may have a toxic plant. I don't know them well enough to tell.

On the same wavelength, what is the substrate material?

 

[Maxt]

It takes time for food to become ammonia, so obviously adding ammonia is quicker.

I get the idea, but it takes a colony to actually utilize the ammonia. So the rate of growth vs the breakdown of proteins.
I read up on it and found others debating the speed increase by adding ammonia. So… not ever having ammonia around. I don’t bother.

 

[Ichthys]

I get the idea, but it takes a colony to actually utilize the ammonia. So the rate of growth vs the breakdown of proteins.
I read up on it and found others debating the speed increase by adding ammonia. So… not ever having ammonia around. I don’t bother.

A single bacterium will utilise the ammonia and reproduce, starting the colony. If you only add food you need to wait for a colony of heterotrophic bacteria to grow to release the ammonia from the food (fungi/mold also do it). It takes about a week longer (ballpark figure, obviously various factors are in play).

 

[Smithdog90]

The substrate in the aquarium is aqua sand, the aquatic plants being various Anubias and Christmas moss. The terrestrial plants are planted in abg mix soil and are various Macgravia and fittonia. The soil is separated from the water by clay balls, so the water from the adapters at the top can drain down into the water. The water I use for the sprayers Is filled from a reservoir filled from a Brita filter… that’s an interesting point though of contaminants coming from the plants above.

 

[Ichthys]

Brita filters replace carbonates with sodium, which isn’t great for fish. Also plant roots excrete waste products into the soil. You do not want water from soil running into a fish tank.

 

[Smithdog90]

Alright thanks for the advice.

 

[Byron]

Aqua soil is probably a factor in your fish losses. These soils are not safe, they can result in serious bacterial issues. In this case there may well be something leeching from the substrate that in so small a volume of water is affecting the fish, and being nano fish they are far more sensitive to such things. These substrates also tend to produce ammonia, so that is likely related.

 

[Smithdog90]

Yeah I think the soil could be an issue, found a small blob of it in a corner of the aquarium area so siphoned it out and does smell. I’ll look at replacing the soil and maybe just going with epiphytes in the top area of the tank and semi aquatic plants. Strange I tested today and the ammonia and nitrates are 0 and the kh has gone down to 80mg/L.