Re: Lo-Tech nano - Filter Impeller Massacre
Hi all,
I'm sorry really horrible when this happens, for me it is definitely a water quality issue, the problem is trying to find which parameter. I'm not a great believer in "pH shock" as a cause of death, if you tipped 1/2 a bottle of NaOH or HCl into the tank it would certainly kill the fish, but I'm not convinced that relatively slow changes in pH cause fish death.
My suspicion would be that it is an ammonia issue, despite the test kit readings. This could be 1 of 3 things:
1. De-oxygenation, where the NH3 conversion has stripped the O2 from the water. However if your deaths happened why the lights are on? this is unlikely.
2. The rise in pH converted enough NH4+ to NH3 to kill the fish.
3. Levels of NH3 rose high enough to cause gill damage and death.
I'd be tempted to do a complete water change, add a few stems/floaters for the while (I usually use Ceratophyllum or Limnobium) and then wait for a couple of weeks before adding any more livestock. I'm pretty sure once the tank has stabilised you won't have any more problems.
cheers Darrel
Hi all,
I'm sorry really horrible when this happens, for me it is definitely a water quality issue, the problem is trying to find which parameter. I'm not a great believer in "pH shock" as a cause of death, if you tipped 1/2 a bottle of NaOH or HCl into the tank it would certainly kill the fish, but I'm not convinced that relatively slow changes in pH cause fish death.
My suspicion would be that it is an ammonia issue, despite the test kit readings. This could be 1 of 3 things:
1. De-oxygenation, where the NH3 conversion has stripped the O2 from the water. However if your deaths happened why the lights are on? this is unlikely.
2. The rise in pH converted enough NH4+ to NH3 to kill the fish.
3. Levels of NH3 rose high enough to cause gill damage and death.
I'd be tempted to do a complete water change, add a few stems/floaters for the while (I usually use Ceratophyllum or Limnobium) and then wait for a couple of weeks before adding any more livestock. I'm pretty sure once the tank has stabilised you won't have any more problems.
cheers Darrel