could this be the problem????

jessica47421

jessica47421

Active Member
I have a 55 gal tank and only a canister filter running on it right now. i bought a product called bioballs and added to my filter while doing that i went ahead and cleaned my filter out by just rinsing everything off in the filter. i put it back together and within a few days there was a big drop in my ph and ammonia spiked and nitrates spiked as well. i went to my lfs here and they have hired a marine biologist there and he told them it was from me cleaning the only type of filteration i have and starting a cycle again. and when all this happened with the water i also did a 10%water change on top of taking all the bacteria out of the filter. i am now in the process of getting another filter to add to tank for when i do another cleaning of the canaster.
1. is this what caused my problems?
2. i have some fish left and my water is back to where it should be or pretty close will what i have left live through this?
3. the corals are all closed up and have been for days will they live?
4. the crowns of my feather dusters turned white and fell off, will they live and regrow the crowns?
5. my lfs told me to add a bubbble stone just for a few days to be assured that my fish get enough oxygen, is this ok?
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
how did you clean your filter out?
I say you done to many things at one time its always best to do small changes instead of everything all at one time.
Mike
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
ok you will have some dieoff probably but things like the feather dusters will drop their crowns and will regrow them in time as long as the worm is alive in the tube you wont know till they come back out though,
The corals are probably stressed really badly what corals do you have in the tank?
If you fish are doing good now and the water is back to where is supposed to be I wouldnt add there ?
Mike
 
jessica47421

jessica47421

Active Member
corals i have frogspawn and xenia (i think both are dead though) xenia turned purple and lost all the tips and the frogspawn is all drawn back into the white stalk. i have yellow polys, blk and orange suncorals, and rit. and 2 other polyps.
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
yeah just dont throw the frog skeleton out if its gone it may have receeded way deep down and could possible come back at a later time when conditions are right.
Mike
 
michaeltx

michaeltx

Moderator
airstones can cause massive problems and cause problems with eye and gill infections in fish. the micro bubbles it produces is a bad thing.
not to mention the salt creep and spray that they cause
Mike
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
plus, think of how a skimmer works... proteins sticking to air bubbles raise up to the surface... where's it gonna go?
 
jessica47421

jessica47421

Active Member
so should i take the airstone out now? they said to leave it in there to make sure the fish get enough oxygen. it dont make little bubbles they are big.
yes the blennys get along just fine.
the xenia was growing up the back of the glass so i cant get it out with out pulling it off. i will wait to see if they come back.
 
renogaw

renogaw

Active Member
xenia might be a blessing, it's supposedly one of the "weed" corals. only problem is dead xenia can cause havoc in the tank.
your fish will get enough oxygen if you agitate the surface of your tank with a powerhead. the only thing buying an airstone did for you is taking money from your wallet and putting it into theirs and they should be ashamed of themselves.
 
codylowe

codylowe

Member
If you rinsed the filter media with Tap Water, you killed all the good bacteria. You are supposed to rinse it out in a bucket of saltwater. I do this every other week and have had no problems at all.
 
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