My fish died. Need help.

[fattytwobyfour]

Water changes and time. Your tank is still cycling. The very first thing I would do is stop using tap water. I know you said your father owned the tank before you, and maybe he used tap water for many years. But the quality of tap water for aquarium use has greatly decreased over the past several years. It's something you really can't do anymore, without high risks.
The more foreign stuff you keep adding to your tank, the more imbalanced your system is going to be. I would take the money you are spending on new fish and the additives, and use it towards the better equipment as suggested above.

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by fattytwobyfour http:///t/396050/my-fish-died-need-help/20#post_3529310
Water changes and time. Your tank is still cycling. The very first thing I would do is stop using tap water. I know you said your father owned the tank before you, and maybe he used tap water for many years. But the quality of tap water for aquarium use has greatly decreased over the past several years. It's something you really can't do anymore, without high risks.
The more foreign stuff you keep adding to your tank, the more imbalanced your system is going to be. I would take the money you are spending on new fish and the additives, and use it towards the better equipment as suggested above.
+1

 

[aquariumgirl16]

I'm not using tap water anymore. Everything has been normal since before I got fish. I test the water teice a week to make sure, but usually twice a month. Everything in both my tanks is very well.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by aquariumgirl16 http:///t/396050/my-fish-died-need-help/20#post_3529466
I'm not using tap water anymore. Everything has been normal since before I got fish. I test the water teice a week to make sure, but usually twice a month. Everything in both my tanks is very well.
Hi,
It doesn't help us to help you, unless you post the test results...telling us "it's all good" isn't what we need.

 

[fattytwobyfour]

Everything isn't well if animals keep dying and you were having ammonia readings last week. People on this forum just want to help you. They have greatly helped me with problems I have had in this hobby.

 

[aquariumgirl16]

Two weeks ago the tank was high in ammonia. I stirred up the bottom a little on accident. It was crushed shells. After they died I changed to sand. Everything is fine. They probably died from stress. Amm 0 nitrate 0 nitrite 0 pH 8.2 gravity 1.022

 

[fattytwobyfour]

When your book on the hobby comes out, let me know.

 

[mohawkninja]

Quote:Originally Posted by aquariumgirl16 http:///t/396050/my-fish-died-need-help/20#post_3529539
Two weeks ago the tank was high in ammonia. I stirred up the bottom a little on accident. It was crushed shells. After they died I changed to sand. Everything is fine. They probably died from stress. Amm 0 nitrate 0 nitrite 0 pH 8.2 gravity 1.022

Those readings seem too... Perfect.
How don't you have nitrate?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by mohawkninja http:///t/396050/my-fish-died-need-help/20#post_3529571
Those readings seem too... Perfect.How don't you have nitrate?
No live critters + a big water change = 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates. Once life is introduced again, the ammonia and nitrites MUST and should stay at the 0 readings, (if the tank is fully cycled)...but then nitrates will accumulate and be removed by water changes.
One thing I'm pretty sure of... As soon as there are ANY nitrates at all, the API test kit is going give off the chart high readings. When it happens, don't panic. Go get a different test kit. Salifert, Instant Ocean or my personal choice, Seachem.
The sugar you mentioned is on the line of vodka dosing...unless you have a monster great skimmer and SPS corals to concern yourself with...DO NOT DOSE sugar or vodka, it's a good way for a beginner to crash the tank in a hurry...it builds up the bacteria (good and bad) to remove nitrates.
If you want to dose in spite of all that...I went with the Aquaripure nitrate filter. The filter is dosed with vodka once a week, and believe me you won't have any nitrates whatsoever, it's much, much safer then vodka dosing the entire display tank. . HOWEVER, if you get the line clogged, or a power outage, purge the line in a bucket so it won't kill everything when it starts running again.

 

[mohawkninja]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Flower http:///t/396050/my-fish-died-need-help/20#post_3529574
No live critters + a big water change = 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates. Once life is introduced again, the ammonia and nitrites MUST and should stay at the 0 readings, (if the tank is fully cycled)...but then nitrates will accumulate and be removed by water changes.
I didn't realize he did a water change after the fish died. My fault.

 

[aquariumgirl16]

Then I won't go with sugar. Just water changes.