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This is a disaster that I had that I am still somewhat paying for nearly (2) weeks later.
What started this problem was my desire to get rid of Malaysian Trumpet Snails that had infested my 180 gallon tank where the snails were clogging filters, and just making the tank unsightly for me to look at.
So my method of destruction was to remove all decorations and soak them in a vat of water that contained coppersafe. Then I removed my pleco, and catfish from the tank. I also removed all my gravel and threw it away.
Then, I treated the tank about 3 days later with 180 drops of a product called Had-a-Snail. The following day I cleaned all (3) of my Aqua Clear 500(110) filters. I changed out the charcoal, scrubbed down all filter parts, and rinsed only in aquarium water all three of the foams, and bio max cyclinders. I also completed a 50% water change.
Then the following day, I added (5) Bags of the Carrib Sea Ecco-Complete Cichlid Gravel which is advertised as having bacteria colonies already contained within. (3) of the 5 bags had a small puncture in the bag, but for the most part all the water was still contained in the gravel bags.
When I added the gravel the tank immediately became cloudy. So, in order to reduce the cloudiness in the tank, I did another 50% water change.
(2) Days later, on my way to work, I found all the fish on the bottom of the tank on their sides. I immediately awoke my wife, and we netted all the fish and had to place them into three other fish tanks. Some went into a 29 gallon that had some fish in quarantie that had ick, others went into a empty 20L, and others went into a populated 70 gallon. Immediately all but (1) fish recovered and was swiming around lively as if nothing had happened.
When I got all the fish out that were still alive, found nearly 10-15 that were dead in the tank, I tested the water. What I found was Ammonia was off the chart and a darker green than my Jungle Tester had for 6 ppm Ammonia. This was the day of all the rains that flooded I-45 and none of my local fish stores were open.
So, I called into work, and started doing a water change. I was lucky and got a hold of Aqua Zoo, which provided me with some PRIME, and a TLC Bacteria product called Sure-Start. The tank cycled in about 5 days, and I am now ready to put fish into the tank, except those that are in the 29 gallon with ICK, of wich I am still treating to get rid of.
So Lessons Learned:
1. If you have a snail problem use Coppersafe over using Had-a-Snail it is easier on the fish, and slightly more effective at snail removal in my opinion.
2. If buying a product that is already contains bacteria, do not use that product if the seal is broken, or bag punctured. From the factory, these bacteria are inerted. Once the seal is broken, or bag punctured, Oxygen now enters the product and activated the bacteria. Without any food, the bacteria quickly die, and can cause a bio disaster in your tank when you add this product to your tank.
3. Never clean all your filters, vaccum gravel, and do a water change all at once. What I have found to be most effective for waterchanges is about 25% weekly change, vaccum gravel each week, clean your filter once a month, and when you clean your filter, do not vaccum gravel at this time, just change water. Then when you add your water back into the tank, treat the entire tank as if you emptied the whole tank. This way it covers any Ammonia, nitirite, chlorine, or chloramine in the water. A good product to use and I recomend is AMQUEL PLUS.
4. During Ammonia Toxicity, fish can quickly recover if you catch it in time.
Hope that any of this helps and others can learn from my big mistakes.
Take care,
Geoff
What started this problem was my desire to get rid of Malaysian Trumpet Snails that had infested my 180 gallon tank where the snails were clogging filters, and just making the tank unsightly for me to look at.
So my method of destruction was to remove all decorations and soak them in a vat of water that contained coppersafe. Then I removed my pleco, and catfish from the tank. I also removed all my gravel and threw it away.
Then, I treated the tank about 3 days later with 180 drops of a product called Had-a-Snail. The following day I cleaned all (3) of my Aqua Clear 500(110) filters. I changed out the charcoal, scrubbed down all filter parts, and rinsed only in aquarium water all three of the foams, and bio max cyclinders. I also completed a 50% water change.
Then the following day, I added (5) Bags of the Carrib Sea Ecco-Complete Cichlid Gravel which is advertised as having bacteria colonies already contained within. (3) of the 5 bags had a small puncture in the bag, but for the most part all the water was still contained in the gravel bags.
When I added the gravel the tank immediately became cloudy. So, in order to reduce the cloudiness in the tank, I did another 50% water change.
(2) Days later, on my way to work, I found all the fish on the bottom of the tank on their sides. I immediately awoke my wife, and we netted all the fish and had to place them into three other fish tanks. Some went into a 29 gallon that had some fish in quarantie that had ick, others went into a empty 20L, and others went into a populated 70 gallon. Immediately all but (1) fish recovered and was swiming around lively as if nothing had happened.
When I got all the fish out that were still alive, found nearly 10-15 that were dead in the tank, I tested the water. What I found was Ammonia was off the chart and a darker green than my Jungle Tester had for 6 ppm Ammonia. This was the day of all the rains that flooded I-45 and none of my local fish stores were open.
So, I called into work, and started doing a water change. I was lucky and got a hold of Aqua Zoo, which provided me with some PRIME, and a TLC Bacteria product called Sure-Start. The tank cycled in about 5 days, and I am now ready to put fish into the tank, except those that are in the 29 gallon with ICK, of wich I am still treating to get rid of.
So Lessons Learned:
1. If you have a snail problem use Coppersafe over using Had-a-Snail it is easier on the fish, and slightly more effective at snail removal in my opinion.
2. If buying a product that is already contains bacteria, do not use that product if the seal is broken, or bag punctured. From the factory, these bacteria are inerted. Once the seal is broken, or bag punctured, Oxygen now enters the product and activated the bacteria. Without any food, the bacteria quickly die, and can cause a bio disaster in your tank when you add this product to your tank.
3. Never clean all your filters, vaccum gravel, and do a water change all at once. What I have found to be most effective for waterchanges is about 25% weekly change, vaccum gravel each week, clean your filter once a month, and when you clean your filter, do not vaccum gravel at this time, just change water. Then when you add your water back into the tank, treat the entire tank as if you emptied the whole tank. This way it covers any Ammonia, nitirite, chlorine, or chloramine in the water. A good product to use and I recomend is AMQUEL PLUS.
4. During Ammonia Toxicity, fish can quickly recover if you catch it in time.
Hope that any of this helps and others can learn from my big mistakes.
Take care,
Geoff
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