Chookness Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 We have had nothing but problems with our fish dying since we set up our tank. Get the water tested regularly at Animates, do a 1/4 water change every 2 weeks and put in cycle, water conditioner and Melafix. Change white filter wool when we do the water change and rinse out the carbon and blue and green filters (as per instructions in the book that came wiht the fish tank setup.) We have had 4 rasboras,(from cotton mouth-which we treated and then left a month before getting any more fish) 2 neons and a golden barb die. Couldnt see anything wrong with any of them. The only things that seem to be really good are the swordtails. Hubby is getting pissed off as its costing too much. Feel like giving up!! Any advice would be great...thankies in advance:o) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PENEJANE Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 You say that you change the filter wool everytime you do a water change. If you are changing all of it then that could be your problem as every time you remove the old wool you are removing the good bacteria that has formed in there to maintain the tank so in other words your tank is always trying to cycle. Next time you do a water change just rinse the filter wool in some tank water (in a bucket) and put it back into the filter. If any of this is wrong someone Please correct me. Apart from that I can't see any other reason why your fish keep dying unless they were infected with something before they reached your tank. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suphew Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 I would go one step further and say don't clean any of your filter, you should only need to rinse it in tank water once a month at most. You only need to rinse it when it becomes clogged and the flow is significantly reduced. If this is happening in less than a month your filter is too small or something is clogging it that shouldn't be, i.e. plants coming apart, over feeding, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dimsum Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 What temperature do you have the tank at? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrshanepaul Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 Also, I would not bother with the carbon and so forth. I run my filter packed with extra wool for bacteria and can't be bothered with the rest. Waste of money. I use plants to filter the water instead! YMMV Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chookness Posted December 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 The temp is sitting between 25 and 26 degrees. I didn't realise when you rinse the filters (we have a blue, a green one, then the carbon and then the white wool one) that you do it in tank water! I have been rinsing it under warm tap water. In my instruction book it says to change the white wool piece that sits on top of everything else once a week. The lady in the shop said to only do it every 2 weeks when I do the water change. I understand how changing that and rinsing the other things will be causing a problem. Hey thanks for your advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 Only clean one filter at a time to, alternate them. Alan 104 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 Your filter is an organic filter and only works properly when half full of gunk. Only clean it when the flow is restricted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 STOP dosing melafix......not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chookness Posted December 21, 2005 Author Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 Gosh it can be hard to learn about fishies!!! I have been given so many different ways of doing things from different shops. Was told to do the Melafix every water change!!! Its great to be able to come in here and have some helpful advice...thanks:o) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cracker Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 You dont need to worry about the water conditioner, the Melafix or Cycle. They are not needed at all, unless you are seeing problems. Melafix has caused me major issues and others too. If you see a bottle throw it in the bin....quick!! What type of water supply do you have for topping up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogmatix Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 melafix is completely harmless in fresh water, you are talking about problems when people have used it with inverts dont get the two confused. However i wouldnt use it on a regular basis, only if fins are tethered fish have been fighting etc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HummingBird Posted December 21, 2005 Report Share Posted December 21, 2005 Water Conditioner and Cycle are fine to add, they won't harm anything (water conditioner will remove chlorine anyways so it's beneficial if her water is high in it). Melafix is uneeded unless your fish are injured as others have said. Also, as has been said, only clean your filter if the flow gets reduced! The main function of your filter is to harbour the bacteria that eat fish waste and if you rinse it too often or not in tank water then you won't have the bacteria there to do their job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrshanepaul Posted December 22, 2005 Report Share Posted December 22, 2005 Chlorinated water with no cycle (or prime etc) = no bacteria and results in the same problem you have above... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cath Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Get as many plants established in the tank as you possibly can, they are brilliant filters, I do not use a filter at all, just a fully planted tank and rgular 1/3 water changes, the tank flourishes. Also if you possibly can, collect rain water, this is so much better than any water from a tap no matter what chemicals you add. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanmin4304 Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Christchurch water supply is not chlorinated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cath Posted January 2, 2006 Report Share Posted January 2, 2006 Practical fishkeeping.co.uk is a brilliant site with all sorts of interesting articles. This is one on ammonia in the tanks - well worth the read - http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/p ... cle_id=431 the author states that some of the causes of amonia poisoning are... •New tank with insufficient bacteria. •Filter has been washed in tapwater or an old sponge has been replaced. •Disease treatments have killed the filter bacteria. •Overfeeding. •Overstocking. •Insufficient filtration. •Tapwater has not been treated correctly (chlorine or chloramine). •Too many fish added too soon. •Dead fish decomposing in the tank. •Uncured living rock. Some of this may help? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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