Tank crashed. Fish DIED!! :(

[Rcpilot]

You keep asking why the tank was fine and then crashed suddenly after a couple weeks. The answer is obivous to most of us, but since it obvious that you haven't done ANY of the reading that I suggested, I'll go ahead and aswer your question. If you HAD read those links I gave you--then you wouldn't be asking the question anymore. You'd know the answer.

The tank needs to cycle. That means the ammonia needs to go sky high. It HAS too. Changing water will only prolong the process. It has to get to toxic levels for the next phase to happen.

The nitrite levels need to go sky high as well. It HAS too. Changing water will only prolong the process.

What happens when the amonia and nitrite gets up high? Bacteria start to grow in the gravel. AEROBIC bacteria that must have oxygen to grow and survive. Those aerobic bacteria will eat fish poop and break it down into less harmful substances. They are GOOD for the tank, but they won't grow unless you allow the tank to naturally cycle on it's own.

Why did the fish livce for 2 weeks and then die suddenly?
Simple:
It took that long for the ammonia to reach a toxic level. You were JUST STARTING the good part of your cycle at 2 weeks into this whole disaster. The ammonia levels started to climb sky high (good) and that killed the fish.

If you hadn't rushed into it and dumped fish in there after only 3 days, you would probably never have known the ammonia levels were sky high. It would have just naturally gone about it's business of growing aerobic bacteria and you could have put 1 or 2 fish in the tank after the ammonia and nitrite levels went back down to zero and stabilized for about a week at zero.

[Bifferwine]

Uh oh. No comment here. I'm staying totally out of this one.

[yote]

Originally Posted by Rcpilot

You keep asking why the tank was fine and then crashed suddenly after a couple weeks. The answer is obivous to most of us, but since it obvious that you haven't done ANY of the reading that I suggested, I'll go ahead and aswer your question. If you HAD read those links I gave you--then you wouldn't be asking the question anymore. You'd know the answer.

The tank needs to cycle. That means the ammonia needs to go sky high. It HAS too. Changing water will only prolong the process. It has to get to toxic levels for the next phase to happen.

The nitrite levels need to go sky high as well. It HAS too. Changing water will only prolong the process.

What happens when the amonia and nitrite gets up high? Bacteria start to grow in the gravel. AEROBIC bacteria that must have oxygen to grow and survive. Those aerobic bacteria will eat fish poop and break it down into less harmful substances. They are GOOD for the tank, but they won't grow unless you allow the tank to naturally cycle on it's own.

Why did the fish livce for 2 weeks and then die suddenly?
Simple:
It took that long for the ammonia to reach a toxic level. You were JUST STARTING the good part of your cycle at 2 weeks into this whole disaster. The ammonia levels started to climb sky high (good) and that killed the fish.

If you hadn't rushed into it and dumped fish in there after only 3 days, you would probably never have known the ammonia levels were sky high. It would have just naturally gone about it's business of growing aerobic bacteria and you could have put 1 or 2 fish in the tank after the ammonia and nitrite levels went back down to zero and stabilized for about a week at zero.

Rc hit that nail square on the head and drove it deep.

[DesoShade]

Thanks for the info. I have been reading up on aquariums. Seems like some sites, the info varies. I've read some places that you can start adding fish after about 3 days of cycling but as I can see from what you say and what happened to me, is that's not entirely true. it takes awhile to properly cycle the tank. What I didn't know, tho, is that doing the water changes so frequently slowed down the cycle process. I figured that when the ammonia starts to spike, that it was neccesary to do frequent water changes but I was wrong about that. Obviously. ok. so tapwater is no good, i've found out for saltwater, even with treatments. So you recommended distilled water?

[Bifferwine]

RODI water -- reverse osmosis/de-ionized. You can buy it at grocery stores, Walmart, fish stores, or you can make your own if you buy a RO unit.

[simpleman]

There's a great post called "Beggining Saltwater Aquaria" in the helpful articles section. I found it to be very helpful in setting up, I'm sure you will as well. Good Luck.

[hibye]

i have a FW 10 GAL TO IM NOT SURE HOW LONG ITS BEEN running but i did cycle it for two weeks,have right kind of filteration,normal light,and have two fish a momma guppy and one of her babies the dad jumped out before i got the top but thats anothe story heres what made it crash
1. not cycled long enough
2. toooo much fish
3. what kind of filter
4. moliies are brakish to salt you should have a salt level of at least 1.009 for them

[hibye]

not mine his sorry

[DesoShade]

Originally Posted by Bifferwine

RODI water -- reverse osmosis/de-ionized. You can buy it at grocery stores, Walmart, fish stores, or you can make your own if you buy a RO unit.

... reverse osmosis.... de ionized.... erm.... drinking water? lol simple terms ?

[yote]

You wouldnt want to drink RO/DI water.Its so pure that it will strip the mucus right out of your throat and stomach.

The reverse osmosis is the type of filter thats used.Then De ionized if the finial touch.It gets what ever is left behind.

You can go to any grocery store and pick up gallon jugs of distilled water which works pretty good.Thats what I use in my 75.Just make sure it not had any additives added back to it.
I use the great value brand distilled water from wal-mart.Its got a purple label on it.