Filter output above or below waterline?

**Goes to 11!** · 10-07-2012, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by fishmommie

[COLOR="Purple"]Zero nitrAtes? that's odd. An established tank should show some nitrates.

+1 Is this a lightly stocked/heavily planted tank?

**Santiago** · 10-07-2012, 11:37 PM

Yeah I did rinse the ceramic media in tap water because it was ignored and almost all sludge. I would guess that the remaining water in the tank would be more important to the cycling than a few cups of media.

The fish started dying shortly after the water change and filter cleanup. This is the same filter I have been using for 3 years. It's a puzzle.

**fishmommie** · 10-08-2012, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by Santiago

Yeah I did rinse the ceramic media in tap water because it was ignored and almost all sludge. I would guess that the remaining water in the tank would be more important to the cycling than a few cups of media.
Unfortunately, you guessed wrong. When you rinsed your media in tap water, you killed all of your beneficial bacteria that had been growing there. The water in your tank does not hold your beneficial bacteria. the filter media does. That's why you can do 50% or more weekly water changes and not disrupt the cycle in your tank.
Now, however, we know why the fish are dying. They are suffering from ammonia and or nitrite poisoning because you lost your cycle.

The fish started dying shortly after the water change and filter cleanup. This is the same filter I have been using for 3 years. It's a puzzle.

Which is a puzzle no longer. The filter probably has a little of the beneficial bacteria left in it but, again, you killed the bulk of it when you rinsed your media and what was left in the filter was not enough to handle the bio load of your fish.
So ... what you need to do now is treat your tank as a brand new, uncycled tank. If you still have fish in it, then you must check your water with your API liquid test kit each day BEFORE you make any water changes. If ammonia and or nitrites get close to .5, you need to do an immediate 50% water change ( this may be daily or every other day depending on your readings) and keep doing that until your ammonia and Nitrites both drop to 0 and your nitrates are at least 5. With fish, this could take a couple of months
If your fish have all died, you can do a fishless cycle with ammonia. there's a stickie explaining both the fish in and fishless cycle right here in the beginners freshwater section of the forum :o(

For future note: when you get your tank cycled again, and your filter needs cleaning, then simply rinse the media in the water you removed from the tank when you did your weekly water change. But NEVER in tap water. And BTW: I am speaking from experience. A similar thing happened to me when I was cycling my first tank. I thought I'd be doing a great thing by cleaning the filter media in tap water - and lost almost 2 months worth of cycling time by killing my bacteria when I did it. I had to start all over again. So I feel your pain

So sorry. If you have more questions let us know.

**C-Dub** · 10-08-2012, 12:39 AM

@fishmommie

This is correct and good advice

**Goes to 11!** · 10-08-2012, 02:15 AM

Originally Posted by C-Dub

This is correct and good advice

I concur.

**Santiago** · 10-08-2012, 11:40 AM

Live and learn I guess. I'll save out a big bucket of tank water next time. Usually I take a long hose and empty into the street. Then I attach another long hose and run it to the end of the house where the kitchen sink is. I have a fitting to attach the fill hose. Lesson learned the hard way. Thanks again to all.

**fishmommie** · 10-08-2012, 12:44 PM

@ Santiago...

Again - good luck with your fish and getting your cycle going again.

**Lady Hobbs** · 10-08-2012, 01:23 PM

Remaining water was not important to your cycle at all. Bacteria is not in the water, it's in the filter media. Also, if you had a high ammonia level....say 1....and did a water change on one/half, you would still have an ammonia level of .50. Still too high.

Fish hanging at the water surface was a clear indictation there was lack of oxygen. It could be due to ammonia due to the cleaning of the filter under tap water or the way the filter output was positioned. So between not enough oxygen, adding new fish and cleaning the media uncorrectly, the fish were unable to survive in all that. Forget adding salt and buffers and all that stuff and do water changes as they should be done.

You mentioned the filter media was full of sledge. Sounds like poor maintenance to me. Do a water change weekly and rinse the filter media out more regularly.

I hope I'm not parroting anyone. I don't read all the posts.

**fishmommie** · 10-08-2012, 01:40 PM

LOL - yes, it's been said but it's reassuring to know you agree with me. BTW - the tank water he referred to saving in his last comment is referring to my suggestion that the next time he cleans his media, rinse it in tank wate, not tap water to avoid killing his BB again.