pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

MY filters broke so I replaced them, two new expensive filters.

The instructions said rinse and fit.. so I did and now I'm losing losing..

I'm gutted, what's happening ?

Jamie

Inside or out ?

Just stick them in a bowl





























Then cling film nuke for five minutes job done.

b road blaster

did you rinse them with tap water or tank water ????????
if with tap that may have change your water chemistry
if you got test kit do a water check if not bit late tonight but buy a kit tomorrow most good fish shops keep them in stock and cheapish

Proby521

iTrader: (1)

You didn't just chuck out the old filter did you and in with the new???? Most of your bacteria colony will live on the media in the filter, and if you've taken it out and chucked it in the bin, there is not much bacteria (some does live in gravel etc, but majority in the filter media) and hence your ammonia level will rocket, and poison the fish. Have you got a water testing kit? Need to test for ammonia and if present do a massive water change to dilute the ammonia, then test daily to keep an eye on it.
What you should have done is remove the media from the old filter and put it into the new filter (even if you have to cut it up to fit).....

(I'm taking for granted we are talking indoor tank!)

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Proby, I'll do that tonight, thank you

Gordo

this doesn't feel right? I've run a large (4ftx2ftx2ft) cichlid tank for years and have no problems (there are 4 different batches of babies in there at the minute so the adults are clearly happy bonking away). I always wash off the filter substrates with tap water (to get rid of big particles) and refill the external filter (fluval 405) with the same. the relative volume vs the tank would make sod all difference to the tank chemistry?

as other poster above rightly says - running a filter from a clean start sounds like the problem - you need enough live bacteria in the filter to keep them effective - hence I only ever rinse, not wash out, things like the filter sponges. I'd get as much of the old filter media into the new filter asap.

good luck.

gordo

p.s. i've never owned a water testing kit

rbaz

iTrader: (1)

Agree with the above.
If you haven't got the old filter (or it dried out) get some quick start from the shop. Also get a water testing kit.
Do 45-50% water change now then 15-25% every day until the levels are all back to normal or adjust depending on the test results.

rbaz

iTrader: (1)

b road blaster is right the chlorine in the tap water will kill of the bacteria wich will alter the water chemistry. Maybe you have been lucky and your tank if a fair size but always best to wash filters in old tank water

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

I have done the big water change and added the water safe stuff, I have also got the old filter and put it inside the new one. all running now, only time will tell I guess..

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

Got the sample to the fish shop today and he said its spot on ... I said wtf is killing my fish .. (I lost a pleck) last night .. he didn't know.. gave me some magic Protozin for fungus and white spot ..

b road blaster

yes you can wash the fillters out with tap water if you have got a large tank as gordo says, and as he rightly says you old fillter should be put in with the new one so the bactira can migrate into the new fillters
but i was working on the asumption that it was a small tank and you had allready used the old fillter in with the new one
would think you would see if you had white spot as really easy to see it on the fish
i know the shop says your water is ok but do you use RO water or tap water and add tap safe (or equivalent product) if you do have you got the amount you add wrong??????
how big is you tank???

pimmo2000

iTrader: (6)

My tank is about 3 foot, I've been running it for over a year with no deaths.

The Protozin is in now, lets see how we go ..

b road blaster

so i would say around 35-40 gallon ish quite a small tank i'm runing a 180 gallon tank at the moment hope you get it all sorted mate
this site has got quite alot of usefull info and it a free one
Tropical Fish & Aquarium Fish Supersite

Hysteria1983

Hope that you get it sorted pimmo. If the water test was fine and there is no ammonia in there there must be something else. Just keep doing a small water change every day just in case there is something lingering in there.

As for the fish that you have lost, it might have been a coincidence, but it is more likely the lack of bacteria. How long was the old filter in there before you took the water sample?

Anyway, hopefully as the levels are ok now, you won't loose anymore.

y2blade

you cant put clean filters straight in a tank

you will f--k up the balance of the fishes environment , you are poisoning them

shooter007

this is reason i clean out my filters two weeks apart one int one extnl lets bacteria build back up

Hysteria1983

Same here. Ours all get changed at different times to minimise the loss of bacteria.

y2blade

same here