I really need advice

[GrubbyGirl]

I just don't understand what's going on in my tank. Last night when I got home from work I looked in my zebra tank it was full of white flakes, and when I say full it looked like it was snowing in there. The only thing I could think of was that something had died in there. Tested the water all ok, zero ammonia and nitrites, nitrates 20 pH 7.6.

So I took everything out and low and behold I was 2 ottos missing. So I took the remaining 3 ottos out, did a 50% water change and put everything back in. I didn't clean out the filter. This morning all was fine, tonight it's full of snow again. Now I'm hoping that it's just stuff from out of the filter or I'm worried I have another dead fish and this time it will be a zebra.

I may have missed an otto because the floor and back are black so it wasn't easy to spot. All the fish looked fine last night. I'm going to get the lot out and give the tank and the filter a good clean and do a 50% water change again. If it isn't a dead fish, anybody any idea as to what may be happening?

Angela

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Is everybody out on the beer tonight??

Anyway, I stripped down the tank again and removed all the fish, all 6 Zebs and 1 L66 was present and correct. I even found one more otto, so I am only down 1 otto. The filter was pretty clean, but there was a some of this muck in there. I completely emptied the tank and ended up doing about a 60% water change. When I started up the filter again a bit of this white muck came out of the tubes but I managed to scoop that up with a net. So n ow the water is chrystal clear and I know there are no dead fish in there.

I think I may not feed them tonight and see what I get in the morning, and tomorrow evening again. I'm still puzzled especially now I know I have only lost one otto, there was just too much muck for a tiny little fish. Fingers crossed that was what is was, but if it all comes back I'll need some advice as to what to do.

Angela

 

[Doodles]

What substrate have you got in it?

It could be an algae or bacteria bloom but that looks more cloudy.

Can you get a photo of the tank if it does it again?

 

[GrubbyGirl]

What substrate have you got in it?

It could be an algae or bacteria bloom but that looks more cloudy.

Can you get a photo of the tank if it does it again?

It's bare bottom. I stripped it all out so I could scrub the glass down. I took a pic of some of it on the bottom - give me a minute to get it off the cameral

 

[Guest]

Lol Angela...

I think whats happened is that some bugger has switched off your filter and not told you......or you have had a power cut during the night....

the problem is the filter....if you switch it off for a few days then pop it back on again......the tank will look like a snow globe lol.

I would see if the other half has switched the filter off....maybe by accident...or to plug the x box in lol. or might be worth checking the alarm clock.....my alarm goes back to 12.00 when switched off and back on...telling me there has been a power cut.

but yeah this is what it is.

 

[Doodles]

lol i posted pretty much the same time as your second post, so didnt know about the filter. What type have you got running in there?

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Lol Angela...

I think whats happened is that some bugger has switched off your filter and not told you......or you have had a power cut during the night....

the problem is the filter....if you switch it off for a few days then pop it back on again......the tank will look like a snow globe lol.

I would see if the other half has switched the filter off....maybe by accident...or to plug the x box in lol. or might be worth checking the alarm clock.....my alarm goes back to 12.00 when switched off and back on...telling me there has been a power cut.

but yeah this is what it is.

Nope, it's none of that. No power cuts as clocks are all ok and there is no other half to have switched it off..........why do you think I never have the problems with the other half watching the paypal account like you guys do!! Everythything has been running fine and if the fliter had been off I am sure I would have had an ammonia spike and it's been fine.

Here is a picture. This is nowhere near as bad a s it was last night.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

lol i posted pretty much the same time as your second post, so didnt know about the filter. What type have you got running in there?

Nope, hasn't been off - it's an eheim pro 3 2075

 

[Guest]

The only other thing I can think of it being.....is that the bacteria that is in the filter has started to die for some reason....(hence if it was switched off) maybe lack of oxygen....(add an airstone to the tank).

but to be honest this is the only way that I know of this to happen.

An algae bloom is rare and almost unheard of.....in the wild uk sea's and salt loch's its also just as rare. plus your tank would look like pea soup...or tomato soup...as the algae started to die back.

a bacterial bloom the tank would be milky...you can see the bacteria if you look very close it looks like powder...or very very fine air bubbles. but again very rare...(also called new tank syndrome)...and could be normally cleared up with a water polisher....this clumps the bacteria together and allows the filter sponge to catch it.

but yeah its your filter lol. just switch it on and check for ammonia....and when the mulm rests on the bottom stir it up with a net so the filter can re-catch it...and process it. but do check water quality.. at least over a week....and if ammonia/nitrite gets out of control....start bunging in plants and doing small but many water changes until it stabilizes.

hope this helps.

A

 

[Doodles]

You probably need to clean the intake and out pipes. Ive had this when the filter has been blocked a little then had a surge which dislodged a lot of crap in the pipes especially with my fluval which has ribbed piping.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

It's all clean now, including the pipes.

Max, I have a diffuser, the tank is one mass of bubbles. The only thing I can think of is the fact that I bought this filter secondhand with mature media about 2 months ago. I ran it in a bucket for a week feeding it with ammonia while I zapped the snails. It used to be on a community tank and now has a much smaller bioload with just 7 hypans and what was 5 ottos. Could it be the bacteria is dying off just because it's not needed? I would have thought it would have done this before now though?

 

[thegeeman]

New filter?. Did you rinse the media out first?. I have had simillar thing when I used floss and was abit like a snow globe effect but it didnt happen straight away.

Not been on the beer, Round mac,s house so he could show me his new mag light


Cheers

thegeeman

 

[Guest]

Ok.....Is the fish still in the tank???

Is the filter kicking out the white snow???

I think the algae and bacteria in the pipes has died off and coming away inside the pipes....remember eheim pipes are green clear and allow light to penetrate....

this allowing a whole colony of beasties to populate. I would get a filter pipe brush (like a long baby bottle brush) and give the pipes a good clean.... I personally dont like my pipes getting any light if I can help it...

you could change all pipes but that would be a right pain...

remember an ammonia spike could come and go....faster than you might think...(I done water chemistry module at college) but if you have noticed no electricty blackout....then chances are you aint had one.

I would leave the tank as it is...and just stir up the mulm until the filter gets it.

also just a quick one...I had a very unusual but very similar problem...I had a very fine water polishing sponge in my FX5....this blocked and caused everything else in the filter to die....and this gave me snow...could be worth looking in the filter and removing any fine sponges.

 

[GrubbyGirl]

New filter?. Did you rinse the media out first?. I have had simillar thing when I used floss and was abit like a snow globe effect but it didnt happen straight away.

Not new, just new to me, and I've had it running 2 months.

Not been on the beer, Round mac,s house so he could show me his new mag light


Cheers

thegeeman

Wow, you 2 really know how to live it up.........is it normal for hypan keepers to compare maglights??

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Ok.....Is the fish still in the tank???

Is the filter kicking out the white snow???

Yep, they are back in the tank and no it's not throwing out snow!

I think the algae and bacteria in the pipes has died off and coming away inside the pipes....remember eheim pipes are green clear and allow light to penetrate....

this allowing a whole colony of beasties to populate. I would get a filter pipe brush (like a long baby bottle brush) and give the pipes a good clean.... I personally dont like my pipes getting any light if I can help it...

you could change all pipes but that would be a right pain...

I changed all the pipes when I got the filter, they still look very clean

remember an ammonia spike could come and go....faster than you might think...(I done water chemistry module at college) but if you have noticed no electricty blackout....then chances are you aint had one.

I'll keep testing. I have a seachem ammonia alert, I'll pop that in as well. I use prime so hopefully if there is a spike it wont cause any damage - I double dosed just in case

I would leave the tank as it is...and just stir up the mulm until the filter gets it.

also just a quick one...I had a very unusual but very similar problem...I had a very fine water polishing sponge in my FX5....this blocked and caused everything else in the filter to die....and this gave me snow...could be worth looking in the filter and removing any fine sponges.

Ok I'll look at that

I am definitely an otto down though!!

 

[Guest]

I dont think they was comparing maglights......

 

[Doodles]

remember an ammonia spike could come and go....faster than you might think...(I done water chemistry module at college)

If there was an ammonia spike, it would be followed up with a nitrite build up which takes longer to rise and fall.

If there was fine filter media blocking the filter you would of noticed a decrease in the flow

If you get ammonia in your tank, you need to make sure you get rid. High ph and temps equal very toxic ammonia

 

[scatz]

this seems very odd, i agree that it does sound more like an issue that you'd get with new media, but this obviously isn't the case:dk:
i guess so long as the readings are still fine, do small daily water changes, cut back on feeding for a little while and keep a close eye on things (i know you will be anyway), would be interesting to see if it comes back, i do hope not.


@intrepidmax, please avoid using phrases like "its definitely that" when we dont really know whats going on, Angela is ok and knows her stuff, but a newbie may take it as gospel and do something drastic or unneccesary. I know you're trying to help, but offer the ideas up as questions or suggestions instead of a matter of fact until we know what the actual problem is. (just trying to help)

 

[GrubbyGirl]

Didn't feed anything last night water is crystal clear this morning. Ammonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5, pH 7.6. I am more leaning towards the dead otto theory and what was in the tank yesterday was the residual that was being recirculated by the filter. Now all is cleaned out, fingers crossed problem solved. If after 24 hours it's all gone, I'll feed the guys just a little tonight.

 

[Irene0100]

strange, never seen that before.
could some of the filter media be breaking down? may be worth partially replacing some? at least take it out and see if it will cruble or something?
are you using different food? could it be some food waste?
you dont mention any plants? how big is the tank?
for tanks with precious zebs in I run a small internal filter as well for back up - usually the ones with built in UV (aquael) for extra safty against infection.