Always Test Used Equipment!

Hard Lesson Learned via a Newbie!

So, we've had a brand new, 20 gallon set up since Christmas. Community, freshwater. 5 fish. Black Molly, Gold panda Molly, Cobra tailed Guppy, Mickey Mouse platy and a Green Lantern platy.

My brother in law decided to donate his heater and 10gal to us. Well, his heater was meant for a larger tank than 10 gal. I figure I could swap out my lower watt/smaller, brand new heater (that has been working since day 1, beautifully) for this one to my 20gal tank. So, during a water change/tank cleaning, we swapped them out. The bigger heater to the bigger tank, and smaller to the smaller one. This was done in the evening. My husband and I woke the next day, and realize the temp (originally kept at a steady 79 degrees) was at 94!!! Mercy if I didn't freak! Called out to hubby for assistance. I'm tearing off the hood, out came the heater and "What to do!" before we lost any of the fish. Can't just dump cool water in there, cause that can stress the fish out too. Ugh. Did a head count, and seen 4 out of the 5. No Crowley, our black molly who hadn't eaten all week and was seeming a bit "off". *Sigh*

Lifted the castle. Ugh. There sat Crowley on top of the water. He had passed. Now, we're unsure if it was the temp spike that caused too much stress on his, already weakened, body or if he actually passed before it got hot....from whatever was getting to him. In any event, we made SURE he had passed away, and quickly removed him and started a slow water change, with slightly cooler water. Within about 4 hours we were able to get the water back to the original setting (replaced the used heater with our new one we had in there before and tossed the used one). On top of that, my cycled tank was pretty much back to square one. Ugh.

I was LIVID at myself for not knowing better to check it out first in the empty 10 gallon, and upset at the thought that my brother in law could've given us defective equipment. He had fish, then he didn't. We have no idea why or what happened to them. Now, I wanna know. 2 hours spent trying to convince my devastated, bawling of a mess 6y/o it wasn't her fault and explaining the "Circle of Life". *Sigh* It's been a long weekend. We lost a new pet, and my 6yo with a broken heart.
Sad all around.

ALWAYS INSPECT/TEST USED EQUIPMENT! There was something wrong with this heater. Maybe a sensor malfunction or something. I don't know. It was set for 75, and within 10 hours hit 94. What I DO know is, I'll never accept used equipment again (and if by chance I HAVE to, itll be fully tested long before it goes into a live tank next time).
But, I'm still new to all of this. Hard lesson learned for both myself AND my 6 year old.

 

Heaters are tricky, used or new.

 

So sorry for your loss. I have done something similar. I lost my whole tank of fish.

You shouldn’t have lost your cycle though. It may have taken a little hit, but usually it isn’t completely done for. Can I help you get it back on track? What are your parameters?

 

So sorry for your loss. I have done something similar. I lost my whole tank of fish.

You shouldn’t have lost your cycle though. It may have taken a little hit, but usually it isn’t completely done for. Can I help you get it back on track? What are your parameters?

Well, when we did the first water change we did a 50% change and I "rinsed" the filter in the tank water to kinda knock out some of the gunk. It was pretty loaded. Then, when we lost our fish with the heat increase, I ended up having to do another 50% change because it was SO hot in there. It was slowly done, but when all was said and done, it was about 50%. So, within two days, we pretty much did a 100% change out. We did a water test check a few hours after the water had cooled, to make sure all was well and we were at .25-.5 ammonia, 5 nitrite and 5 nitrate.

 

5.0ppm nitrite is high. I would do another water change to knock it down. It is pretty toxic to the fish at that level. Try and get it under 1 if you can. You aren’t going to do more damage by changing more water at this point. But you may lose your fish if you don’t. I would change 75-90%. It is really important to get the Nitrites down.

How are you cycling? With Prime & Stability?

I would double your Prime dose, and double your bottled bacteria dose after the water change. Then wait 24 hours to check your parameters.

 

Well, when we did the first water change we did a 50% change and I "rinsed" the filter in the tank water to kinda knock out some of the gunk. It was pretty loaded. Then, when we lost our fish with the heat increase, I ended up having to do another 50% change because it was SO hot in there. It was slowly done, but when all was said and done, it was about 50%. So, within two days, we pretty much did a 100% change out. We did a water test check a few hours after the water had cooled, to make sure all was well and we were at .25-.5 ammonia, 5 nitrite and 5 nitrate.

Technically speaking you only did a 75% change after the math and the bacteria lives mainly in the filter and not the water.
I don't think it killed your cycle it sounds more like it was never really cycled to begin with. I agree with Allie however. Do a large water change to knock the nitrites down and double dose with prime if you have it.

 

5.0ppm nitrite is high. I would do another water change to knock it down. It is pretty toxic to the fish at that level. Try and get it under 1 if you can. You aren’t going to do more damage by changing more water at this point. But you may lose your fish if you don’t. I would change 75-90%. It is really important to get the Nitrites down.

How are you cycling? With Prime & Stability?

I would double your Prime dose, and double your bottled bacteria dose after the water change. Then wait 24 hours to check your parameters.

I use Seachem Prime per instructions. Both times I replaced 10 gallons, so each time I put in 1 line of the cap of Prime.
Just checked parameters (my gold panda is startin' to act kinda weird).
Temp 79
HRPH 7.4
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 5
Nitrates 5

Not sure really what's "too high" for the nitrites/nitrates or what to do if one of the parameters is off a bit without having to go out and buy more additives. I only have the prime and the water test kit right now.

Technically speaking you only did a 75% change after the math and the bacteria lives mainly in the filter and not the water.
I don't think it killed your cycle it sounds more like it was never really cycled to begin with. I agree with Allie however. Do a large water change to knock the nitrites down and double dose with prime if you have it.

Never cycled? I guess I'm unsure what it means to be cycled then We let the tank run for a few days before adding any fish (did the conditioner and what not). Had the water tested and they said all was good to go for fish. (They did the strips tho, we didn't have the testing kit at that point).

 

Never cycled? I guess I'm unsure what it means to be cycled then We let the tank run for a few days before adding any fish (did the conditioner and what not). Had the water tested and they said all was good to go for fish. (They did the strips tho, we didn't have the testing kit at that point).

Did you let the people at the pet store test it? As I'm assuming that's what you mean by they.
Lesson 1: Don't trust pet store people more than yourself. There is very few fish store employees who actually know what they're talking about
A fish tank does not cycle in a few days without adding your own source of beneficial bacteria.
Here's a little chart about cycling to help understand

 

Did you let the people at the pet store test it? As I'm assuming that's what you mean by they.
Lesson 1: Don't trust pet store people more than yourself. There is very few fish store employees who actually know what they're talking about
A fish tank does not cycle in a few days without adding your own source of beneficial bacteria.
Here's a little chart about cycling to help understand
View attachment 398763

Thank you!
I'll look into this closer and try again. See if we can't get this where it needs to be.

Yes, it was PetSmart. only reason I trusted most of what they said tho was because both of the ladies I spoke with in great lengths (seriously, convos were like.....45 minutes to an hour long each LOL), and they each have several tanks that they keep at home and sometimes rehome/rehab any fish that might need it from the store. So, they seemed a bit more dedicated to the hobby than just an employee. It's the only "big box store" pet shop in the area that Ill go to, simply because I've been talking to them in great detail about set up, fish species, etc. They seemed to know their stuff. I researched for weeeeeks before we got the set up for Christmas, so I've been knee deep in info since Thanksgiving? They were actually impressed with how much info I knew, and the right questions I was asking (because they see so much of those parents that come in and just buy some fish and toss em in bowls for their kids kinda deal, I guess).

The cycling was a bit confusing, but I thought I had it down. Seems I have it down, just specifics were fuzzy lol. Thank you for posting the photo above. I copied it to my computer and will definitely make sure to pay closer attention to this. Hopefully itll help.

 

Thank you!
I'll look into this closer and try again. See if we can't get this where it needs to be.

Yes, it was PetSmart. only reason I trusted most of what they said tho was because both of the ladies I spoke with in great lengths (seriously, convos were like.....45 minutes to an hour long each LOL), and they each have several tanks that they keep at home and sometimes rehome/rehab any fish that might need it from the store. So, they seemed a bit more dedicated to the hobby than just an employee. It's the only "big box store" pet shop in the area that Ill go to, simply because I've been talking to them in great detail about set up, fish species, etc. They seemed to know their stuff. I researched for weeeeeks before we got the set up for Christmas, so I've been knee deep in info since Thanksgiving? They were actually impressed with how much info I knew, and the right questions I was asking (because they see so much of those parents that come in and just buy some fish and toss em in bowls for their kids kinda deal, I guess).

The cycling was a bit confusing, but I thought I had it down. Seems I have it down, just specifics were fuzzy lol. Thank you for posting the photo above. I copied it to my computer and will definitely make sure to pay closer attention to this. Hopefully itll help.

Those ladies might of been one of the rare good fish store employees but I don't see how they could of told you your tank was cycled. When a tank is cycled it should be able to neutralize ammonia and nitrites within 24hours and your readings should be 0 for ammonia and nitrites.
That poster really helped me understand the cycle and I'm glad it helps you

 

I use Seachem Prime per instructions. Both times I replaced 10 gallons, so each time I put in 1 line of the cap of Prime.
Just checked parameters (my gold panda is startin' to act kinda weird).
Temp 79
HRPH 7.4
PH 7.6
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 5
Nitrates 5

Not sure really what's "too high" for the nitrites/nitrates or what to do if one of the parameters is off a bit without having to go out and buy more additives. I only have the prime and the water test kit right now.

If ammonia or nitrite are above 1ppm it's bad for the fish, 5ppm is very high. I'd be doing daily 50-60% water changes you need to get the nitrite below 1ppm. The fact that you have 5ppm nitrate is promising, it looks like your tank has nearly cycled. Different people have different opinions for what is high for nitrates, I do water changes when my nitrate level goes above 20ppm.

 

If ammonia or nitrite are above 1ppm it's bad for the fish, 5ppm is very high. I'd be doing daily 50-60% water changes you need to get the nitrite below 1ppm. The fact that you have 5ppm nitrate is promising, it looks like your tank has nearly cycled. Different people have different opinions for what is high for nitrates, I do water changes when my nitrate level goes above 20ppm.

Thank you! That gives me a better idea of what's goin on. It's hard to guage when I'm still new to the numbers and what I'm lookin' at. Glad to know it's promising with the Nitrates at least.

 

Wow, what a speed bump for you.
Different story, same thread: I got a few small plastic betta tanks (2 x 0.5G & a 1G) off Kijiji, for my ADF tadpole nursery. The 1G must have been bleached or something at some point; anything I put in it died within hours. The first time I was suspicious, the second time it got removed from service. Not fun losing a dozen tiny tads to something like that.
No bleach smell or anything. Weird.

 

Oh no! I’m so sorry. I also once had a used electronics mishap...Went on vacation and left my cichlids with an automatic food timer for a week...big mistake. Came home and the whole tank was cloudy, I lost all my cichlids...only the pleco survived.

 

Wow, what a speed bump for you.
Different story, same thread: I got a few small plastic betta tanks (2 x 0.5G & a 1G) off Kijiji, for my ADF tadpole nursery. The 1G must have been bleached or something at some point; anything I put in it died within hours. The first time I was suspicious, the second time it got removed from service. Not fun losing a dozen tiny tads to something like that.
No bleach smell or anything. Weird.

If you use dechlorinator it literally takes the bleach out of the tank. So that was probably not the issue. Bleach is chlorine. De-chlorination removes chlorine..

It may have been a soap of some kind though. That would for sure kill livestock. And very quickly.

 

I wondered about that. Bleach seemed the easiest villain to point to. Now I feel bad for maligning bleach.
Sorry, bleach.

Yes, I do use dechlor. Not liberally, but definitely not stingy either.