Tank is nuking EVERYTHING

This has got me so frustrated and I need some help. Ive kept fish for a long time, and have had plants (swords) for awhile (2+ years) that flourished. I have a 15 gallon tank that I have been keeping bettas in. One of my bettas died of what seemed like dropsy, so I did a complete sanitization of tank and gravel, and let it cycle using nutrifin cycle. I thought it did its thing, and I added some flourite that I got from a local petsmart. When I had opened the bag it looked like mud, and even after a thorough washing it still clouded the water. I let it settle and did water changes and the tank cleared. Parameters seemed fine, so I went and got some new plants (had the swords in there the whole time and they were fine). Planted the tank (Hornwort, monkswort (?), and another I don't remember the name of). Put my new betta in, and it all seemed fine! Woke up the next morning and the betta seemed lethargic, I chalked it up to new environment and went to school, only to find out by lunch the betta was dead. Did a water change and let the tank continue on its merry way, but then ALL of my plants died. Not just leaf die off, the plants died, except for the swords (2 kinds) which lost leaves. These have been regrowing, but every time they seem to be doing better, they die off again. Has been going on for months. Really looking for some guidance now. I took all the water out and rinsed the fluorite again and so much dirt came off.
Low tech, no co2, liquid fert, low lighting, mix of fluorite and aquarium gravel.

 

How did you cycle the tank?

What kind of lighting do you have? What liquid ferts do you use?

 

I cycled using Nutrafin cycle (the only product for cycling where I live, other than pure ammonia) and I was using nutrafin liquid fert. Low light fluorescent bulb, and sunlight.

 

What's the temp of the bulb?

So you didn't add a source of pure ammonia to the tank? Without a source of ammonia, the bottled bacteria will die.

How did you acclimate the betta?

 

Temp?
Okay.. so the lack of bacteria is killing everything? Wouldnt bacteria build up in time, especially with dead plant matter in the tank to feed on?
Betta was left in a floating container in the water he was living in, floating in the tank, for a day I do believe.

 

Light temperature of the bulb. Not all bulbs will grow plants.

The lack of bacteria may have been an issue for the betta if there was ammonia (from plant matter) in the tank when you added him. They would build up over time, but it can take weeks to fully cycle a tank.

So you only floated him to acclimate him? He could have died from that then. If the cup water was very different from tank water, the difference in water parameters could have killed him.

 

Ive always kept my plants without light anyway and they did fine. Not sure anything technical about the bulb.
My biggest confusion right now is the death of my plants, and that they continue to grow and die. The tank has been running for probably over 2 months, and ive taken gravel from my established tank and put it in, as well as ran the filter in the established tank for awhile to gain bacteria.
What is the proper method for acclimating fish?

 

Add a small amount (1/4-1 cup depending on starting amount) of tank water to the container with the fish every 10 or so minutes. When the container is full, I remove half and continue adding tank water until it's mostly tank water and it has been at least an hour. After that, net the fish out and put in the tank.

 

How did u sanitise the tank you mentioned you cleaned it all, did you use any chemicals that could still be in the tank?
Also thought I would add that I put new fish in a clean bucket under tank in the water they come in/from then with airline tubing let water from the tank into the bucket over an hour (knot in pipe to adjust flow) then add with net to the new tank.

 

Might be the flourite. Most people just put there betta in a 2 gallon bowl with gravel and a tiny plant and the betta live. Seems like your betta was living the life.

 

I used a recommended mixture of bleach and water, then rinsed like crazy. It may be there was still some residue

Ive got the tank disassembled now. Going to try to cycle it again using ammonia. Do you know any good resources that give a good guide to using ammonia to cycle? I'm hoping to turn the tank into a planted tropical tank, so I am probably going to try to arrange a new light system with better plant lighting. If there is any knowledge of good resources, please feel free to send my way. I want to be successful at this but I find getting good information for beginners to be hard

 

You should be able to click this : Nitrogen Cycle .

 

FYI: its probably moneywort not monkswort

 

Oh! Thank you, local store doesn't label things well, guy told me monkswort. Really beautiful, will definitely get more once my tank stops killing things

 

do you have a picture of it?

 

 

That is actually water wisteria

 

Hello again, if you used bleach a good way to ensure no residue is left, over dose with tap safe conditioner in the tank then flush and standard dose for final fill before trying to cycle also when cycling best to keep temp above 82f to aid in bacteria growth and water changes if ammonia spikes above 5 as that can also stall a cycle, good luck.

 

Hi,
I would think bleach would get into the silicone? And then seep out slowly into your water.. I could be wrong but I would never use it in my own tanks. Apparently apple cider vinegar is better, at least it wouldn't be as harmful as bleach is. I just read something about finding out if there is bleach in your water, it has something to do with PH. Have you tested the PH in the water? You should google finding bleach on something. There is also talk of red cabbage leafs to detect it....

 

Bleach shouldn't leave a residual amount if rinsed properly. It readily gasses off in very tiny particles. It would also prevent a cycle so as long as you are able to cycle, it likely wasn't bleach. A dechlorinator rinse as suggested above should suffice.

As to your plants growing and dying I'm a little perplexed. This would suggest something toxic to your plants is fluctuating in levels. Strange indeed.

 

What are your nitrate levels? I know you said you are using liquid ferts - what type?

 

I also noticed a film that constantly appeared on top of the water. I have the plants in water from my cycled tank now with the rinsed fluorite

What are your nitrate levels? I know you said you are using liquid ferts - what type?

I was using nutrafin liquid fert, only used a couple times before my tank turned into a bomb.
Currently the tank is empty and dismantled, so no nitrates

 

That's two tanks recently with this film at the surface. Or are you the same one?

 

Nope, not the same one. Odd, do you know what forum the other one was? Maybe there is something in common

 

Just called you into it

 

I have found pure ammonia in my house, but it says it is lemon scented. Is this okay to use for cycling or should I get ammonia that is not scented?

 

I have found pure ammonia in my house, but it says it is lemon scented. Is this okay to use for cycling or should I get ammonia that is not scented?

I wouldn't use anything that is scented. Pure ammonia on the ingredient list should say only Ammonia, and water or distilled water. Nothing else.

 

I wouldn't use anything that is scented. Pure ammonia on the ingredient list should say only Ammonia, and water or distilled water. Nothing else.

Unfortunately the ingredients are completely worn off the bottle

 

Unfortunately the ingredients are completely worn off the bottle

If it's scented then it's not pure ammonia as they had to add an ingredient to get that scent. I wouldn't use it.

 

Update: haven't done anything with the tank yet. However, I have my 3 remaining plants in tupperware with rinsed fluorite and water that is half new and half from my established aquarium. All plants had new leaves, however looking at them tonight, two of the plants' new leaves are dying, and the film has reappeared on the top of the water. Thinking I should ditch the fluorite for good and find a different substrate? And maybe the plants themselves?

 

Hello,
Where have you been getting your bettas? Is it possible they were sick already when you brought them home?

 

It might just be the substrate releasing something toxic which is a close guess unless you accidently or some kind of chemical leaked onto the tank which is hard to get rid of, but that not likely. I would dump the substrate.

 

Yeah. Substrate will sometimes cause a lot of headaches for tanks, especially the plant substrates.

 

Hello,
Where have you been getting your bettas? Is it possible they were sick already when you brought them home?

Ive mostly got them from petsmart, though one was from a local store. The most recent betta was not sick though, he was in his cup for a month or two and was fine until introduced to the tank

 

Since your flourite was so soggy when you got it, it might have been contaminated with something that is still leeching out and causing problems. I'd buy new substrate and start over.

 

Well, I guess that consensus has been reached. What substrate should I get to replace? I'm looking to have lowtech plants, maybe to have a fully planted tank eventually

 

Well, I guess that consensus has been reached. What substrate should I get to replace? I'm looking to have lowtech plants, maybe to have a fully planted tank eventually

That's completely up to you. Really any substrate can grow plants in it, from sand to gravel. You could even do a dirty tank (aka with potting soil).

 

I do know that gravel isn't the best choice. But you can do Pool FIlter sand, play sand, EcoComplete, Flourite, or do dirted. For EcoComplete, Flourite, and dirted you know that your plants are getting nutrients through the soil which is how they normally do. Light is just one of the factors that helps a plant to grow. Just make sure when you get EcoComplete or Flourite that you check the bag to make sure it isn't contaminated or so.

 

The film is from a lack of surface agitation.

 

Update: I tried setting up the tank again with new everything, I cycled it, put 3 guppies in, and it killed two before I got the third out. A 20 gallon came on sale ans I got that. Put everything it, put some water I'm it from my existing tank and from the people I got the tank from. Filled the rest with fresh water. watched it cycle, added my guppy yesterday aftermoon, and he is still live and swimming with no signs of stress. I think I finally did it.