I can't beleive I almost killed my discus

[mickeyG]

I got home 3 hours ago. My wife is at the computers next to the fishtank emailing, and I look and don't see my guys. Then I see about 10 cardinals all at the top - very unusual, then my discus are floating sideways near the top. I panic,,,,look at my co2 (NEVER ADJUST your co2 just before lights out!)!

So here is a pic......the co2 is now measurable at about 150ppm. I took 2 air pumps and hooked them up, turned my spray bar up, started using a small pot to fill and dump, for a few hours....... added 2tsp baking soda - my ph was maybe at 4-5 and now at 6.4 and kh now at 9.

Any immediate recommendations?
Will consider all
Help
I think they will all live

Michael

http://www.morningglorystudio.com/50g/forums/almostdeaddiscus.jpg

[mickeyG]

I forgot to mention that they are not swimming. They are doing better in that they are not floating around the tank on their sides, but they ain't swimmin anywheres, they are not moving..... I guess conserving what strength they have left to try and survive so they can pay me back?

Michael

[GrillMaster]

Nice response to the situation!!! What you did is exactly what I would have done under the exact same circumstances... I would have maybe just done a 70% WC, an skipped the bs.

I guess you have no problem with c02 diffusion!;)

If you have a solenoid for your c02, just put it on a timer to go out 30 mins before your lights do, an come back on 30 minutes before your lights come on.

If you do not have a solenoid, manually turn it off. Same thing in the morning. Manually turn it back on.

Plants pretty much shut down right before lights out, therefore wont utilize any c02 being injected from then on.

It is simply a waste of c02, an increased stress on your fish.

It sounds like you have excellent c02 diffusion, so c02 at night is pointless...

[GrillMaster]

I forgot to mention that they are not swimming. They are doing better in that they are not floating around the tank on their sides, but they ain't swimmin anywheres, they are not moving..... I guess conserving what strength they have left to try and survive so they can pay me back?

Michael

Sounds like c02 poisoning for sure with 150 ppm. I would do a huge water change, an leave the airstones in after that.

What are you injecting c02 with?? DIY, regulator? Do you have a bubble counter? How did you come to the conclusion you have 150 ppm of c02 in your tank?

[LizStreithorst]

Huge WC with aged aerated water.

[mickeyG]

hey bastalker

Thanks man

I do have the pressurized co2 on/off with the lights. What I did was turn up the bubble rate with the needle wheel last night just before tank lights out. It looked ok for a min. I have been having trouble with my minnisota regulator staying stable last couple of months.

Left early this am to hospital. Had second doctor appt at another hospital in the afternoon. So I havent looked at the tank all day. That never happens. So this is the one day since I have set up the tank that it goes crazy. They are still hanging in the back

I will do a wc.... never thought about it. But I only have about 35% water aged and ready to go.

Later
Michael

[mickeyG]

when it rains it pours. Ran out of prime last night. Used the last on my reef water. So the heated areated water has chloramines in it. Guess I could go to petsmart...... or would it matter? I mean the chloramines?

Michael

[LizStreithorst]

DON'T ADD WATER WITH CHLORAMINES!!!

[mickeyG]

I would guess that the ph was around 5 when I got home. The kH I know was at 2.5 last night because I always test everthing all the time. It took 2 hours for the ph to come up to 6.4 so it must have been significantly lower 2 hours earlier. ......So if it took 2 hours to get the co2 down to 150 ppm (which it did), then it is just a wild guess that the co2 was way way way higher than 150ppm when I got home. Maybe 250 ppm?

They still are not swimming at all....but completely upright at least.
What about the chloromines from my earlier post?

Michael

[GrillMaster]

hey bastalker

Thanks man

I do have the pressurized co2 on/off with the lights. What I did was turn up the bubble rate with the needle wheel last night just before tank lights out. It looked ok for a min. I have been having trouble with my minnisota regulator staying stable last couple of months.

Later
Michael

If you are havin to mess with the bubble rate, it could be one of 2 things...The c02 bottle is almost empty, or the reg is shot. I would look to see how full the bottle is first....

[mickeyG]

can you tell how she is doing? The other 3 look the same except the scribbles stress bars are the darkest ever. ph is now 7, kh is now 7.5 so co2 should be about 20 so shouldn't they be swimming some?

Michael

what about the water change with the chloromines. Should I do the wc anyway?Petsmart is 1 hour round trip.


http://www.morningglorystudio.com/50g/forums/almostdeaddiscus2.jpg

[mickeyG]

bastalker

Just changed co2 tank last month so probably has almost 10lbs in it. The reg is only 18 months old ..... can it be shot? It cost about 75 bucks..... surely it cant be shot??????

However it used to work like a swiss watch. Hmmmm.... I would really be teeeed off.

Michael

[GrillMaster]

how many bbs are you doing? What type of reactor do ya have?

Damn!!! Call me dude!!!

PM sent

[traco]

I wouldn't add water without the Prime, especially as they are stressed already. Better to be safe than have another thing go wrong with the tank. I'd get the Prime even with the long drive.

[swinters66]

If all you have is 35% treated aged water...do a 35% wc. That is better than nothing. Don't add untreated water tho....bad.

I hope your fish will be ok.

[mickeyG]

well "Glory be to g-d in the highest". Petsmart didn't have prime but did have amquel. A 35% wc and it looks like everyone lived happily ever after.

http://www.morningglorystudio.com/50g/forums/almostdeaddiscus3.jpg

Keeping my fingers crossed!!!

Thanks y'all

Michael

[tpl*co]

Good news! This post is a recurring nightmare to me and a reason why I am so resistant to even put CO2 on my tank. :(

I'm so glad everybody is still swimming! Looking at those plants in your tank, they look like plants that may not even need it? (anubias, crypts and vals?) I grow those in my low tech tank.

Tina

[GrillMaster]

Glad everything worked out!!

Like Tina said though those plants dont really need c02~

[mickeyG]

bastalker - thanks. They seem fine except one of the bd's has this new small (1/16 of an inch) solid black spot on the body about 3/4" behind it's left eye. Never seen something like that before?

[tpl*co] - always thought your screen name? was super eye catching. And thanks for the replys as well. You have both mentioned that I could keep the plants without the co2. And I tried it up until 3 months ago when I just couldn't get rid of the constant nagging algae. So I thought if I gave them a boost co2wise, that might help them "outcompete" the algae.

I still don't have the planted thing figured out all the way yet. I hope I will sometime.

Michael

[Marinemom]

I hope your fish are doing better. Did you do the water change with the 35% of the treated and aged water that you already had? That is better then not doing one at all. Are they O.K. now?

Diane

[Marinemom]

My guess is that they are fine now.

Diane

[mickeyG]

Diane - Thanks for your thoughts. They seem fine except one bd has this black spot (1/16" circle) 3/4" behind it's eye. Hope that goes away. They seem happy and charmed that they are not in discus heaven. Me Too!!!

Also - are you a member at reef central?

Michael

[tpl*co]

[tpl*co] - always thought your screen name? was super eye catching. And thanks for the replys as well. You have both mentioned that I could keep the plants without the co2. And I tried it up until 3 months ago when I just couldn't get rid of the constant nagging algae. So I thought if I gave them a boost co2wise, that might help them "outcompete" the algae.

I still don't have the planted thing figured out all the way yet. I hope I will sometime.

Michael

You may need to add more crypts and vals. How much light do you have on it and for how long? When I had my 46 gallon bow going with about 3.5 watts per gallon, no CO2, I found it was a ballance of the amount of plants, to light, to fish. When I added just the right amount of plants to balance the equation I didn't have algae (below water) problems anymore. A good bristlenose doesn't hurt either ;).

Tina