# Something is wrong with my tank



## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

I have lost 3 fish this weekend. All of them were fine one day dead the next. All looked good, no ich, active, eating fine 

I lost a jewel and an OB on Thursday/friday. I removed maybe about 40% of the sand and replaced it with fresh, vacuumed the rest, Did a 40% water change on Friday, added conditioner, salt, API natural trace, and nutrafin bio cleaner as per normal. filter media is fine ( aqua clear 110 on a 40 gallon ) temperature was at 29. I added 1 Anubias, 1 java fern and 1 amazon sword and an air stone. 

Temp- 29
Ammonia 0 
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 20
Chlorine 0 
Kh 40ppm
Gh +180ppm
Ph 7.5-8

Lost my kenyi last night. I saw him right before... I saw him gasping on the bottom ( while the other 2 swam fine, and still are fine ) no signs of fin damage or being attacked. 

Today I dropped the temp to 27 ( been there all afternoon/night ) did another 10% and treated the water with a tiny bit of salt and Seachem prime 

Levels were about the same but 
I used an API dip strip and it showed the nitrates off the chart 

Im a bit stumped and sick of loosing fish... ( this tank Is about 2 years old, never had much of an issue till now )


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

Last 2 fish are doing fine, very active, I think they're color has improved, water is crystal clear! I'm going to just keep an eye on things, do another water change at the end of the week and carry on as normal


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## Nobody1 (Dec 9, 2014)

Don't touch the sand again. All sorts of good bacteria live in it and they help keep your tank stable. Check the site for posts about salt. I have never used it.


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

Which Is why I only took some out, not most, not all. I used salt it's great for healing a must have for cichlids lol


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## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

That's a lot of sand at once! I never do more then a 1/4 at once based on numbers didn't hurt anything? maybe stirred up something you shouldn't have?

Good luck


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

I removed the sand after the first 2 died, everything seems to be fine, so I'm just going to keep an eye on it, the fish are way more active and eating more too, so I'm not sure what it was but it 'seems' to have passed.

2 of the fish were bought about 15 days ago at the same time from the same store, so maybe they were sick already, the 3rd was just random...


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## mrbob (Aug 9, 2012)

Yes new fish why one must quarantine..


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

Yea maybe I should setup my little 10g


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## cichlid (Jul 30, 2010)

How long do you quarantine for, I personally never have a problem but there really is no other explanation


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