QT-Tank disaster...help

[ryshark]

I decided to upgrade my 10-gallon QT to a 20-gallon QT back in October. Since then not one fish as survived in the QT longer than 9-days. The first three fish I tried were not hardy species but the last two were both Royal Grammas. I picked them because they are suposed to be very hardy. Both of them died within 9-days. The fish all start off healthy then after a week then show signs of stress then the stop eating then they are dead. Water parameters test perfect.
I bought this 20-gallon from PetCo, all I can think of is that somebody must have purchased it, used it, put something bad in it and then returned it.
I need to get a new QT tank. I plan on replacing the BioWheel too. Would you also go as far as replacing the heaters and digital thermometer too? This sucks!

 

[Kenmx10]

What were you treating the fish with in the QT? Also, how often and what size water changes were you doing?

 

[Toddrtrex]

To add...

Did you ever test the water for ammonia?

 

[ryshark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14707344#post14707344 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kenmx10
What were you treating the fish with in the QT? Also, how often and what size water changes were you doing?

All 5 of the fish were new additions and started healthy. The first 4-I treated noting. The last one I treated with PimaFix and MelaFix starting two days ago because of some funky eye and a little fin rot. I did a 25-50 percent water change after every fish. No fish lasted more than a little over a week.

 

[Toddrtrex]

Any water changes while each fish was in there?

 

[ryshark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14707349#post14707349 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
To add...

Did you ever test the water for ammonia?

Everytime. Along with nitrite, ph, salinity, and nitrate. All perfect.

 

[ryshark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14707661#post14707661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
Any water changes while each fish was in there?

Not while they were in there because parameters were good and they were not in there long at all.. Oh and to add above temp was always stable between 78-79

I was very successful with my 10-gallon tank. I never had issues with it. I thought the 20-gallon would be better for my new fish, thats the only reason I got it. Big mistake. Somebody must have cleand it with pine sol or something before I bought it new.

 

[Toddrtrex]

What were the actually parameters?

I would think that if someone had cleaned it with pine-sol they would have died right away.

 

[ryshark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14707701#post14707701 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Toddrtrex
What were the actually parameters?

I would think that if someone had cleaned it with pine-sol they would have died right away.

I was trying to save myself the typing but here it is:

ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 15
PH: 8.2
temp: 78-79
salinity: 1.022

 

[ryshark]

Should I get rid of everything including heaters and start over?

 

[bradbmbj]

Are you sure the test kits are accurate? Maybe bring a sample to the fish store and see what they come up with. It just seems like ammonia, being that after the water change you made you can get by for another week, then have problems.

 

[ryshark]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14714225#post14714225 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bradbmbj
Are you sure the test kits are accurate? Maybe bring a sample to the fish store and see what they come up with. It just seems like ammonia, being that after the water change you made you can get by for another week, then have problems.

Test kits are fine, the tank is very cycled. I am just going to throw it all away and start with a fresh QT, unfortunately.

 

[MileHighFish]

why dont you give the tank a good cleaning.. did you wash it prior to set up? If it was a returned tank most likely it was used for medication, which is the same purpose your using it for so I have a hard time believing this is the case. Strange.

 

[Un_loco]

Did you physically test for ammonia while any of the fish where feeling stressed?
How are you keeping this tank in a cycled state while there are no inhabitants in it?
If a tank sits with no source of ammonia in it for awhile, the tank will "un-cycle" itself, due to the nature of what a cycle is. A build-up of bacteria which live off of the waste of tank inhabitants.
You can have nitrate for days in a tank with nothing in it if it has cycled once before. There could be just enough bacteria to live off of tiny things/detritus decaying in your tank without you noticing, but as soon as you slap a fish or 2 in there, your tank is going to spike ammonia and go thru the whole cycle process.
Smell the tank water and see if it smells odd.
Another thing of note.. if your nitrite test is bad, your nitrate test will pick up the nitrite and read it as nitrate... meaning, if you have nitrite in your tank, your nitrate testing is useless.
Some people can sometimes skip the other tests and test for nitrate, and when they see it light up they assume the cycle is done without thinking about the other 2 steps involved.

Or I could just be wasting my time typing this. lawl

-=Un Loco=-

 

[Patrick12]

I suspect a run of bad luck over something so persistently toxic. True, the silicone can absorb some chemicals, but the chances that someone was using things that are going to absorb into silicone and still be there in trace amounts enough to cause your issues....is not in the odds. Try changing your source for fish. The store you are in may have a diseased system or bad supplier. I really think it is just rare that the silicone seams are the issue. Could be....but just not likely. If it was a toxin, I would just think the fish would demonstrate issues before a week. A week is nearly the timeframe for most diseases to manifest....and that is where I am coming from.

 

[ryshark]

All the fish came from different LFS. Every single one of them. While the tank was empty I "fed" the empty tank and never lost the cycle. I tested the water every other day while the fish were in there too. With the silicon seals in mind as capable of absorbing toxins, maybe I will save my heaters and thermometer, its probably unlikely the could absorb/release anything.
I picked up a new 20 gallon QT tank today, I just can't have another fish die on me in that tank, 5 trys is enough.
I was able to keep a hippo tang with ich and two clownfish alive in my 10-gallon QT for 10-weeks while doing hyposalinity treatment at 1.009 and with no cycle. I had to do daily pwc and use a lot of PH buffer and Amquel+... Now I can't even keep a healthy Royal Gramma alive in the 20.