"Gunther" <gunther RemoveThis @his.house.org> wrote in message
news:MPG.1afc439521ab835b98993d@netnews.comcast.net...
> Gosh, it seems like the fun never stops, eh?
> This post started as a diary entry, and I decided it
> might be useful to get the opinions of others here.
>
> Last weekend, _two_ of my three tanks seemed to crash:
> measurements showed ammonia in the >1.0 range, with zero
> nitrites and minimal (but detectable) nitrates.
> I surmise a complete bio crash. I'm searching for possible
> causes, and wanted to share the observations and maybe get
> a clue I'm overlooking.....
> Here are my case notes thus far;
>
> - these two tanks almost always get maintenance together,
> and usually in the same order: 18g then 20g;
> - by contrast, the 55g is maintained on a separate schedule,
> and didn't crash;
> - over that time frame ( 10-14 days ago) I was experiencing
> a rash on both forearms -- probably shingles -- and was
> treating the itch with various combos of Lanacane (which is
> benzocaine + benzethonium Cl + a pot load of inactives),
> a topical antihistamine (diphenhydramine HCl + Zinc Acetate),
> and/or a topical hydrocortisone ointment.
> - I tried to make sure to wash (and carefully rinse) my hands and
> forearms each time, aware that I was carrying weird chemicals,
> but was it effective? did I forget? Did I just happen to be
> cleaner each time I did the 55g?
> - same time frame: I started making my own eclipse filters for
> BOTH these tanks (but not the 55) using polybat, some
> blue floss, rubberbanded onto an empty eclipse filter frame;
> - the purple and blue rubberbands (from vegetable bundles)
> seem to stink like chemicals after being used on these
> filters.... _don't_use_them_anymore_!;
> - started using Amquel+ (also still have some regular Amquel
> in use), but I suspect it's been in all three.
>
> I guess what all that drivel means is there's only one factor
> that's unique to those two tanks: the stinky rubberbands.
> Does anyone have any info about this phenomenon?
> The odor is sharp, vaguely familiar (acetone? some petroleum
> byproduct?) and distinctly non-aquatic.
> (I suspect there's a 50-50 chance I contaminated the tanks
> with my drugged forearms, but I would suspect that would
> only happen to the FIRST (18T) tank...repeatedly dipping
> my arms into it should have diluted the stuff before I started
> on the 2nd one, yes?)
>
> Thanks,
> Gunther
>
> PS: jobless rate is still here in Silly Valley :-|
> I'm probably moving, but have no idea how or where.....
>
Hey Gunther
FWIW we recently experienced a similar bio-crash following a (possibly
over-exuberant) cleaning (algae scrub) of our 20G gravel-less tank. I
suspect (in our case) reason for bio-bug die-off is that our biofilter is
more tentative now that tank is gravel-less & thus is more vulnerable to
mechanical (or chemical) removal of good bugs via scrubbing of glass,
filters, etc.
By that thinking: 0 substrate = less surface area = less biobugs => slower
recovery rate after any insult to biofilter. Thus in bare-bottom tanks: big
cleaning / WC / meds can affect the biobug colony in a big way.
Conjecture...not fact
Are all of your tanks gravel-less? or does your surviving 3rd, unaffected
tank per chance have more/different substrate?
Re; Amquel+:
Following our recent bio-crash & during subsequent re-cycle we used
Amquel+(plus) for the first time.
IME Amquel+ works differently (& perhaps better) than earlier products like
Amquel/Stresscoat/Etc...
It eliminates nitrite toxicity 100% (which is new, and GREAT) but with some
surprising results.
We measured high ammonia readings during the early part of the re-cycle ...
despite frequent, & large water changes.
Both single reagent Nessler & 2-reagent Salicylate AP Ammonia tests read
positive (bigtime) even after water changes, even after use of Amquel+,
although the product claims to remove harmful ammonia and claims to be true
to Salicylate Ammonia tests.
After 2 weeks ammonia finally disappeared and in 4th week nitrate finally
appeared, but never a sign of nitrite on AP test kit. Using Amquel+, zero
nitrites were measured throughout the cycle!
So Amquel+ apparently = 100% protection against harmful nitrites!!!
or else nitrites just do not read on AP test kit under Amquel+
Either way, the fish fared well through it all
In my previous experiences cycling with GF, it was the nitrites that hurt
the most, not the ammonia.
So these 2 fish strongly recommend Amquel+
~MattO
>> Stay informed about: Yikes! Bio crash? 
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