Can Plants cause a water problem?

MissTocks · #1 ,

My local petstore says my water is fine, but my fish have all died, except one ott who is about 3inches long. I ahve 10 gal tank and I have been doing my water changes and cleaning my filter. I really am thinking its the plants... the plants were fine then I planted a bulb, which I think went bad. it smelled like sulfur. i really thought the plants would be a better eco system. Could this be the problem?

Dano · #2 ,

If you removed the bulb before it rotted that wouldn't have killed the fish.....You need a ph and at least an ammonia test kit so you can keep an eye on your general water quality.....Plants won't hurt water quality unless they die and rot...............Do you have a heater in the tank and if so, what is the tank temp?.....I would really like to know what the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate levels are if you can get them.

MissTocks · #3 ,

I plan on buying a kit this week. I have no heater, the temp stays about 72. I have a thermometer and it stays in the green area. I leave the lights on at night about 10 hours, and i use the 15 watt aqua glow. Do I need a heater?

if the plant bulb decomposing could be the problem, then that must be it cause it was rotten when I took it out, it was burried under the gravel.

I did a complete water change, well all but 10% and left the filter, ripped out the plants and replanted some grass that had been in there. so I am starting over with only one 3inch ott, i hope he makes this change, if not I am restocking after the tank cycles.

Thanks for the help, i need all i can get.

MissTocks · #4 ,

Dano--- I got some test strips.

nitrate 0
nitrite 0
ammonia .5

thanks for your help.

Dano · #5 ,

In the future never change so much water...10 to 15% weekly or may be 20% once or twice a month......Read the stickys at the top of this page on cycling and water changing.

MissTocks · #6 ,

I figured I had messed up, I am a terrible fish murderer. I promise to do better and read more post before I jump off and mess everything up. Thanks again.

Dano · #7 ,

Don't be hard on yourself...We all had to learn; sometimes the hard way.