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PVC glue? What did I do!!?
I just got the fish side of my system plugged in yesterday. 700 gallon. Pumps to an overhead standpipe and then branches into the various tanks. Everything overflows back to sump. Filled with tap water. There was 4 goldfish in the sump that I put in one of the FT's. Plugged the pump in for the first time, and within hours both of my 5 year old goldfish were dead. ??? The 2 that were living didnt look good. I did about a 90% water change and the other 2 were dead this morning.
The only thing I can think of is the PVC glue possibly? Most of the glue had a 24 hour cure on it. There was 2 or 3 connections I made hours before the pump was turned on. What a way to start. Any ideas?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by TCLynx on
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I've spilled small amounts of PVC cement and primer into system water before and it never hurt the channel catfish, bluegill, or tilapia, and I've had goldfish in a system that I've built using regular pvc.
I'm more likely to suspect the water.
You say you filled it with tap water, where does your tap water come from? City water or well water? If city water, what did you do to deal with chloramine or chlorine? How did the pH and temperature compare to what the goldfish lived in before?
What do the water tests say?
What sort of filtration do you have set up?
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Permalink Reply by Scrapiron on
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Completly new system. City water has been aging in the tanks for about a week. In the past I have moved the goldfish, or cleaned their pond and threw them right back in fresh city tap water with no problems. I never suspected the water because it had a chance to evaporate at least some of the chlorine. Now that pvc cement is crossed off the list, it pretty much has to be the water. I have a 55gal biofilter inline, but being a new system, it isnt doing anything. I am just glad I dont have to tear out my manifold and start again with different glue! I was panicked. I will do some reading tonite on how to condition new water before anymore fish go in. Thanks for slowing my heart rate back down to normal.
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As long as the pvc glue is the same kind of stuff that you could use on drinking water pipe, it should be just fine. I can't say I've seen any that isn't safe for drinking water pipe but I haven't been looking for it.
Has you city changed water treatment chemicals? It can happen, chloramine doesn't off gass the way chlorine will.
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