NEED HELP!

Came back from a couple of days away and found my tank in chaos. The filter had broken down at some time, the water was all cloudy and I had an outbreak of algae. All the fish were at the top of the tank and looked like they were gasping.

Ive put a new filter in and used the old sponges in it (the tank will be cycling now riight?), and did a big water change and a clean and have added a water bubbles stone.

Some of the fish still dont look right though. Is there anything else I should be doing?

Oh what a bummer!

You have done all the right things, as far as bacteria in the filter goes, it might just have a mini cycle.
Have you got some water stats you can post???
The bubbles will help to give the fish more oxygen so keep them on constantly.
I'd do daily 25% water changes but that depends on your ammonia, nitrite, nitrate readings too.
Good luck with it & keep posting

Thanks Munchy. sods law isnt it, I havent got a testing kit - one of the things I knew I had to get after my last one ran out, but Ive sort of got in the habit of only testing about once a month now coz everything seemed to be ticking along fine.

II'm going to try and get one on Friday, but till them I'll just keep on with the water changes.

Ok...do a good 25% a day

One thing i didn't mention, leave the lights off & let everything settle. It will stop the algae growing so fast (i know you said you cleaned it all)

Maybe keep the temp fairly low as there will be less oxygen the warmer the water. I keep mine at around 26°c

Oh God, sorry to hear that, Ant. Just as well you came back when you did or the fish might not have survived at all.

Hope all the fish are ok Ant. Made me think, does anyone put an extra filter in the tank when they go away just in case this happens? I never have, but perhaps I will in the future.

I have 2 big externals in my malawi tank, 2 in my growing on tank & 3 in my fry tank. The juwel filter in the fry tank packed up when we were on holiday, luckily i had a sponge filter & a little fluval 1 running in there

Ive heard people say you can never have too much filtration Munchycarrot, but that sounds like a real lot