Tank crashed. Fish DIED!! :(

[Bifferwine]

Cycle is live bacteria. When I first started my saltwater tank, I added that on a regular basis to help the cycle along. It's good stuff.

[DesoShade]

Is it possible to ad too much? Because I added the cycle and a double dose of A.C.E., plus a water conditioner to remove the chlorine. I'm afraid to start up my saltwater tank now. I just got everything I need and was ready to roll, but then this happens with my 10 gallon. I feel bad for killing the fish and I don't want to start up another tank just to mess up and kill more fish. Plus, they are expensive and it would suck to spend 10-30 dollars on a fish that will die on me.

[DesoShade]

One thing I forgot to mention is that I had some seashells in my tank. about 4 or 5 of them. Store bought when I went on vacation to OceanCity. I noticed that the shells were... PEELING. like, white flakes. Soft flakes that reminded me of paper. when I moved one of the shells during a water change, all the white flakes came from the shell and I took all the shells out. then vacummed up the white flakey stuff. I wonder if that could have messed up my tank. Those seashells. Maybe tey started to breakdown/decay somehow and pooped up everything.

[yote]

Basically what happened was adding way to many fish way to quick.
It dont matter if its fresh water or salt water,You have to give it time for the biological process to start up and build to the point that it wont poison your stuff.

[DesoShade]

wow. That was sudden tho. I didn't even have time to do anything about it. I mean, the fish had been in there for about 2 weeks and nothing went wrong. then all of a sudden it was like, they all died at once. That sucked. So will the 30 gallon saltwater be more difficult than the 10 gallon freshwater? Or about the same?

[yote]

Just remember what happened with your 10 gallon,and learn from it.
With salt water,you've got to go a lot slower than with fresh water.I know there are lots of threads on here where some of us have moved tanks,and upgraded in what looks to be over night.BUT,Thats also like playing with explosives,eventually its gonna blow.
Just slow way down,research untill your sick of researching,read,research some more.And when you think you've about got it all down,research it again.

Only bad happens fast.

[DesoShade]

Yeah. I'll have to let it cycle a little longer next time. what I don't understand tho, is why was it okay for a month and then all of a sudden crash within minutes? wouldn't it be a gradual thing? What about those chemicals I added to the water? too much maybe? overdose?

[Bifferwine]

Originally Posted by yote

I know there are lots of threads on here where some of us have moved tanks,and upgraded in what looks to be over night.BUT,Thats also like playing with explosives,eventually its gonna blow.

And for most us upgrading or moving tanks quickly, this is not or first (or even second tank), it is likely that we have all made these mistakes before too and learned from them. Once you have it down, you are more comfortable doing stuff quickly. But for your first tank, it is much better to take it slow.

[yote]

You let it cycle untill the ammonia and nitrite spike and return to zero.You cant put a time frame the cycle because tanks are like finger prints,No 2 are the same.

[reeffreak]

Like what Yote and Biff said,be patient and take things slow.

You mentioned earlier about using tapwater and conditioner on your freshwater.When you do decide on going salt,,,switch over to RO/DI water.Its purified water sold at grocery store machines(Walmart) or LFS.It runs about 35-65 cents a gallon around here.Of course,you can make your own,but that will be an up front investment in a RO/DI unit.