Salinity low and pH low and lots more!

[Matti]

Hi, I am Matti, and I just lost my first two clownfish several days ago. I really miss them because I loved them and they responded to me.

My clownfish were in a 12 gallon Eclipse, which was a Christmas present. Since my fishlets died I bought a 12 gallon Aquapod and stand.

I am not sure why my fish died, except that perhaps the pH became too acidic inspite of my attempts to gently buffer it. At the time of death the water's specific gravity was also low despite a 3 gallon RO salt water change which was done as an attempt to help the dying fish.

I sought some advice, and yesterday transferred most of the water and all the live rock from the dead fishes' tank into the new Aquapod (which I had started up 3 days ago). From the eye it all looks magnificent--water is crystal clear today, but by fish standards pH is acidic, about 7.4-7.8, and the specific gravity is also low, at 1.018. My question is, will all this fix itself if left alone, or is an intervention needed on my part now?

One other question, is it helpful or wasteful to keep the lights of the Aquapod on at this time?

Any help you could give would be greatly appreciated. I have the entire Instant Ocean Testing Kit, and could run an entire test on the water today if that would be helpful. I thought I'd ask about the big things before I went further.

Very cordially,
Matti

 

[stagofdoom]

If you just set up your tank it will have to cycle. A.K.A to get the ammonium and nitrites to 0. This will take from around 2-6 weeks. Mine took 2 and a half weeks and I have a 24 gallon tank. I kept my lights on during the day.
Make sure you check your nitrites and ammonium atleast once a week and when you think your cycle is done you should do around a 20% water change. If you take the water to your LFS they should check the ammonium and nitrites, because since you only need to check it for the first few weeks you dont need to buy a 17$ test kit.

I hope this helped a little. Just take your time when cycling and adding stuff.

 

[Marke86]

Hey matti im new to this too and have asked similar questions
1st did you let your tank cycle before you but your fish in?
second I have learned by keeping your light on it does raise your ph I cant explain but there are a lot of smart reefers hear that can.
3rd if your fish are dead already and there is nothing in the tank except live rock and water throw more salt in there thats all. if there is I pull out a galon thats already in your tank and put another half a cup in that making it supersaturated then slowly pour that into your tank check and see were your at maybe even a quarter cup 1.018 isnt too bad.
finally you must buffer everday till its at 8.3 and check it at night when you go to turn off the light. "your ph"
hope this helps
mark

 

[Matti]

I am off to get some salt! The lights are on and I am going to buffer till the test tube's purple!! Thanks so much for your helpfulness and thoughtfullness!!
Matti

 

[reeffreak]

After you transferred the live rock and water,if it didn't cause a small cycle then intervention is in order.If it did cause a cycle then let the ammonia and nitrite return to zero before buffering.You can go ahead and raise the salinity though.Running the lights although there's isn't any fish is fine.IMO,I believe running the lights at least several hours during the cycle is beneficial....even when there is no fish and corals.

 

[Bifferwine]

Definitely get your water parameters in check before you add any fish. You can add salt to increase the salinity. The 1.021 to 1.026 range is fine. Your pH is really low, so you should increase the pH before you add animals to your new tank. And you need to let it cycle before you add fish. If you just went ahead and added the clownfish to your old tank before it cycled, I'd bet that's what killed them. This time around let the tank cycle first for a few weeks (until ammonia and nitrites are both zero).

 

[yote]

Welcome to the reef.
I agree with Stago,Mark,and Reef.

 

[Matti]

Mark,
I did what you said, and right now have a 1.021 SG and an 8.4 pH!! It's great what you can do when there's only live rock, water and sand in the tank!! Hope all stays that way.

Yesterday I dumped in 80% of the "funky" dead fish water from the Eclipse 12 into the Aquapod 12 (which had only been cycling 3 days). Last night the Aquapod cleaned it up to look crystal clear! I just finished getting my 1.021 by supersaturating with 1 cup of Instant Ocean's salt. My pH is perfecto because I used 5 tiny measuring spoons of buffer dissolved in a cup of
water.

Now I can let everything else run its course. I'll report tomorrow what all my lab values are. I got an Instant Ocean's testing kit--the big Kahuna--when my little clownfishlets were sick.

Take care, and thanks to you, and all, for your kindnesses.

Matti

 

[yote]

Matti,
Keep in mind that while your tank is cycling,your PH is going to drop because of the ammonia thats got to build up.Its a natural process,so just keep an eye on it.Its will stabilize once every thing settles in.

 

[Matti]

Just checked water values, and here is what I got:

Specific Gravity 1.022
pH by API kit is 8.4, but probably more realistically by Instant Ocean is 8.0
Ammonia 0.0
Nitrite < 0.2
Nitrate <10
Alkalanity - It took 9 drops to turn the blue water yellow. Do I divide by 2 or 4?

**I used the Instant Ocean kit with the tiny foil packages and the plastic colors by which to compare the color of the tank water after it reacted with the reagents.

I really think my pH needed a boost because it definitely dropped since last night. That is the only thing I changed tonight.

Because this water actually started cycling a few days after Christmas, I wonder how far away I am from being able to add some fishlets?

Any help would be, of course, greatly appreciated; unless you're all watching the results of Super Tuesday.

Happy Reefing,

Matti

 

[stagofdoom]

It took me about 2 and a half weeks to cycle my tank. Just make sure your cycle is done before you add fish, also add them slow, I got my clowns 2 weeks ago and im adding a small addition tomorrow.
Just take your time, I know how hard it is....im very impatient.

 

[Matti]

What are you going to add tomorrow?

 

[yote]

If your using the alkalinity kit that I'm thinking of,your alkalinity looks to 9DKH.Which is just borderline low.
I tend to believe the API kits over the Instant Ocean kits.Every one of the IO kits I tryed(alkalinity,calcium,and PH)Showed that my levels was low.I kept doseing for alkalinity and calcium and just about ODed my tank.
As when you can safely add fish.Wait untill you have 0 nitrites,then do a 20% water change.Then you should be safe to add one fish.Then wait a couple of weeks to add another fish.With a 12 gallon tank,you sure dont want to push it to quick.

 

[yote]

It took me about 2 and a half weeks to cycle my tank. Just make sure your cycle is done before you add fish, also add them slow, I got my clowns 2 weeks ago and im adding a small addition tomorrow.
Just take your time, I know how hard it is....im very impatient.

Dang,what is with you guys getting quick cycles?Took mine nearly 8 weeks.:frustrat::mrgreen:But that was a year ago.

 

[Matti]

Thanks for your quick reply! Good luck with your little fishlet tomorrow!
Matti

 

[Matti]

Thanks, all you guys for your help. I am the impatient one! I surely do not, however, want more dead fish. That's too painful. I will go to Dallas this weekend to visit my family and let it alone!

Take care,
Matti

 

[reeffreak]

It looks like the cycle is just about over.Once the nitrite and ammonia are at zero than you should be okay to add your first fish.Your pH doesn't look bad either rather its 8.0 or 8.4.Many times pH tend to drop during the cycle and will go back up on its own once the cycle completes.Try to do the test at the same time each time.When photosynthesis occur with algae,its raise O2 levels when brings up pH.When the lights are off then CO2 rises and pH drops.It should never drop to dangerous levels and 8.0 is fine for a night time reading....if thats the case.Your almost there,it should be anyday now.

 

[stagofdoom]

yeah I dont want dead fish either...my budget wont allow it. I got a bi colored pseudochromis today and I found out it doesnt go with a 6 line wrasse. Im taking it back tomorrow and picking up a 6 line then waiting for a couple of weeks and getting a royal gramma (looks the same as the bi-colored but is peaceful.)
Let us know if ya need anything else.