i have been working with a 29gal bio cube tank for the past 8 months. i started with just live sand and live rock and saltwater for about a month. then put two blue/green chromis in the tank. from there i have had a large number of fish but all have seem to gone to fishy heaven. all but one. my blue damsel. i do about a 25% water change every week and for a couple weeks i would do 2-3 25% water changes. i add bio zyme and a API algae controller to help with the algae on the glass, once a week. i check ph,ammonia,nitrate,and nitrite. along with phosphates every so often. i run the lights that came with the tank but did to three days of lights out to help kill the diotomes that i had on my sand bed. i run two power heads and a protein skimmer. there is no refugeum or sump because i have no room. i have a R/O filter in the basement but wonder if it is of good quality because it is one that you can get at any local Lowes or Home Depot. also have a 4th filter for DI. On a weekly basis my levels stay about the same however my ammonia might be just above 0. i have never seen my nitrates or nitrites spike. specific gravity stays around 1.23-.25. if anyone could maybe give me some info on why my fish die off and i have diatoms and a algae problem still after 8 months. i would love to start to enjoy my tank. i am leaning to getting a group of assorted damesls and maybe one larger fish, such as a coral beauty angel fish in the future. have no desire to mess with coral. maybe in a larger tank years later.:frustrat:
no idea why my fish die
- Thread starter Damnselpa
- Start date
Northstar24
The Tang Herder
Your going to be limited to 2-3 fish for a 29 gallon tank. My guess is that the damsel is established and killing the other fish. They are incredibly territorial and can easy bully other fish to death
little_fish
Moderator
What sort of fish are you trying to keep?
bjohanson1234
.........
I am guessing that the damnsel is killing all your other fish. These can be very territorial and can end up killing off other fish.
Algae issues are most likely caused by over feeding, bad make up water or over stocking. Since you are using RO water, it is most likely not coming from there.
You say that you want a group of damsels and another fish. However, in a 29 gallon tank, you are limited to only 2-3 fish tops. Any more and you will be having territory issues. Also, it will cause too much waste build up and this will feed the algae.
When the algae grows, it consumes the nitrates and will mask them in water tests. Making it look like you don't have them. In order to get rid of the algae, you need to figure out where it is getting its food. Either the waste from too many fish, or from over feeding.
Algae issues are most likely caused by over feeding, bad make up water or over stocking. Since you are using RO water, it is most likely not coming from there.
You say that you want a group of damsels and another fish. However, in a 29 gallon tank, you are limited to only 2-3 fish tops. Any more and you will be having territory issues. Also, it will cause too much waste build up and this will feed the algae.
When the algae grows, it consumes the nitrates and will mask them in water tests. Making it look like you don't have them. In order to get rid of the algae, you need to figure out where it is getting its food. Either the waste from too many fish, or from over feeding.
i would settle with a assortment of damsels or if i could get a larger fish like the coral beauty angel fish i would be happy with him and my blue damsel. i started a quarantine tank and also rearranged the rock work in my main tank when i would add fish so that they would have to re-establish there territories.
wontonflip
I failed Kobayashi Maru
+1 everyone....but even damselfish may fight and kill of each other in such a small space.
FishyReef
Broke Reefer!
The damsels might even kill the dwarf angel. If you are determined to keep your damsel, then I think the only fish I might try with it would be a pair of adult maroon clowns. They are mean enough to hold their own against the damsel.
motorcyclereefer
I am Graffiti Petey
Nice avatar Beej and how did you get over 9k?
bjohanson1234
.........
You just go around biting people :mrgreen:
Its really a DBZ reference
Its really a DBZ reference
