conkyy
Reefing newb
Hi all. its been years since I had a salt tank, i thank yall in advance for any help you can give me!
Trying to get my mojo back
- Thread starter conkyy
- Start date
little_fish
Moderator
Hello and Welcome!
Ask away, much has changed and its better than ever!
Ask away, much has changed and its better than ever!
conkyy
Reefing newb
I have no problem keeping shrimps, snails and hermit crabs, but my fish keep dieing. Besides molly's that is. my tanks are cycled, and i use an api salt test kit to make sure its right. I had several fish in each and they died. I checked parameters, did water changes, add a fish next day its dead. What would kill my fish but not bother the inverts and show no sign of disease?
Thanks- Danny
Thanks- Danny
little_fish
Moderator
Well, lets start at the very bottom. Can you list your actual numbers, total setup including equipment, water change schedule, how many and what fish are you trying to add. how are you acclimating them?
Salty B
Reefing newb
Do you always get the fish from the same store? If so try asking them to hold one for you for a week or so and stop in a few times to observe it's behavior. Many ways of capture can be extremely stressful if not fatal within a short period of time. If they wont hold a fish even with a deposit, I'd be suspicious of their practices. And +1 to the actual params and so forth. How old are the test kits?
RyanG
Reef enthusiast
Welcome to Livingreefs!
How are you acclimating your new fish?
How are you acclimating your new fish?
conkyy
Reefing newb
conkyy
Reefing newb
I have bought fish they had for weeks, I actually went to another store and bought some to see if it was an issue. same results. The test kit is new. I have been floating them to adjust temp. then adding a few ounces of water every 10 min. I had 7 fish in the 60 gal tank, one had been there for 6 weeks. they were doing great then started dying 1 by 1. I think its a disease, but i never saw anything on them. There is still a molly thats been there forever that looks fine. I change 20 percent water every other week since the cycle has been done.
Thank yall so much for this help, it has broken my heart watching them go, I lost a foxface that i was sure would make it 2 days ago he had been in there for a month and was very active.
Thank yall so much for this help, it has broken my heart watching them go, I lost a foxface that i was sure would make it 2 days ago he had been in there for a month and was very active.
little_fish
Moderator
I think your biggest issue is you dont have the tank set properly for a saltwater tank. You should have 1-2 lbs of rock per gallon and dont run bubblers, they mess with the pH.
How fast are you adding fish? Because you should only be adding one every 3 weeks to let the bacteria catch up. Any more than that and they will add so much waste to the tank it will cause it to recycle.
If you do have some sort of disease in there, i would let your tank sit fallow for 12 weeks to let whatever it is die out. Or you could start fresh, personally i think that is your best option.
How fast are you adding fish? Because you should only be adding one every 3 weeks to let the bacteria catch up. Any more than that and they will add so much waste to the tank it will cause it to recycle.
If you do have some sort of disease in there, i would let your tank sit fallow for 12 weeks to let whatever it is die out. Or you could start fresh, personally i think that is your best option.
conkyy
Reefing newb
I did add to many to fast. I learned from that. Thanks for the bubbler info too. The crushed coral was supposed to be the right amount, 1 to 2 inches thick. I used ug filters because I had great sucess with them years ago. I dont want to chunk my big snail and the 6 shrimp 3 hermit crabs and the weird pointy thing that all do great. From what i understand, i made the tank cyce again from adding to many fish and killing them, the only thing that i wonder is why I get good tests and still have issues, i thought I would have spikes if it were cycing. A nd thank you again for the help, It is appreciated!
Smitty
Reef pro
Hello and welcome to the site...glad to have you.
little_fish
Moderator
You should replace the crushed coral as well. It will collect poop, uneaten food, and other deturius, allowing it to rot and release nitrates back into water causing endless issues.
Also, even if you had great success with the under gravel filter years ago, there are reasons why no one uses them today. The live rock, plus skimmer and fuge work much much better.
Also, even if you had great success with the under gravel filter years ago, there are reasons why no one uses them today. The live rock, plus skimmer and fuge work much much better.
Jmck
Reef enthusiast
There are a few problems, move away from underground filters. Crushed coral that is 1-2 inches thick will just hold nitrates and will do nothing for filtration. The next part is get more Rock in the tank. Live rock is a natural filtration. Get some power heads, there might not have been enough oxygen for the fish to survive, and this can be an important thing.
How old are your test kits? bad test kits can give false results. Do a couple more water changes, get a new test kit and change the above mentioned items and add a fish. This one will survive :)
And welcome to living reefs :D
How old are your test kits? bad test kits can give false results. Do a couple more water changes, get a new test kit and change the above mentioned items and add a fish. This one will survive :)
And welcome to living reefs :D
conkyy
Reefing newb
Test kits are new. I have 2 of them. I will use live sand on the big tank this fall. I understand what yall are saying about ug filters, and I am buying lve rock this week to add. Old style setup or not it should still work because it did for millions of people until a better way came about, i had one in the early 90's and had no problems. I do have a powerhead in this tank, wouldent an imbalance kill whats in there? The large snail is supposed to be sensitive to everything from what I was told and hes fine.
Sir Alex
Dragon the eel (below)
This is what I think you should do: get rid of the fake decorations and coral rubble and replace it with a thin sand layer and 2 pounds per gallon of rock. I don't really know about the filter though...
Jmck, your genius! Your fish are probably dying from an oxygen deficiency. The inverts don't need so much. I see in the picture that there are no ripples on the surface. If you increase your flow and get ripples on the surface than that should solve the problem, if that is the problem...
Jmck, your genius! Your fish are probably dying from an oxygen deficiency. The inverts don't need so much. I see in the picture that there are no ripples on the surface. If you increase your flow and get ripples on the surface than that should solve the problem, if that is the problem...
Jmck
Reef enthusiast
Btw, you dont have to buy live rock and live sand. Just by normal coral sand which is very fine, and get dry rock. This will all turn live as your tank grows. This way you also avoid any nasties in your tank.
Like Alex said, a thin layer is better in the DT because if it isnt 6 inches deep it does nothing but add asthetic value to the tank. Some people here dont even have sand in their tanks.
An old style should work, but try a HOB skimmer, it would be very beneficial in the long run. And do what alex said as well, point the powerheads at the water surface because that will increase oxygenisation.
Like Alex said, a thin layer is better in the DT because if it isnt 6 inches deep it does nothing but add asthetic value to the tank. Some people here dont even have sand in their tanks.
An old style should work, but try a HOB skimmer, it would be very beneficial in the long run. And do what alex said as well, point the powerheads at the water surface because that will increase oxygenisation.
Leslee
Reef enthusiast
Welcome to the site! Everyone seems to have you covered!
When I first started out I use HOB filters....as soon as I ditched them for the skimmer everything just seemed healthier, well plus all my level were much better too!
When I first started out I use HOB filters....as soon as I ditched them for the skimmer everything just seemed healthier, well plus all my level were much better too!
ErinCahir
Sausage Wrangler
Welcome to the site!
Everyone has your covered!
Everyone has your covered!
fastrd400
It wasn't me!
It appears to be a fresh water tank. That being said, there is nothing in there that is of any benefit to a reef tank (except your one powerhead). That being said, you are looking at several things that need to be done in order to make this the living environment you want.
1) replace the crushed coral with sand
2) ditch the undergravel filter
3) trash the decorations
4) add another powerhead
5) add live rock
6) for a tank this size you need to incorporate a HOB filter and a HOB skimmer
7) replace those lights if you plan to keep coral
Everything you need you should be able to find in good condition used on sites like craigslist.
Good luck, and welcome to the site.
1) replace the crushed coral with sand
2) ditch the undergravel filter
3) trash the decorations
4) add another powerhead
5) add live rock
6) for a tank this size you need to incorporate a HOB filter and a HOB skimmer
7) replace those lights if you plan to keep coral
Everything you need you should be able to find in good condition used on sites like craigslist.
Good luck, and welcome to the site.
