Help!!!! Again..... PLEASE>>>

[milwaukeem]

Hello everyone again.... I had a previous post on here about some problems I recently had with my tank here is the link if you want to reference it https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/210736/newbie-needs-help-before-it-is-too-late Anyway my Red General Starfish died today???? Have no idea why??? He has seemed completely fine... He just ate some silver sides on Saturday.... Since I put him in the tank he has not left the walls of he aquarium... Then when I cam home from work this evening he was down on the bottom of the tank.... His greyish white parts had an oraganish tint to them.... That was the only thing I could notice.... Th only other think I have in the tank is a Foxface Rabbitfish.... I did test my water once I took him out of coarse things seemed off.... Now the tank is just a month old but the starfish lived for about 20 days and then dies... I learned after I purchased the star that they need to have a more seasoned tank... So I was hoping he would make it and all seemed good, but today it just happed out of no where??? Current readings: Salt 1.020 Ph 8.2 Ammonia .25 Nitrite .50 Nitrate 40 temp is - 80.4... All this spiked over a day or two because I justed the water and it was all at o with the trates - 20??? Any idea please let me know.... Also I need to get my levels back down, any ideas other than water changes because I have been told my tank still being new water changes could hurt it more han help it????

 

[psusocr1]

maybe you tank wasnt cycled yet?? that spike would def. cause a star to die. water quality has to be pristine for them to thrive, im sorry ot heare you lost him!

 

[halo_frk03]

well ammonia, trites, and trates, are too high, and the sg

 

[mikeyjer]

It isn't cycled yet like he says it was only a month old. You need to bring that salinity up to 1.025-1.027 You just need to finish up the cycle now and take out that rabbit fish and return it to the LFS or have someone hold it until your done cycling!!! :happyfish

 

[saltwater8]

You need to SLOW DOWN....

First of all get your temp between 72-78. Second, get your SG between 1.024-1.026.
I did the same thing with my first saltwater set-up. I bought these cycling aids, had the tank cycled (or so I thought). I added every fish the LFS would sell me and of course everything died.
I have learned to take it slow, you cant rush this, even though you want to bad...

Let your tank cycle, or re-cycle, or whatever is going on.
When your tank is fully finished cycling, wait a week (I know, it's hard), and then add ONE small fish.
Then in two-three weeks, add another small fish.
Just take it slow, and eventually (with time), you will have what you want - and they won't die on you...
:happyfish
The African Red Knob Sea Star/Red General Star is very intolerant of sudden changes in oxygen levels, salinity, temperature and pH of the water, and will not tolerate high levels of nitrates.

 

[milwaukeem]

From this post I am seeing that everyone is saying bring up my salt levels, but from what I have been told 1.025 seems high... This is not a reef tank, so is that reccommended for all fish? Even though the tank is just a month old I have used Turbo Start 900 which boosts your cycle by adding the bacteria you need, etc to get your cycle going.... I was thinking that my levels went up cause of the dead starfish in the tank??? Since the first time I put anything in the tank my levels have not changed they have been steady at 0 with Ph at 8.2 salt normally around 1.021... Recently the temperature has been hard to handle because hear in Atlanta it has been real warm outside pushing the 80's everyday, but I do what I can to keep the room with the tank in it cool to keep the temp down...

 

[saltwater8]

Your starfish and inverts/liverock need an sg between 1.023-1.025
If you had a fish only tank, with no live rock, starfish or inverts then your tank could have an sg between 1.020-1.025
:happyfish

 

[fishguy83]

Originally Posted by MilwaukeeM
Even though the tank is just a month old I have used Turbo Start 900 which boosts your cycle by adding the bacteria you need, etc to get your cycle going....
There is a lot of argument over whether or not these things work - I think a natural cycle, over time is the best...
Originally Posted by MilwaukeeM
I was thinking that my levels went up cause of the dead starfish in the tank??? Since the first time I put anything in the tank my levels have not changed they have been steady at 0 with Ph at 8.2 salt normally around 1.021
If the starfish actually started to rot then it would increase the levels, but you only found him today and removed him (the day he died) right? I think, like others suggested you need to slow down. You may have had a slight cycle, but now you are reaching heavy bio-loads, and you do not have enough bacteria to handle it, causing the spikes in levels...Unless you have a large cycle, this will happen once the bio-load starts to decay in larger levels.
Originally Posted by MilwaukeeM
Recently the temperature has been hard to handle because hear in Atlanta it has been real warm outside pushing the 80's everyday, but I do what I can to keep the room with the tank in it cool to keep the temp down...
Have you tried some cheap fans blowing on the water / sump / or lights?

 

[psusocr1]

i have three large starfish and i keep my temp at 76 and my salinity at 1.026..their eat liek fat pigs and are healthy as can be!

 

[milwaukeem]

I have gotten the temp down to a steady 79 degrees.... I would agree that a natural cycle would be best, well now I would anyway but when starting I did what I was advised to do... I got a lot of support from my LFS meaning that when I follow there advice and if it doesn't go the way they said it would they do everything to help correct it including providing me store credit on things.... I also agree that things went very fast at the beginning but then again that was because I was going by what they told me... I now only have one fish now (Foxface) which appears to be doing great... Color looks great and her appetite is crazy, like she has a tape worm or something.... I also have some crabs and that is it.... I have put the brakes on putting anything new in the tank until it is more established.... My bio load shouldnt have been the great for just one fish and a star though?

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by Saltwater8
Your starfish and inverts/liverock need an sg between 1.023-1.025
If you had a fish only tank, with no live rock, starfish or inverts then your tank could have an sg between 1.020-1.025
:happyfish
Starfish and Inverts should have a sg between 1.025-1.027 I would not suggest going anything lower then 1.025 for inverts and especially starfish, they're very touchy about water quality. :happyfish

 

[saltwater8]

From the aquaria Drs site:
Red General Sea Star
Care Level: Easy
Tank Conditions: 72-78°F; sg 1.023-1.025; pH 8.1-8.4; dKH 8-12
Max. Size In Aquarium: Up to 1'
Color Form: Gray, Red
Temperament: Peaceful
Reef Compatible: No
Diet: Carnivore
Origin: Indian Ocean
Family: Oreasteridae
:happyfish