280 Gallon FOWLR stocking problem...

theirr

theirr

Member
HI,
 
I was wondering if you had the time to review my tank situation and offer comments. I have a 280 gallon salt water tank with a 70 gallon sump and 200 lbs live rock. I set the tank up in June and purchased 3 medium sized fish from someone taking down their tank, long story short they got stressed and contracted iche, I then removed them from the tank and left it empty of fish for 2 months Just filtering a cycling the water. I then bought 5 damsels and they did wonderful for 2 weeks. I then had the opportunity to purchase 13 larger fish from someone who was moving and had to get rid of their set up. I was very carful transporting the fish with lots of water and air stones. Moved them with lots of water in dark tubs. After bleeding in my tank water for 4 hours I then transferred them in to my tank on last Thursday. There are 2 fish that are 10 to 12inches, 4 about 4 to 6 inches and the balance less than 3 inches. I added 4 each 8.5 ounce containers of Bio Spira and transferred 100 gallons of the previous owners water along with all of his filter pads.
 
I then added a few more bottles of the Bio Spira. The ammonia went to 0 but Nitrites when to 1 PPM, I did a 25% water change and added 4 more bottles of the Bio Spira and the nitrite went down to from 1 PPM to .2
 
The fish have been eating well throughout the whole ordeal but know I reduced feeding them to every other day. Unfortunatly I have been raising the PH on a daily bases until I read an article today in regards to keeping it low through the cycling process. Now it is at 8.
 
My readings now are 0 ammonia, .2 Nitrite and 80 Nitrate.
 
Do you think my tank is cycled after 5 days? Will the Nitrates go down?
 
Thanks for your time,
Errol
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member

 
 
Nitrates are not harmful to fish, they can stand it way higher than that. Inverts need below 40 and coral need 0 nitrates. You should not have any ammonia or nitrites. You added too many fish too fast is all. Keep doing water changes until the good bacteria catches up and clears away the nitrites by natural cycle.

I have no idea what Bio spira is...if it is like cycle even that takes time to develop to do a job as large as the amount of fish you added at once. There is very little good bacteria in the water...sand and rock are where most of your good stuff lives. The filter pads as well.

Damsels are evil little fish, I hope you understand that all your fish have to get along. A big tank won't help a bad combo of inhabitants.

May I suggest a really helpful book...

 
And a page so you can see the kind of info it offers.
 
kjr_trig

kjr_trig

Active Member
You added way too many fish, and particularly large fish at once and are now looking at huge problems, is there anywhere else some of these fish can go for now? As stated, nitrate will not hurt the fish, but Nitrite and Ammonia are deadly. You need to do massive water changes to keep up with the added waste until the tank catches up. We may be talking 100+ gallons a day.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Quote:
Originally Posted by kjr_trig http:///forum/thread/380521/280-gallon-fowlr-stocking-problem#post_3311866
You added way too many fish, and particularly large fish at once and are now looking at huge problems, is there anywhere else some of these fish can go for now? As stated, nitrate will not hurt the fish, but Nitrite and Ammonia are deadly. You need to do massive water changes to keep up with the added waste until the tank catches up. We may be talking 100+ gallons a day.
+1........be prepared for a major crash....I hope you have a lot of prepared sw made up
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by kjr_trig http:///forum/thread/380521/280-gallon-fowlr-stocking-problem#post_3311866
You added way too many fish, and particularly large fish at once and are now looking at huge problems, is there anywhere else some of these fish can go for now? As stated, nitrate will not hurt the fish, but Nitrite and Ammonia are deadly. You need to do massive water changes to keep up with the added waste until the tank catches up. We may be talking 100+ gallons a day.

 
 
You are correct nitrites are deadly, but 0.2 is not a deadly level. After a water change it went from 1 to 0.2 so that's pretty good. I don't think he will have to do 100g water changes a day...LOL...just 25% which is 70g. He will have to keep a very close eye on things for sure.

I really don't understand buying or getting other peoples fish...I handpicked every critter in my tank after agonizing over its care. Just to dump in a bunch of fish to have fish in the tank...
 
caboman

caboman

New Member
Checked my water this morning and Nitrite and ammonia registered 0, nitrate still remained at 80. The reason I added so many fish at once is that I found someone breaking down their tank and I had to take all at once. They had these 13 larger fish in a tank 1/2 the size of my 280. All fish looks great so far and eating well since day 1 including the 5 original damsels I had in the tank before adding the 13 monsters. The water is staying crystal clear and I only feed them every other day. Do you think the 9 bottles of Bio Spira and a 25% water change accelerated the bio cycle in less than 6 days? keeping my fingers crossed. Any suggestions on timing of the next water change?
 
kjr_trig

kjr_trig

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by caboman http:///forum/thread/380521/280-gallon-fowlr-stocking-problem#post_3312068
Checked my water this morning and Nitrite and ammonia registered 0, nitrate still remained at 80. The reason I added so many fish at once is that I found someone breaking down their tank and I had to take all at once. They had these 13 larger fish in a tank 1/2 the size of my 280. All fish looks great so far and eating well since day 1 including the 5 original damsels I had in the tank before adding the 13 monsters. The water is staying crystal clear and I only feed them every other day. Do you think the 9 bottles of Bio Spira and a 25% water change accelerated the bio cycle in less than 6 days? keeping my fingers crossed. Any suggestions on timing of the next water change?
I don't know a lot about bio spera, but from what I read it certainly can help speeding up a cycle...I would test Nitrite and Ammonia daily and change water anytime you see any....Light feeding is wise, providing you don't have fish that need more regular feedings (Triggers, Antias for example). Don't worry about nitrates too much, they are important to overall water quality, but on their own, not dangerous to fish. Mine are over 100, I haven't lost a fish in my heavily stocked tank in over 2 years (knock on wood).
 
caboman

caboman

New Member
a few fish are showing signs of ich, especially my Niger fish, about 5 inches long. I am thinking about setting up a quarentine tank approx 20 gallons and adding a few gallons of my water from the 280 gallon tank. Do you think 20 gallons would be adeqate for up tp 3 medium size fish? I was planning to treat these fish with copper and can do daily water changes as required. I seen in a few taggs that PCV fittings can be added for fish to hide.
 
kylev

kylev

Member
If you have access or can afford to set up at 55gallon I'd say thats a much better solution, the 20g would be pretty small for that load of fish. And yes PVC fittings are a good addition to a QT for hidding
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top