liz
Member
I set up a 50 gallon corner tank about six months ago. Added about 30 pounds of live sand and some live rock. I have a 220 Marine canister filter, a pump with an airstone and a heater.
I let the tank cycle for about two months before adding any fish. I put in one Blue Damsel, one Percula Clown and some sort of a little crab to begin with. I waited about two weeks and added two Chromises and a Coral Banded Shrimp. Another week later I got a Chocolate Chip Starfish. Two weeks later one Rock Blennie and one Firefish. After approximately two more weeks I tried a Bicolor Angel.
Everything seemed fine for about three days, then I found the Bicolor laying on its side under a rock, not yet dead. I fished him out and took him back to the lfs, where she gave me credit for it. Waited about another week and and went back and got a Sailfin Tang. At that point everything seemed like it was okay.
I have to admit, I didn't do any research before I got into this and was relying on lfs to supply me with the information to get along. All of the water parameters tested good during the cycle (per the lfs). I have since gotten my own test kit, its aTetratest Laborett, is this a good brand? It test for pH, nitrate, ammonia, and KH. I also purchased a test kit for nitrates. I still need either a hydrometer or a refractometer.
After I replaced the Bicolor with the Sailfin Tang, I changed the carbon in the filter for the first time. Since then, and I'm not sure if this is coincidence or not, I have lost all of my fish except for the Firefish, the Blue Damsel, the Chocolate Chip, the crab and the Coral Banded Shrimp. These fish seem to be in good health, whereas the others showed some sign of being sick before they died. The last fish died about a week ago.
I really wish I had researched before diving in. I didn't know how sensitive salt water is and wasn't told. I'm a nailtech and when I placed my tank I put in the room where I do manicures, pedicures and acrylic nails. I think this is where the problem is. After talking to the lfs, I think the fumes, vapors and filings have contaminated the tank. I'm not sure, but it's possible I had lotion on my hands when they were in the tank. I have also burned candles in the room(can you see me hiding my face in shame?)
At the suggestion of the lfs I have bought Polyfilters to filter the impurities. I have used two filters in about two weeks and they seem to be taking longer to turn to grayish/black, two days now instead of one. I have been using 1/4 of the filter and wrapping it around the intake of the canisters filter (for ease of changing). I cringe to think what else I may have done wrong and am still doing wrong.
I know the polyfilter should go in the canister, but I didn't want to dismantle it as often as I think I would need to, as it is a royal pain to deal with. But I would be willing to if anyone thinks it would be in the tanks best intrest. My water parameters are: Nitrites 0, Ammonia 0, Nitrates 12.5 (lfs says this is acceptable, do you agree?), pH varies from maybe 8.0 to 8.4. Seems like I have to add Seachem Marine Buffer to the tank about once a week to keep the pH at 8.3 or 8.4. I have a hard time trusting my judgement on reading the color card on the pH. Temperature seems to stay steady at 79.
Last week I did two ten gallon water changes two days apart. Should I do more changes? Should I do more than ten gallons at a time? I think I've learned alot just from reading this board, and I'm sure i still have a lot left to learn. How long should it take for the Polyfilters to take the contaminants out of the tank.
The lfs that I deal with says that when I am doing nails I should cover any openings and the air pump with a wet cloth, while I am doing nails to help keep fumes and filings out of the water as well as keeping a Polyfilter in the canister at all times. She seems to think it won't be a problem to leave the tank in this room, what are your opinions? I would value any suggestions.
I plan on doing more reading, adding a skimmer and hopefully adding some more fish to a healthy tank somewhere in the near future. I'm in the process of purchasing the items I need for a qt tank, you sure can get a lot of money invested in this hobby! I've had a 30 gallon freshwater tank with no problems for four years, sure do wish sw was that easy.
I let the tank cycle for about two months before adding any fish. I put in one Blue Damsel, one Percula Clown and some sort of a little crab to begin with. I waited about two weeks and added two Chromises and a Coral Banded Shrimp. Another week later I got a Chocolate Chip Starfish. Two weeks later one Rock Blennie and one Firefish. After approximately two more weeks I tried a Bicolor Angel.
Everything seemed fine for about three days, then I found the Bicolor laying on its side under a rock, not yet dead. I fished him out and took him back to the lfs, where she gave me credit for it. Waited about another week and and went back and got a Sailfin Tang. At that point everything seemed like it was okay.
I have to admit, I didn't do any research before I got into this and was relying on lfs to supply me with the information to get along. All of the water parameters tested good during the cycle (per the lfs). I have since gotten my own test kit, its aTetratest Laborett, is this a good brand? It test for pH, nitrate, ammonia, and KH. I also purchased a test kit for nitrates. I still need either a hydrometer or a refractometer.
After I replaced the Bicolor with the Sailfin Tang, I changed the carbon in the filter for the first time. Since then, and I'm not sure if this is coincidence or not, I have lost all of my fish except for the Firefish, the Blue Damsel, the Chocolate Chip, the crab and the Coral Banded Shrimp. These fish seem to be in good health, whereas the others showed some sign of being sick before they died. The last fish died about a week ago.
I really wish I had researched before diving in. I didn't know how sensitive salt water is and wasn't told. I'm a nailtech and when I placed my tank I put in the room where I do manicures, pedicures and acrylic nails. I think this is where the problem is. After talking to the lfs, I think the fumes, vapors and filings have contaminated the tank. I'm not sure, but it's possible I had lotion on my hands when they were in the tank. I have also burned candles in the room(can you see me hiding my face in shame?)
At the suggestion of the lfs I have bought Polyfilters to filter the impurities. I have used two filters in about two weeks and they seem to be taking longer to turn to grayish/black, two days now instead of one. I have been using 1/4 of the filter and wrapping it around the intake of the canisters filter (for ease of changing). I cringe to think what else I may have done wrong and am still doing wrong.
I know the polyfilter should go in the canister, but I didn't want to dismantle it as often as I think I would need to, as it is a royal pain to deal with. But I would be willing to if anyone thinks it would be in the tanks best intrest. My water parameters are: Nitrites 0, Ammonia 0, Nitrates 12.5 (lfs says this is acceptable, do you agree?), pH varies from maybe 8.0 to 8.4. Seems like I have to add Seachem Marine Buffer to the tank about once a week to keep the pH at 8.3 or 8.4. I have a hard time trusting my judgement on reading the color card on the pH. Temperature seems to stay steady at 79.
Last week I did two ten gallon water changes two days apart. Should I do more changes? Should I do more than ten gallons at a time? I think I've learned alot just from reading this board, and I'm sure i still have a lot left to learn. How long should it take for the Polyfilters to take the contaminants out of the tank.
The lfs that I deal with says that when I am doing nails I should cover any openings and the air pump with a wet cloth, while I am doing nails to help keep fumes and filings out of the water as well as keeping a Polyfilter in the canister at all times. She seems to think it won't be a problem to leave the tank in this room, what are your opinions? I would value any suggestions.
I plan on doing more reading, adding a skimmer and hopefully adding some more fish to a healthy tank somewhere in the near future. I'm in the process of purchasing the items I need for a qt tank, you sure can get a lot of money invested in this hobby! I've had a 30 gallon freshwater tank with no problems for four years, sure do wish sw was that easy.
It would be best if you could do searches for some of your basic questions and post more individualized questions that can be more easily answered.
