Dead in almost 24 hours... WHY?

m0nk

m0nk

Active Member
Originally Posted by TheClemsonKid
http:///forum/post/2468021
Also, what you would recommend as a good hardy starter fish (that isn't a damsel)?
What about two clowns and maybe a psuedochromis? Possibly a goby?
That's what I was thinking... let me know what you guys think...
-J
Get only 1 fish at a time; 2 max.
 
spiderwoman

spiderwoman

Active Member
I'd also recommend reading a lot on keeping a SW tank and the inhabitants in it. I'm planning on doing a reef and have just ordered 2 books on it's inhabitants. We won't start on anything until we know a bit more about what we are getting ourselves into.
 
snakeblitz33

snakeblitz33

Well-Known Member
hey now- don't blame the live fish store for everything that you did wrong.
live fish stores aren't solely in to make money. They make money for you to have a healthy and successful tank-
It's people like you that do not do your research, that buy all the wrong products, that do not take the necessary steps in the first place to have a happy and healthy tank.
The live fish store has no clue about your exact setup unless they have set up and done maintenance services on it themselves.
The reason why your shrimp probably died is because you are topping off with tap water. Tap water contains all types of heavy metals, including large amounts of copper. Copper kills any invertebrates. Any high levels of copper can also kill fish.
Also, if your pH is swinging that much, you need to consider that something else is wrong, or that you are not mixing your new saltwater correctly.
Also, not having enough flow and gas exchange could be a problem. There are many many different things that could be wrong with your tank. All we can do is offer advice based on what you give us.
 
natclanwy

natclanwy

Active Member
I think I would stay away from the clown and gobies but a couple of chromis would be a good choice to start with but I wouldn't add anything until you have the SG correct.
There is tons of good info on this site and plently of people here to answer questions so take your time and read up on SW tanks and you will be successful. Patience is the key in this hobby.
 
1journeyman

1journeyman

Active Member
How do you even know if you have saltwater in your SW tank?
Not being able to test for salinity is probably the biggest mistake you made. Not testing for Ammonia is probably second. Using inaccurate test strips third. And improper fish choices with too many fish at once fourth.
You need better testing equipment. You need more live rock (from the sound of it) for a good biological filtration. You need to introduce fish much slower, and you need to avoid difficult fish.
Hope that helps.
 
theclemsonkid

theclemsonkid

Member
Ok, I just got back from the LFS with my hydrometer. On the box it says to fill it with saltwater and let it set for 24 hours. Not sure how necessary that is for it to work properly. Either way, I washed it out first with some warm tap water, and then filled it up from the tank. If you really do need 24 hours to get a good reading than disregard this:
It says the specific gravity is about 1.0255 and ppt is about 34.1
To be completely honest, I don't REALLY know what a specific gravity is other than the ratio of salt to fresh water? And if that reading is too high, and most of the LFS keep their SG at closer to 1.019, could that be the reason that the less hardy animals didn't make it? (i.e. the cleaner shrimp, clown tang)
As far as ditching the test strips for more accurate stuff...I looked at a bunch of different individual test kits, but since there were a few dozen, I thought I would come back here and ask not only what to test, but also what brands, types, and prices I should expect to be paying for said test kits.
Also, what can you do to decrease the specific gravity of water? Because I am guessing from what I have read that 1.0255 is a little high...
thanks again
-Jonathan
 
theclemsonkid

theclemsonkid

Member
The current temperature of the tank is between 79 and 81.
And if the SG is within normal range, what do you think was the most likely cause of a clown tang dying not even 24 hours later? Granted I only assume my levels are within normal range from a test strip (which apparently is worthless).
I mean I am just going off the basic problems here...
So when the SG is ok, and the levels seems to be ok, and the temp is ok...
Obviously I'm missing something, or a fish wouldn't have made it all of 24 hours...
-Jonathan
 
theclemsonkid

theclemsonkid

Member
Well before yesterday the tank had been fallow (except for a chocolate chip starfish) for five weeks. I don't know if the ammonia would still be high from the old fish, but that was almost two months ago when there were all four in the tank together.
Does anyone know exactly what kinds of individual test kits to get to measure the essential parameters?
-Jonathan
 
hotjeepinmomma

hotjeepinmomma

Member
You also need to check for ammonia i didn't see the results in your post, so are you testing for it? Also when you put the fish in did you make sure everything reached zero before you put any fish in?
 
stimpy4242

stimpy4242

Member
Yeah, get test kits for Ammonia, Nitrate, Nitrite, pH, Calcium, Alkalinity thats a good start. Don't cycle with damsels, because later on you are going to want to remove the

[hr]
for harassing all your other fish and you will have to destroy your reef in order to catch them after trying different tricks...so just a heads up on that...and yes buy one fish at a time drip acclimate those fish over about 3 hours maybe a little less but not only an hour...
 
hotjeepinmomma

hotjeepinmomma

Member
Originally Posted by TheClemsonKid
http:///forum/post/2468565
Well before yesterday the tank had been fallow (except for a chocolate chip starfish) for five weeks. I don't know if the ammonia would still be high from the old fish, but that was almost two months ago when there were all four in the tank together.
Does anyone know exactly what kinds of individual test kits to get to measure the essential parameters?
-Jonathan
Well for test kits just make sure they are for fresh and salt water it will say on the front of the box, get the drip liquid kind, they will be about 11 dollars a piece....
 
theclemsonkid

theclemsonkid

Member
Would something like this suffice for now as far as a test kit goes?
Or is this still not high tech and reliable enough? I mean it is certainly a step up from the test strips, thats for sure...
 
sigmachris

sigmachris

Active Member
Yes API is a well respected kit, Salifert is another. If you plan on keeping corals you will also need a calcium test.
 
metweezer

metweezer

Active Member

Originally Posted by TheClemsonKid
http:///forum/post/2468673
Would something like this suffice for now as far as a test kit goes?
**************
Or is this still not high tech and reliable enough? I mean it is certainly a step up from the test strips, thats for sure...
You can't put links to competitors websites here. SWF.com will suspend you.
Steve
 
alix2.0

alix2.0

Active Member

Originally Posted by TheClemsonKid
http:///forum/post/2468673
Would something like this suffice for now as far as a test kit goes?
*link*
Or is this still not high tech and reliable enough? I mean it is certainly a step up from the test strips, thats for sure...
that is actually a really good test kit, ive been using it for a couple years and have had no problems.

Originally Posted by metweezer
http:///forum/post/2468707
You can't put links to competitors websites here. SWF.com will suspend you.
Steve
yup.
 
mikeyjer

mikeyjer

Active Member
I kinda skim through the post real quick, but I don't see anything about how you acclimate those fish into your tank??? Follow saltwaterfish.com's acclimation guide!!!! Like it was mentioned already, do not over stock, you put too many fish in a 55 g tank. You really need to slow down, maybe get a local person who knows what they are doing to show you how it's done.
 
mcbdz

mcbdz

Active Member
Please make sure you get to the read as suggested above.
There are many reason still to go through. After you aquire your test kits and before any fish, check your param. for a week and ghost feed your tank during this week to make sure it is properly cycled. Do this with the QT also. If you don't see a spike during this time and you keep your para. in check you are good to start again. Go slowly.
It is important not only to match your SG, and temp when acclimationg new fish, but the ph also. A big change in these could cause a fish to not beable to adjust. This also goes for water changes.
Keep us updated.
 
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