Had enough!- starting over

[fish1031]

well i kept fish in a 55g before I knew anything and way overstocked my tank...
the tank wiped out and i decided to start new with a 180g
I set up my tank in Nov06... waited to add fish until Jan. (i think) a long time anyway to cycle.
I did all the right stuff this time, I bought an oversized filter, protein skimmer, I bought test kits, used vitamins and a varied diet, used tap but always let sit with powerhead for 2 days
then I introduced the 3 fish I already had in my 55 into the 180 and they broke out with ick...
I took them out and treated them with hyposalinity in the 55 and left my DT fishless for 4 and a half weeks.
I had lost the foxface and added the Yellow tang back to the 180...
the tank starting doing better... my uncle gave me his large blue tang and pinktail trigger that he has had for 3 years.... I added a large naso.... so one day I come home with a lunare wrasse to add and my blue tang is covered in ick! So I decided to hypo the DT and take out all the LR...
I put the wrasse in the QT and then after my tank was in hypo I raised the sg back up...
It was good for 2-3 weeks so I added a 5in queen angel that I had in the QT for 3-4 weeks.
The blue tang terrorized it to DEATH! - this was early march for a time frame
so I went away for a week in late march and I came home and my water is all cloudy.... I tested, everything fine, I bought clearifier... no help...
so then they all starting dying... they all looked fine except the blue tang developed this problem... i am not sure what sep and I found it to be but we were taking care of it...
4-16- Yellow tang died- no signs at all
4-21- blue tang died- was auctually doing better
4-23- naso stopped eating--- no idea why- good parameters
4-26-this morning- my beautiful 10in naso tang dead! (my fav. fish ever)
So I have the pinktail trigger and lunare wrasse left...
I travel a ton this summer so I think I might give my fish to my uncle while I am gone for nearly a month from Jun-Jul
I am starting over but am so upset and had enough....
I spent over 4,000 for everything and have had nothing but trouble...
It makes me so mad that I am emptying my water completely after treating it over the past six months.
Do you all reccomend RO this time?
I lost:
30- yellow tang
100- naso tang
30- foxface
blue tang was free (but a 7-8" one would have been $100 atleast)
100- salt
20- vitamins
40- water treatment
20- buffer
40- food
70- queen angel
30- a whole test kit
______
$460
and I am left unhappy and aggravated with a $30 wrasse!

 

[joyfnp]

I'm sorry this happened to you. When you said water parameters were all fine, was that with a liquid test kit? On another thread in another forum, someone had problems with a dipstick-like test kits giving completely different readings than a liquid test kit. With respect to RO water, did you have a problem with hair algae? If not, then I wouldn't worry about it. Although you can always make the RO your drinking and cooking water as well, and justify the expense of the unit that way.
Again, sorry for the losses of your fish.

 

[earlybird]

Always use RO or RO/DI and test your water for nitrates and phosphates. How did you get ich in the first place? Did you qt all new arrivals?

 

[fish1031]

Originally Posted by joyfnp
I'm sorry this happened to you. When you said water parameters were all fine, was that with a liquid test kit? On another thread in another forum, someone had problems with a dipstick-like test kits giving completely different readings than a liquid test kit. With respect to RO water, did you have a problem with hair algae? If not, then I wouldn't worry about it. Although you can always make the RO your drinking and cooking water as well, and justify the expense of the unit that way.
Again, sorry for the losses of your fish.
yes I used the liquid test kit... i never had hair algae problems...

 

[fish1031]

Originally Posted by earlybird
Always use RO or RO/DI and test your water for nitrates and phosphates. How did you get ich in the first place? Did you qt all new arrivals?
The ick must have been on the fish I already had in the 55 which I never QT. When I put them in the 180 the ick must have came up with the stress of the move... after those fish I qt all new ones yes.
I always test nitrates but never phosphates- what does this test for?

 

[ophiura]

What are your specific tank parameters?
I've said this before...and it may be interpreted as harsh but it is not intended to be -
You can have lots of money, and the best equipment in the world...but if you are not patient, the tank will fail.
There were a lot of indications of problems with disease, and the stocking was still pretty fast. I'm rather concerned about that issue.
I am sure this can be worked out, but the golden rule will be patience.

 

[sudc]

Arguably, a 10" Naso tang itself could be too much for a tank that size and essentially brand new. To also have a yellow tang, a "large" blue tang, trigger and others is WAY too much for a recently cycled 180g. The tank had no chance at all to adjust to the added bioloads.
Start over much more slowly and with smaller fish. If you want multiple tangs, that is fine but not multiple foot long tangs in a 180g. That will not work IMO. Start over adding just 1 fish per 4-6 weeks. Try smaller tangs as well if you want multiples especially the Naso. A 180g is about the bare minimum at best for a large Naso.
And yes, DEFINITELY RO!!!!! Why spend all that money on equipment and then cheap out on the most important part..... WATER!!!!!
Good luck.

 

[fish1031]

nitrite-0
nitrate-30
ph-8.2
kh-2.6
sg- 1.023
ammonia-0
cal-420
copper-0
thats the results of all my kits
5 fish in 6 months is still too fast?
I waited 2 months before I put anything in.
I was more patient than before this time and will be even more patient next time.
Thanks though
Oh, I am going to Corpus Christi tomorrow.. I see you are from Houston... any good fish stores in Corpus that are really cool?

 

[ophiura]

I am afraid I don't have a clue. Corpus is rather far away, however the Texas State Aquarium is there and not too bad

 

[sudc]

5 in 6 months isnt necessarily too fast but a 10" Naso is like adding 10 anthias or more. That thing is a bioload machine!!! A 6-7" Naso can cloud a 180g when it poops, a 10 incher! Thats a bioload storm when he goes. The Blue is the same. You said it was large which i assume means 7-8. Thats alot of bioload for a tank to adjust too.
That doesnt even account for territoriality or just stress from not enough roon. A 180g is big but not for a 10" Naso. He may do prety good but one that size would like alot more open swimming room than a 180g has. I'd say go with a smaller Naso and upgrade in a few years when he outgrows it if you are set on a Naso.

 

[fish1031]

I know you are right... He was huge and my blue tang was 7-8in. I am not set on a Naso... I will most likely not get another one... I like them but I really only liked mine... She was one of a kind... she would eat nori sheets from my hand and acted like a puffer... she was also the fastest fish I have ever seen... she can't be replaced... so I will probably do something else... I will be asking about my fishlist in a few weeks im sure. right now I need a break.
Thanks ophuria... I might check that out... I am flying into Houston (connection)

 

[fish1031]

I spent a few hours at the aquarium and it was pretty cool.. thanks for the tip!

 

[renogaw]

btw, phosphates are byproducts of food, most food have them and they are not digestable by the fish. They are basically another fertilzer for algae.

 

[hatessushi]

5 fish in 6 months is still too fast?
I waited 2 months before I put anything in.
[/QUOTE80
If you started adding fish in January and they were all dead by the end of April then that is 4 months, so 5 fish in 4 months not 6 months. Fish that size should be added with a longer waiting span. I agree with others about have a naso and other large fish in a 180, but for sure if you are going to do it then add them way more slowly to let the bio of the tank catch up. Tang are messy fish and the tank needs to be ready to handle each one.

 

[fish1031]

your right... im sorry... i was counting from when I set the tank up in November
nov, dec, jan, feb, mar, apr- thats 6
anyway I know I am going to get everything under control and maybe add something in Jul-Aug---- I still have the trigger and wrasse