HELP!!!!!!!Hurry!!!!!

[nm69884]

I just lost an Urchin, lost all of his spines. After reading the board I realized what I did wrong. After putting him in I tested my tank, A=0, Trites=0, Trates where 60, quickly did a 10% water change, Now I realize they don't like this. MY Trates are still hovering around 20-30 is this OK? I threw my urchin away, although I noticed little movment in the can, i thought it was too late. What can I do so I don't lose more??

 

[nm69884]

11 views and nobody nows what thier Trates levels are?:notsure:

 

[larrynews]

mine are at 5 i got rid of my urchin...he was a hotch hicker and was eating off my coraline...tht

 

[molamola]

Generally, between 0 and 30, is an acceptable level for nitrates. If it gets higher, it's not so much a problem for the fish etc, but it will lead to huge algae and slime issues. How frequently are you changing the water? How much are you taking out? What's your temp and salinity? Also, what other types of fish do you have in there?

 

[nm69884]

Just lost my condi???????? PLEASE HELP, NOT SURE WHAT IS GOING ON.
A= 0
Trites=0
Trates=40
Salinity= 32
???????????????????????????????????????????

 

[molamola]

Are you certain it's dead? What gave you that impression? Have you tested for Copper or Phosphates?

 

[nm69884]

Sorry, I posted before reading your reply.
Temp 78
Porky Puffer
Psych. Mandarin
Maroon Clown
Percula Clown
2 yellow tail damsels
Emerald Green Sea Star
Yes, BAD Brown Algae, Snails are keeping up good though.
Changing 10% weekly now, was 10% every other week
FISH look good, no distress, BUt lost urchin and now condi

 

[nm69884]

Dead Because it has engulfed itself and looks deflated, no posture in it but still is attached, have not removed it, waiting to see if this is normal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[durabane]

most inverts need pristine water conditions
also they need lots of lighting what wpg are you running
most anenomes need at least 5 wpg
water temp is not as exact the thing u have to watch with is big fluxes
also how long have you had you system up most people suggest at least 6 months before u try most of the harder to keep inverts
also water flow is a big thing u need to have also if you dont have it u wont get the food to the places that it need to get to and were u spot feeding the condi or just letting it feed off light and fend for itself
and I guess I should ask is this a hawian condi the anenome you are talking about before i give more advise on anenomes.

cant really help on the urchin I have never had one before

 

[nm69884]

1

 

[nm69884]

Lights are not the best, they are 18w but 18000k, can not afford $400 for lighting, using stock hood but did at least change bulbs, 2 - 18" 18,000k, Hawaiian? not sure-white w/ purple tips, sorry for the vagueness, tank has been set up for 3 months? I think I might be rushing things.. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP.55GALLON, WATER FLOW IS GREAT, RUNING 300GPH FILTER WITH SPRAY BAR AND A skilter that blows good in the condi's direction, not bad though

 

[molamola]

Don't toss the anemone. If it's still attached to the rock and deflated, it's most likely not dead. The telltale signs of a dead anemone are the following:
Smells like rotten decaying death multiplied by 1,000
Has completely dissolved and little stringy bits of it are just floating around the tank
It completely eviscerates itself.
Anemones will close up and deflate when they are in the process of excreting waste, so if you have recently fed the anemone, that might be the issue.
I would, eventually, pop the bucks and get some more intense lighting.
I would also have the water tested for copper and phosphates and continue with the water changes. Slow down on the additions also. Also pay attention to the compatability and care requirements of the fish you put in.
How big is the tank and how much liverock do you have?

 

[nm69884]

55 Gallon, 75-80 lbs of live rock, tank cycled very fast as the rock I bought was from an exisiting tank, as well as the sand. I started in Jan, let tank sit for a month and the additions have been approx 1 week apart.

 

[molamola]

Sounds like a good setup. Are you feeding more than once a day, and are you doing your waterchanges with filtered water or tap?

 

[gfk]

36 watts of light in a 55 gallon sounds like it might be your problem. anyone else feel the same?

 

[nm69884]

feeding 2-3 x per day, tap water non chlor, as comes from the well, Thanks for all your help, i thought I read evry thing I could have read, but real life experience is 100x better

 

[molamola]

Cut back the feeding to once a day, whatever the fish will eat in one minute's time, removing any excess. Feed the anemone once a week. Switch from the well water to r/o or distilled water. The high nitrates are probably a result of overfeeding. Keep up with those water changes. You want to change out around 30% each month. You can break it down however you want to.

 

[fishieness]

what algae is bad algae? you said it was brown algae from high nitrates. I have somme brown on my live rock and it spread a bit to my glass. The guy at my LFS said this was jsut a healthy growth. its not strigny algae or anything though. It jsut kinda covers the rocks. Good or bad?

 

[molamola]

I wouldn't say that it was good or bad. It just is. Everybody gets it. No worries, unless it's growing out of your tank and onto the carpet below, and has learned how to speak fluent English.

 

[durabane]

Well water is good for the fact that no chlorines but it will have iron and phosphates and other trace minerals out the wassu when I lived in the country just for kicks one day I hooked a ro filter up to my main from the well and was a little disturb that the filter after a days work would stick to a magnet. Dont fall for mother earths filteration that lots of old timers preach get a good ro di filter and save yourself a lot of headaches. or walmart sells gallon jugs for like 50 cents start using those for you water changes