Help! Im a fish Killer!

[atlfish]

hey Darth! i just got my test kit on the way home from work. Ill do the test and let you know that I come up with.

 

[atlfish]

ok All, Here are my levels
PH 8.4
ammonia 0ppm
nitrites 0ppm
nitrates 20ppm ( it that to high? ) do I need to do a partial salt water change? ) if so How much should i take out?

 

[puffer32]

Your nitrates are fine, along with all your other test results. You can do a small water change if you haven't done one in awhile, won't hurt, but your nitrates at 20 won't hurt anything, thats normal for my tank.

 

[the reef]

your nitates should be only .5 ppm any more over will cause the fish to sufacate take a test of the phosphate because the fish dying so quickly could have phosphate affect to

 

[puffer32]

reef, many new tanks have nitrates of 20 or so, i have never read that it will harm fish, nitrarites is a different story. i don't lose fish and have had 20 nitrate reading in my "young" tank.

 

[atlfish]

So what's my problem then if my levels are ok, i can't i keep fish alive. I admit when I fist started i did'nt know what the hell I was doing, but i now i know much more and just in the past two day all of yo guys have taugh me soo much. Im still doing MUCH research. My yelow tank is on his last leg, do'nt know why? tank to small? damsel could be stressing him. but he looks bad! my lawn mower benny died last week! The only two things I have not killed in about two months is my cleaner shrimp, and my little damsel. Now after the tang bites he bullet, that's it i will not buy another one. Can somone suggest a fish or should i get some more cleaner guys and let the fish alone for now and work on maintaining my levels which have been pretty steady from what i understand. Oh i have not done any water change since my first insident. So let me get this straight. Make the salt water a day or two prior to adding it to the tank, say three to four gals. Make sure that salt levels are the same as the take befor puting it in the take. then take out three to four of the old water and add the new. Please let me know if im missing something. Now i use tap water with a tap water conditioner that take all the bad stuff out. Is that ok. Or shouls I just go to wal-mart ang get some RO water and mix it with that. Whats R O stand for?

 

[darth tang]

I would use RO (reverse Osmosis) or DI (DeIonized) water in your tank. Second, IF you lose your tang do not buy anything for a month or two. When you do purchase again, research the fish you want first. Ask about it here first. Then, buy ONE and wait a month. I am wondering if you are just adding to many big fish to fast.
How do you clean your glass? Is your tank open on the top or is it covered?
Personally I wouldn't have got the Damsel to begin with. They have been known to terrorize peacefull fish to the point of death. This may be an adding factor.

 

[janis]

Hi
Sorry to hi jack this thread but I am a bit worried to read about Tangs needing a large tank.
We have a 55gal tank and have a Yellow Tang, the system is about 2 months old and it was recommended by our local marine shop to put the Tang in first with clowns.
Is he going to die soon if the tank is too small, we have had him about 3 weeks and he is doing fine.
He is in with
1 clown
1 sixline wrasse
1 coral beauty
1 flame hawkfish
2 cleaner shrimps and crabs and snails.
I wonder why all the advice we are given here in the UK is so different from what you say in the US.
Janis

 

[atlfish]

Hi Janis:
What's good. This is my third tang, I just checked on him when i came home and he is now swimming around. Just this morning i though this might be the his last day with me so I was glad I had to go to work. He still looks weak but he is at least swimming vs laying flat on his side with one fin barely moving. I almost think the seaweed i have been giving him might be bad ( if that possible) But I will keep a close watch on him and keep everyone posted. Oh and don't mind the thread that what this site is for. Jump in anytime!

 

[atlfish]

Darth! You are the second person to say that about the damel! I guys at the LFS said you should start your tank with them so that's what i did. There was this one fish i got a few weeks ago. I LOVED this fish. I forget the name but he was brown with white spots and look like he was in the clown family. he was going to get pretty big the guy at the LFS said. Anyway he just started acting really crazy swimming on his side and upside down and sinking to the bottom of my take. When i took him back and had my water tested ALL the level were perfect, but they would not give me any money back. Im kind of cool with the fish guy so he is going to let me use his store discount the next time I get a fish from there, which i really do'nt want to do anymore. But the next fish i get will be that one I was telling you about if I can find out the name. I think i might take that damsel back to where I bought it.