Help this newbie

[seltzerd]

Hello All,
I have been searching these posts, but cant figure out my problem. I am sure this is duplicated somewhere, so my apologies.
For the holidays, my wife bought me a nano (24g). I love it but am having trouble with my fish. The LFS she got it at set it up and had it running before I got it. I started out with live rock, a leather coral, an elephant mushroom, a purple slug, 2 clowns, a blue rhino tang, a cleaner wrasse, a diamond gobie, a shrimp gobie, and a clean up crew.
The cleaner wrasse died day 3. ( but learned I probably dont have enough fish to support them). Clowns lived about 3 weeks (and a replacement from here died after 1 week), diamond gobie lived about 2 weeks as with the tang. shroom died.
My slug, shrimp gobie and leather are fine. I bought a rosebud anemone shortly after starting at home and it is doing great. I replaced my shroom with a hammerhead anemone which is doing well. I have 2 cleaner clams, a bunch of snails, crabs and a fire shrimp. Al these are fine. My pH is 8.2, Zero ammonia and nitrites, but nitrates are 30-80 at highest levels. I do 2.5 gal RO water changes/week (spec grav has stayed on 1.023 rage). I dont know why my fish are all dying. I have enclosed pics. I feed either brine or cyclopse twice a day, dT every other day for corals. I have about 25# live rock.
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[teresaq]

ok, lets slow down. Saltwater is a slow process. How long has the tank been up????
Has this tank even been cycled???
Most of the fish you have had are not right for such a small tank.
Tangs need a 6 ft tank for swimming, and cleaner wrasses do not have a good track record.
For a 24 gal tank, 2 or 3 very small fish are all you are going to be able to have. Check out the nano section, and read other posts by people with 24 gal nanos.
SP should be more towards the 1.025 range. just bump it up a little. better for your inverts.

 

[lysol]

You need to start over from scratch but this time you need to do a lot more research.

 

[seltzerd]

Thanks,
Well I got it mid December and I know it was up and running at my LFS. I would guess a few weeks before that. When we picked it up, it was already 'set up' with 2 clowns, the wrasse, purple slug, mushroom, leather and tang. The shop owner (who seems knowledgable but I dont know) knew I picked out the two gobies and that I would add a fish or two. My wife told him she wanted me to be able to choose a few.
As far as cycled, I thought the owner said he had done that. The live rock and sand came from his stock. He had said to expect an algae bloom, but rock was all established. (I think). We have other pets and always see these beautiful tanks and so I was kind of thrust into this hobby quickly, being a gift, with probably not quite enough research time. Thanks

 

[maxalmon]

It's almost criminal to have sold your wife those fish for that size tank, think of it this way. You cram all those fish into a small space, they all start eating and pooping and pretty soon you have some serious water quality problems due to the lack of biological filtration, the bacteria that consume and convert the fish waste are simply not available and in such small numbers that they can't complete the whole nitrification process.
Also, you should be using a refractometer to measure your salinity, not one of the floaty ones, they are notorious for giving the wrong readings, this could be part of the problem.
Like it was mentioned above, just slow down a little, I'm sure the tank will be fine, but you need to just let it sit for a while. Give it two or 3 weeks, then add a watchman goby or other suitable fish for a 24g. As for the feeding, be carefull that your not overfeeding.

 

[murf48]

The tank you have is perfect for coral.

If it was my tank thats what I would concentrate on.

Let the tank cycle for about another month or two and get your corals going, add one every couple of months until your comfortable with your collection adding your fish along the way. As far as picking fish I would look into three or four small fish, like a six line wrasse, clowns, blennies and gobies. Good Luck !!! I'm sure everything will be fine

 

[sac10918]

Another thought....
How did you acclimate the fish that you added to the tank?
And, you should probobly try to lower your nitrates. I am working on that in my 24 gallon as well. Its kinda a pain.....
Also, it does look like you were pushed into it and I wanted to say "good job" on doing your research....If you slow down and research before you add anything to your tank, I am certain you will have a healthy happy tank in no time at all!

 

[seltzerd]

Thanks all
I do a drip acclimation over 2 hours. I think perhaps I am not being so precise on my water change temps. I figured if water was in safe range it would be okay. I guess I will buy a heater for my water change containers.

 

[ino]

I almost had a heart attack reading that post... I'm surprised you haven't been flamed. I don't particularly blame you, considering the situation, but I'd like to get my hands on the LFS guy. Idiot. Tangs need a minimum of 75 gal... and that's just for the yellow tangs. The kind you're talking needs a lot more room... tangs are active fish. The wrasse was doomed, too, sorry. A tank that size shouldn't have more than 3-4 small fish. A few clowns and a few gobies, and it's at full capacity. I second the coral thing. That tank should be great for corals.

 

[maxalmon]

Everbody realized that this was not his or the wifes fault, it's simply another retail operation that will sell you anything and tell you what you want to hear with reckless disregard for whats true and factual.
Positive side, you've learned a major lesson in a short period of time.
I would consider adding some more CURED LR to the tank, can't have enough IMO. If or when you purchase some, pick the LR up and smell the BOTTOM of the LR if it smells like the ocean then it's cured, if it smells kinda rotten or nasty then it's still in the curing process. Transport the LR back home in a bucket filled with SW, this way dieoff is minimized.