im an idiot need help

[briand7878]

Ok here is what i did. I made a bonehead mistake of getting uncured liverock and putting it in my tank. I cleaned it off but never soaked it. I guess you could say i was excited and rushed things. I put the rock in three days ago. When i got home today i found my maroon clown dead. I have a couple other fish in the tank. I tested the water and my ammonia was only .25. That does not seem excessivly high to me. Is that what killed my fish.? I did a 10 gallon water change. How high can i expect my ammo to go?

i dont need punished anymore please help.

 

[coolguy818]

If i were you, i would get those fish out. You are going thruogh another cylce.

 

[trigger11]

Well, at only .25 for ammonia that doesnt sound like it would be high enough that it would have killed the fish. Although I would definitely say you are going through a cycle. I am wondering how you cleaned the new live rock? Did you use any kind of chemicals or maybe a brush that you had used for some other project? I may be wrong but it sounds like something else other than the ammonia killed your maroon. My recommendation would be to do several water changes over the next few weeks.

 

[briand7878]

i cleaned my live rock with a brand new tooth brush and ro water. i put about 30 lbs in. i changed 10 gallons today. if i continue to do small water changes every third day or so can i keep the ammo down.

 

[briand7878]

oh and more bad news. my nitrites are now .5 will my protein skimmer help remove some of the ammonia and nitrates? the tank is obviously going through another cycle should i pull all the new live rock out and cure it or just leave it now?

 

[dawman]

Remove your livestock ASAP ! Too late to remove the rock , the damage is done . Re-cycle your tank with the rock in it .

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by trigger11
Well, at only .25 for ammonia that doesnt sound like it would be high enough that it would have killed the fish. Although I would definitely say you are going through a cycle. I am wondering how you cleaned the new live rock? Did you use any kind of chemicals or maybe a brush that you had used for some other project? I may be wrong but it sounds like something else other than the ammonia killed your maroon. My recommendation would be to do several water changes over the next few weeks.

ANY detectable ammonia will kill fish, and it was probably higher before he did the test. it damages their gills/lungs.

 

[puffer32]

If you can't remove the fish do a 50% water change ASAP. Then do smaller changes daily. Remove the new rock and cure it in a bucket. I made a similar mistake in my 55 last month, and lost a fish, and i should know better

I was told the LR was cured, and it was only 2 pieces. I can get away with that error in my 150, but not a 55

. I took the rock out as soon as i saw my ammonia was spiked and changed out 50% of my water, then did 20% for 3 days, and the ammonia was gone.

 

[dawman]

Originally Posted by renogaw
ANY detectable ammonia will kill fish, and it was probably higher before he did the test. it damages their gills/lungs.

Exactly , ammonia starts at burning the gills away and then moves to the lungs .

 

[lesleybird]

I would take the rock out and cure it in a bucket of saltwater with a powerhead or airstone after first making sure that all the visable rotting stuff is brushed off. Do not rinse it with chlorinated tap water. I would buy a bottle of Cycle bacteria and use some in the water with the fish after doing a large partial water change, and some in the bucket with the rock. Good luck, Lesley

 

[reefer545]

whoops

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by Dawman
Exactly , ammonia starts at burning the gills away and then moves to the lungs .
most fish dont have lungs....... there are only a couple that do.. like lungfish.....

 

[laxplaya]

dude, putting LR in creates an ammoni spike. When it read .25 was probly the end of the spike. The only time u should put in uncured is if there is nothing in ur tank.

 

[briand7878]

i know, like i said i was being a bonehead. i took all the live rock out and did a partial water change. hopefully everything will drop. all parameters are high but not crazy high.

 

[puffer32]

You'll be fine now. And you aren't a bone head, well, maybe we both are, but don't kick yourself to hard, i have been in the hobby for 20 yrs and I did the same thing. I was thinking 150 DT and should have been thinking 55.

If thats the worst mistake you make, you are doing fine

 

[briand7878]

my dt is 75 with about 10 gallons in a sump/refug. i noticed my cleaner shrimp molted. i thought he was dead until i saw him swimming. ha ha

 

[georgev845]

Originally Posted by Lesleybird
I would take the rock out and cure it in a bucket of saltwater with a powerhead or airstone after first making sure that all the visable rotting stuff is brushed off. Do not rinse it with chlorinated tap water. I would buy a bottle of Cycle bacteria and use some in the water with the fish after doing a large partial water change, and some in the bucket with the rock. Good luck, Lesley
exactly

 

[briand7878]

I pulled all the rock out of the tank and have it cycling in antoher tank. i checked the ammonia today and it is sky high. hopefully this cycle wont take forever.

 

[georgev845]

if you took it out do a water change in the good tank
every week do a 10% in the LR tank and it should be good in no more than a month patience is key

 

[puffer32]

Did you change out 50%? you need more then a 10/20% change or you are going to lose those fish. Run your skimmer full blast and might put in some ammo lock until the ammonia comes down.