Just Started My SW Tank!!! HELP ME OUT!

mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
and another helpful tip, if yo dont have a ro-di system, is to, instead of using tapwater, go to walmart, and buy distilled water, its purified, u can get it for, well, here its roughly a quarter per gallon, and use that for ur top off an what not
 
shyshko08

shyshko08

Member
Originally Posted by patrick8929
http:///forum/post/2856189
they died because the tank wasnt ready for the bio-load of the fish. the cycle may not have been finished and that is what killed them. im not trying to be mean but i just feel like your not listening to any thing any one is saying and you think this book is just all knowing.
No, your completely wrong on that. I do listen to people, your just not understand the fact that I bought the fish BEFORE I found this site. So at this point theres nothing I can do but pray for the fish to survive! I appreciate all the information, and I'm not saying that you're wrong,.
 
mboswell1982

mboswell1982

Active Member
yes, you can do something, take them back to the fish store you bought them from, they will either give you store credit for them, or hold them for you till your tank is ready for fish, weve all tried to tell you that at least once
 
shyshko08

shyshko08

Member
Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2856203
and another helpful tip, if yo dont have a ro-di system, is to, instead of using tapwater, go to walmart, and buy distilled water, its purified, u can get it for, well, here its roughly a quarter per gallon, and use that for ur top off an what not

Yeah its .49cents a gallon. Thats what I use and all I use. I dont trust my tap water.
 
patrick8929

patrick8929

Active Member
okay well you could always take it back to the store. i have never found a store that said no to taking a fish off my hands. im sorry if i have come off as an a** but im just trying to keep you from making the mistakes newbies make and then give up.
 
shyshko08

shyshko08

Member
Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2856213
yes, you can do something, take them back to the fish store you bought them from, they will either give you store credit for them, or hold them for you till your tank is ready for fish, weve all tried to tell you that at least once
One, they will not give me any money back, and second I highly doubt this place will hold the fish for me due to the fact they don't want to be responsible for the fish b/c they could get to stressed from all the moving around and die.
 
patrick8929

patrick8929

Active Member
well then take them back and get no money for it. either way these fish ont have a high percent to live. now when they do live your gunna say we were all wrong. and dont get me wrong i think it would be great if they do live obviously that is what i want. but you have to realize its not good for the fish.
 
shyshko08

shyshko08

Member
Originally Posted by patrick8929
http:///forum/post/2856223
well then take them back and get no money for it. either way these fish ont have a high percent to live. now when they do live your gunna say we were all wrong. and dont get me wrong i think it would be great if they do live obviously that is what i want. but you have to realize its not good for the fish.
If you're so concerned, why dont you write me a check for 45$ and ill take the fish back to the store.
 
srgvigil

srgvigil

Member
Originally Posted by mboswell1982
http:///forum/post/2856125
i just got the answer LOL you are going to have die off on the new rock u just added, and it can cause another spike in ammonia, if i remember right, for an established tank, u dont add live rock, but base rock, and it will eventually turn into live rock
woo thank god for research LOL now lets just hope all that research is right

This depends whether its cured or uncured.
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
Shy, like I said, you are on the right track now. Keep doing what you're doing with the water tesing. If you start seeing a spike, be prepared. Besides having plenty of premixed water on hand, get a bottle of NovAqua and Nitraban. They are very good at instantly nuetralizing ammonia and nitrite/nitrate. The cycle keeps rolling and the bacteria will keep churning out the chemicals, but when you add the above mentioned chemicals with water changes, it does help. Also, the fact that you did do research shows you tried to do it right. If Beth chimes in, she can be tough, but I'd listen to her. She knows her stuff.
 
shyshko08

shyshko08

Member
Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/2856232
Shy, like I said, you are on the right track now. Keep doing what you're doing with the water tesing. If you start seeing a spike, be prepared. Besides having plenty of premixed water on hand, get a bottle of NovAqua and Nitraban. They are very good at instantly nuetralizing ammonia and nitrite/nitrate. The cycle keeps rolling and the bacteria will keep churning out the chemicals, but when you add the above mentioned chemicals with water changes, it does help. Also, the fact that you did do research shows you tried to do it right. If Beth chimes in, she can be tough, but I'd listen to her. She knows her stuff.
Wow, thank you very much!
Finally someone who understands and instead of just telling me what I did wrong, tells me how I can make the best of the situation
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
Patrick, he gets it already. The fish are in danger. They should have been added later. At this point the churlish tone is just argumentative. Also, it is the dead life on the LR that causes a spike. If the LR was kept submerged and not too long (ie, less than a day) in uncirculating water, there shouldn't be a spike. I bought 60 lbs of LR up in Tucson in early August. I put it in 2 large Rubbermaid tubs filled with water, drove the 90 miles home and added it directly to my tank (yes I should have cured it). I had NO spike, due to no die-off. It is no mystery why some LR causes a spike-the LR was not kept in an environment that would support the life on the rock.
 
tdog7879

tdog7879

Member
IMO i would let nature take it course and let it go. Don't add any chemicals,no more fish,inverts,even LR and just let it go for a couple more week and see if your fish make it. If they don't remove them and wait and slowly add some CUC then 1-2 fish. Think of it this way the only thing you might lose is you fish. I no that not the best thing to say but fish die they aren't going to live forever thats why i would spend no more then 50 bucks for a fish. Also those clown fish are like 25 bucks a pair.
 
lkgrenegade22

lkgrenegade22

Member
Dude don't sweat it. People are here are notorious for bashing new guys, they did the same thing to me because I added fish "too soon". They swore an ammonia spike would come and everything would die and it has still yet to happen. I did take extra precaution to make sure I had gotten fully cured rock, and I have even added some more rock while fish were in the tank. I just paid premium price for it because it was fully cured. I'm not even dare trying to say I know it all because there are lots of other people on here that have probably forgotten more than I know, but don't take everything you read on here as the gospel. Make sure you listen to the people who have ACTUAL experience and aren't just throwing info at you that they read somewhere. I have read so much conflicting info I almost don't even give any value to some of the stuff I read now. Clowns are hardy and as long as you keep on top of testing and such they should be fine. I've heard plenty of stories of them surviving situations I couldn't believe. Also, taking things back to the LFS is not always the answer...I've already pretty much learned which ones are the best around here but in some of them the fish are better off at my house. I will admit I did take advice from people on here and decreased my stocklist, but if everything I was told at the beginning was true I would have a empty tank right now and that is far from the truth.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I have read so much conflicting info I almost don't even give any value to some of the stuff I read now.
I totally agree with the above....and also to listen to the ones who have real experience...
 
mantisman51

mantisman51

Active Member
The folks on here, like Beth and Sir Quizzy, have invested alot of money and time in there set ups. The advice they give seems quite conservative, but if followed, will do the most to give the optimal chance of success. Can some people take short cuts and do ok. Maybe, but alot of people get into this hobby and are given disastrous info and when they are looking at $1000 or $2000 in wasted livestock and equipment, give up. I look at it like this, if you take the time and use patience (both of which I am terrible at), you give yourself and the livestock the best chance. Conversely, if you have made some mistakes, like I did, try to make the best of it and learn from it. My wife was ready to make me ditch the 125 gal tank because of my errors.
 
patrick8929

patrick8929

Active Member
okay so i guess i came off as an a**, let me just say sorry first of all. your right. i should not have bashed you like that and i should be helping you make the best of the situation. the best thing to do now is check water perams. keep up with top offs and such and just make sure the fish have a good tank to try and live through the cycle. i really am truly sorry. im sorry for bashing you!!! im just here to keep people from making the same mistakes i did when i started out. i gave up and after 2 years im back. dont get discouraged!!
 
patrick8929

patrick8929

Active Member
Originally Posted by mantisman51
http:///forum/post/2856241
Patrick, he gets it already. The fish are in danger. They should have been added later. At this point the churlish tone is just argumentative. Also, it is the dead life on the LR that causes a spike. If the LR was kept submerged and not too long (ie, less than a day) in uncirculating water, there shouldn't be a spike. I bought 60 lbs of LR up in Tucson in early August. I put it in 2 large Rubbermaid tubs filled with water, drove the 90 miles home and added it directly to my tank (yes I should have cured it). I had NO spike, due to no die-off. It is no mystery why some LR causes a spike-the LR was not kept in an environment that would support the life on the rock.
like i said im sorry i am here now to help with the future not bash on the past.
 
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