My Entire Tank is dead!!

[renogaw]

your tank is also too new for your biorings (assuming bioballs, round blue things?) to be causing you to have nitrates. in a well setup system, they won't cause nitrates for a while, until they have a ton of detritus on them. You have nitrates because your nitrites are being broken down with the bio system.

 

[renogaw]

heh, another thing. what test kit are you using to get a reading of 300 alk? what's that reading in?
you have corals, so you also need to start testing your calcium as well.

 

[darthsimon]

I took the BioRings out... They were filthy... Cleaned them of with Declorinated water, and put them back in.... I will return the air pump and stone today....
Readings this morning....
Amonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 30
Ph 8.2
Temp 80
Also did a 20 Percent Water changed with aged Pre Mixed Salt water....
Also rinsed out my 2 Fiulter sponges...
the One Pecula clown looks goood... he is hanging in teh back of the tank.. Still not eating yet
Now,
My friend has a 55 Gallon rectangular with stand he wants to give me... The tank I have now has Corals, and one BTA in it, as well as the one Clown... What should I do ?? MOve the Corals over, and use the new tank?? Any thoughts?? Use nano as a Med Tank?? Also have some live rock in nano...

 

[renogaw]

i'd turn the 29 into a qt/ht tank yes. just move everything living over to the new tank, including the rock
a 55 will give you a much better chance to catch problems.

 

[renogaw]

just remember, your nitrates really need to get down to zero for a reef tank.

 

[darthsimon]

I pressume I will have to Cycle the new 55 and will take a few weeks before I can move anything over??
Also my friend has filters and so forth, but he used this tank as a fresh water display. Should I buy all new gear?? What do you guys recommend?? For filter, pump, powerheads ect??
Also what do I do with the Clown that is alive?? Leave him in Nano? or move him over right away??

 

[darthsimon]

I just did a 20 percent water change.... Other than doing WC and not over feading, how do you get nitrates down??

 

[renogaw]

deep sand bed and/or a sump/refugium are the two easiest and most effective ways.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by DarthSimon
I just did a 20 percent water change.... Other than doing WC and not over feading, how do you get nitrates down??
Do frequent water changes. Once every 3-4 days until they are under control.

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by DarthSimon
I pressume I will have to Cycle the new 55 and will take a few weeks before I can move anything over??
Also my friend has filters and so forth, but he used this tank as a fresh water display. Should I buy all new gear?? What do you guys recommend?? For filter, pump, powerheads ect??
Also what do I do with the Clown that is alive?? Leave him in Nano? or move him over right away??

if you move everything over, and add a little more live rock (you definitely will need to, that or put in some base rock) and sand, you may have a smaller cycle yes. The thing is, your rock/sand etc all have the ich parasite in it now, so you're going to have to go 6 weeks anyway before adding any new fish to let the Ich cycle work its way through. You're clown needs to get hypo'ed immediately.
most of the equipment won't be good for a salt tank. You'll also need to find out what meds or treatments your friend ever put in there.

 

[darthsimon]

So Don't put any of my live rock or corals from the old tank in the new water in the 55?
Ok, Maybe I will just buy a new filter.... What do you recommend for something easy??

 

[renogaw]

youre in a sticky situation because you have corals, possibly infected rock and sand, and infected fish.
probably the best course of action would be to take the sand and rock out of the 29 and put either in a tote or the 55 for the 6 weeks. i don't know if you should put your water and rock from the 29 into the 55 so it has some bacteria in it to prevent a huge cycle, but you gotta seperate your fish from the corals and do hypo on the fish. Maybe put the corals into totes with the live rock.

 

[darthsimon]

Looks like the false Pec has ich now... Couple of white spots. he still didn't eat tonight... tried some live brine, and pellets... Food passes him right by, and he has no intrest...
So i get the new tank monday... I have the PreMixed Salt water ready to go... 55 Gallons....
What kind of totes are you talking about for the rock and corals?? I also have a BTA...
they could stay in totes for 6 weeks??
What would make more sense to me would get all the live rock and coral seprate from the 29 and 55 for the 6 weeks, and Do Hypo on the 29 and start fresh with the 55 with no ich ever introduced??

 

[renogaw]

sorta thinking you should do hypo in the 55

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by renogaw
sorta thinking you should do hypo in the 55
That is not necessary. Is this sand in the 29 live or plain? If it is only live in bacteria or plain then you are good. You will need more sand for the 55 anyway. Set up the 55 with a layer of sand. Remove the rocks and corals to the 55. Hypo the 29 once all corals, rocks, and inverts are out. Leave the 55 fishless for 6 weeks. Hypo takes roughly 5 weeks anyway from start to finish. Once your fish are disease free you will be able to move them and the sand from the 29 into the 55 and keep the 29 running for a qt tank. I don't know if it was mentioned before, but you will need a refractometer to perform hypo.

 

[darthsimon]

Ok,
It's live sand... So your saying setup the 55 and put the live rock and corals in asap. Dont wait for any sort of cycle?? What about my Bubble Tip anemone that is attatched to live rock??
So you do not want any sand in the QT tank correct??
What would you guys recommend cleaning out the new (used) tank with??

 

[renogaw]

Originally Posted by DarthSimon
Ok,
It's live sand... So your saying setup the 55 and put the live rock and corals in asap. Dont wait for any sort of cycle?? What about my Bubble Tip anemone that is attatched to live rock??
So you do not want any sand in the QT tank correct??
What would you guys recommend cleaning out the new (used) tank with??
no sand in the qt, just paint the bottom.
i used white vinegar to clean out my used tank, and to clean out my QT after i had a sick fish in it. rinse it well, let it dry, rinse again.

 

[darthsimon]

How long should I wait to put the corals in the 55??

 

[darthsimon]

Ok, Gonna get all new Filtration.....
So im getting the 55 Gallon Tank with hood and stand... Im not going to use his filters, being they were Fresh Water, and old...
How does this sound...
2 AquaClear 110's
2 30 Gallon Power Heads...
1 Protien Skimmer??? Need right away???

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by DarthSimon
Ok, Gonna get all new Filtration.....
So im getting the 55 Gallon Tank with hood and stand... Im not going to use his filters, being they were Fresh Water, and old...
How does this sound...
2 AquaClear 110's
2 30 Gallon Power Heads...
1 Protien Skimmer??? Need right away???
You will need stronger powerheads for the 55 with corals. How many gallons per hour is that powehead you are thinking of? Is it made by Hagen as well (an aquaclear?) Have you used aquaclear products before? If you like them then that is great. I have a 10 gallon aquaclear filter on a 5 gallon tank that did hold a cichlid until I moved him to my 20. I still have the 5 gallon running. I do not like that filter at all. It is very insuficient as apposed to other filters. I got it free from Hagen, so I used it. I am not happy with it though and would never buy one. Just my personal thoughts on Aquaclear. Their powerheads are WAY over priced as well.