Need help with my tank..

[buick392]

Well ever sence i got the tank i have been rushing and buying stuff to see if it would live but they never live to to to long.
I have had my tank for about a year now and i am left with only a tomato clown that i have had for a long time now. Yesturday i went out and bought 2 reef dansels ( the little green type of looking ones), a little red shrimp, and a crab. The only thing that is not dead is the crab.
In the period of time that i have had this fish tank i have only changed 25% of the water two times. I am getting really frustrated with the tank because every thing now that i get to put in there now, most of the time dies.
this is how my tank stats are: nitrite(no2)=0ppm
nitrate(no3)=15ppm
Salt water level :1.021
If any one nows what it is i would appreciate it, and ask all the questions you want.

 

[beth]

Hi, buick. Have you read any books before getting started in the hobby? Since you've been in the hobby, what have you read?
This is really a learning hobby and studying is no small factor.
Give some details about your set up, type of tank, water you use, sand, rock, size, pumps, equiptment.
Do you have any suspicion why the animals are dying?

 

[buick392]

Originally posted by Beth
Hi, buick. Have you read any books before getting started in the hobby? Since you've been in the hobby, what have you read?
This is really a learning hobby and studying is no small factor.
Give some details about your set up, type of tank, water you use, sand, rock, size, pumps, equiptment.
Do you have any suspicion why the animals are dying?
Well i really cant say i have read any books but have, talked to the owners of the pet shop were i get my fish at. My set up is :
*10 gallon
*well i use the salt water from my local pet store,and fresh water from zepherhills
*my sand is not live it did not come wet
*i have about 8 different rocks but all in a bulk
*size of rocks ??? big medium small
*i have a small pump that gives current, and a normal filter.
Talking about filters i havent changed mine for about 1month1/2, will any off the things that i have said could be the cause of my problem?????

 

[chamic1]

Do you have an ammonia tester? if you do, what is your reading? FYI a 10 gallon tank is really hard to keep because it is so small. A larger tank is easier to care for b/c there is more water for wastes to dissolve in. Also fish are happier with more swimming room (not all fish). What type of lighting do you have? Do you have sand or little rocks? What type of filtration do you have? You said you use saltwater from the local LFS. The water that you use, is it from their tanks or do they premix it for you, or do you mean that you just buy the salt from them? The rocks you have, are the live rocks? Depending on what type of filter you have, I'd say it needs to be changed. If water is barely passing through and it's full of brown stuff, I'd change it. Do you use carbon? What are/were you feeding your fish? How fast are you putting inhabitants in the tank? Do you know what the Nitrogen Cycle is?
I suggest you READ A LOT on this topic, I been researching and reading for months and I still hardly know anything. I know enough to start a tank and have a few basic fish, that about it.

 

[buick392]

I am kinda lost on a couple of things you asked me , but im not home when i get home i will try to answer your questions as good as i could.

 

[chamic1]

Let me know where your lost and I try and clear some of it up.

 

[buick392]

Do you have an ammonia tester? no
What type of lighting do you have?2 15 watt 19",white ,blue
Do you have sand or little rocks?i have sand that came in a bag. no little rocks
What type of filtration do you have? i have the whisper 20,
current blower
You said you use saltwater from the local LFS. The water that you use, is it from their tanks or do they premix it for you, or do you mean that you just buy the salt from them? Well i see they get it out of this big jug maybe 250 gallons, i have asked them were they get the water at they have told me that they get it at the local aquerium (sea world(i think it is called)). I think that there water is good. not from there tanks.
The rocks you have, are the live rocks? yes, i used to have this rock with a flower pot corol looking coral it died about a couple of weeks ago.
Do you use carbon? in the filter yes
What are/were you feeding your fish?tetra marine color(the rainbow blend, red top,body blue
How fast are you putting inhabitants in the tank? i dont get this,do you mean like how long i take to throw them in?
Do you know what the Nitrogen Cycle is? When you first get your tank?
Should i get the ammonia tester? i have tried to answer them as good as i can.

 

[buick392]

anything on what you think it is?

 

[buick392]

What do you guys think i should do about my problem. i really want to get some fish in there.

 

[dedwards]

First off you need to get a full test kit. Ones that test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate & ph. Here are my list of questions.
1. Are you acclimating the fish before you put them in? By this I mean do you float the bag for 15 minutes and then add small amounts of water to the bag over about an hour or two before putting the fish in?
All fish need to be acclimated before putting them in the tank, including snails. There is a link on the left hand side of the forums called Acclimation. That will have everything you need to prepare your fish.
2. What steps did you take to setup the tank?
A typical setup will include adding sand, live rock and saltwater and then adding food or a cocktail shrimp (needs to be something that can be decomposed) to kick start bacteria growth. This is called 'cycling a tank'. The cycle will start with a large amount of ammonia being produced. Then the ammonia will be converted into nitrites and then finally to nitrates. Frequent water changes are usually needed to get rid of the nitrates.
If you need anything else feel free to ask or you can email me at david.edwards.2@gmail.com

 

[aidos]

I think from the answers u have given that there a a few areas of knowledge that u lack in. if i were u i would spend a few hours on here using the search facility. look up key words such as cycle, adding fish, water circulation.
hope this helps

 

[trigger78]

Read up on everything that they told you and you will understand why your fish are dying. An ammonia test kit will probably reveal something and you are trying to put too much in that small of a tank. Two fish, a crab, and a shrimp would produce too much waste w/ the clown that you still have for that aquarium. 1-1.5 inch of fish per 5 gallons of water in new aquariums is ideal. Good luck and read a lot and you will succeed.