New to SWF - Need advice

[torynicole]

So Im new to this hobby and I have a question regarding my PH level. I have a 110 g tank with about 50 lbs of live rock and about 6 fish + 1 lobster. The tank is about 7 weeks old.
My PH is currently at a 7.8 and is not increasing with the Kent Marine Pro buffer still after 3 days. My others levels are
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 10
Salinity - 1.025
Temp - 79
I am also on my 3rd daily treatment of of the Melafix antibacterial remedy and treating the whole tank, which was suggested by my LFS for one of my fish that has cloud eye.
As of right now my fish are breathing more rapidly/harder than normal and I am getting pretty worried. Can this be bc of the low PH? Why is the buffer not working? What else can be causing this and what should I do? Please any advice Thank you

 

[meowzer]

Stop dosing the melafix....you should never medicate your whole tank.....and your lfs is wrong.....the melafix "from what I understand" reduces oxygen levels in the water....which would explain the heavy breathing..
get some water ready to do a w/c as soon as you can.....set up a hospital tank for your sick fish and treat it in there
I aqm not sure, but I bet that stuff messes with other things too.....
what type of fish do you have?

 

[flower]

Welcome to the site.....Wow you got your hands full already......A 7 week old tank is way to new for 6 fish and lobsters eat fish. They are not compatible in the same tank. After the first cycle, one fish every two or three weeks can be added. If your fish are breathing hard they are having trouble breathing.... You need to do a water change....That means to swap out the old water and replace with new saltwater with the same SG. If you have an ammonia spike you need some amquel (spelling????)
What test kits are you using? Stop using buffer...it doesn't help. What is your SG, and are you using a hydrometer or refractometer to read it? And never ever dose the main tank with medicine, the sand and rock absorb it, and most medicines are dangerous for the inverts that live in the rocks... plus it's hard to tell how much of a dose a sick fish gets. You need a hospital tank set up for a sick fish and give it medicine in there.
What time of the day do you test the PH? Mornings is the lowest PH of the day and just before lights out is the highest PH reading of the day.
I am not familiar with that medicine so maybe someone will chime in....

 

[torynicole]

Since I didn't have a separate tank at the time to catch and treat just the sick fish told me it would be fine and probably better to treat the whole tank so it kills the bacteria. The fish that has the "pop eye" or "cloud eye" is the oriental sweetlips. Also in the tank I have a Yellow Tang, 1 clownfish, and 3 damsel fish. I also I have a Purple lobster. Will the oxygen levels rise again its own if I stop the melafix?

 

[meowzer]

I totally missed the 7 week part.....WAY too soon for all those fish.....usually you add some cuc (clean up crew) when your levels are good....
Do you have any powerheads? is this a closed tank..or open top? do you know how to make new saltwater?

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by torynicole http:///forum/thread/387141/new-to-swf-need-advice#post_3403995
Since I didn't have a separate tank at the time to catch and treat just the sick fish told me it would be fine and probably better to treat the whole tank so it kills the bacteria. The fish that has the "pop eye" or "cloud eye" is the oriental sweetlips. Also in the tank I have a Yellow Tang, 1 clownfish, and 3 damsel fish. I also I have a Purple lobster. Will the oxygen levels rise again its own if I stop the melafix?
Do you have power heads? You need to do the water change...answer meowzer...do you know how? We can guide you but you have to tell us everything so we can help.

 

[torynicole]

I've been going to the lfs and pretty much been taking their advice and what they recommend. I guess they'll tell you anything just want to make a quick buck My fault..
Right now I just have the Fluval fx5 I was told was good enough for current now and if I decide on coral later I should get an additional powerhead. The tank has a canopy on it but I mostly leave it open during the day and closed at night.
I am using a hydrometer and it is at a 1.025.
Right now the way my husband changes the water is by using tap with a water conditioner and using the concentration instructions with the salt... with a 5 gal bucket.

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by torynicole http:///forum/thread/387141/new-to-swf-need-advice#post_3404001
I've been going to the lfs and pretty much been taking their advice and what they recommend. I guess they'll tell you anything just want to make a quick buck My fault..
Right now I just have the Fluval fx5 I was told was good enough for current now and if I decide on coral later I should get an additional powerhead. The tank has a canopy on it but I mostly leave it open during the day and closed at night.
I am using a hydrometer and it is at a 1.025.
Right now the way my husband changes the water is by using tap with a water conditioner and using the concentration instructions with the salt... with a 5 gal bucket.
Tap water is not good...but right now you have other issues. Do you have an air pump in the house? An air line..no stone...will get some oxygen into the tank. You do need to do a water change ASAP...call your LFS and ask if they sell saltwater already made up. If they do, tell them your SG and go get it. Swap out the old water and add the same amount of new. Stop dosing the main tank with anything.
If the LFS does not sell already made SW you need to mix your own..with RO water from walmart or grocery store..get a power head to churn the water, and as soon as the mixing tub is clear on the bottom, make sure it matches the SG in the tank and do the water change. Most times you should wait 24 hours for the water to churn, but you have an emergency.
A 110g tank....needs more than a 5g bucket. get a NEW plastic garbage can, mark it FISH ONLY and mix your saltwater in that. I use a 37g can for my 90g tank. The utility pump churns the salt to help it mix, and then I use a hose attached to the utility pump to pump the new saltwater into the tank after I remove the old. (saves the back) That's the easiest way. A 5g bucket won't put a dent in the 110g tank.

 

[torynicole]

What is RO water? There is a store that sells is I will go before they close today.
We have just been do 35 gal water changes at a time 7 or 8 x 5gal buckets.
What type of power head do I need?

 

[meowzer]

JUST TO ADD.....go to Home Depot or Lowes....and get a BRUTE food grade trash can.....for a 110G you will need a can that can hold at least 20G's, maybe 30.....when you get on a regular schedule you should be 10-15% water changes bi-weekly....BUT you wnat to be able to make more if needed......
look into the Koralia powerheads....for a 110G yo uare goona want at least 2 Koralia evolution 1050's...maybe even 1400's
also you may want to look into a protein skimmer....but that can wait for now
go to the new hobbyist section and read the top shaded threads.....then come back with all your questions....

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by torynicole http:///forum/thread/387141/new-to-swf-need-advice#post_3404011
What is RO water? There is a store that sells is I will go before they close today.
We have just been do 35 gal water changes at a time 7 or 8 x 5gal buckets.
What type of power head do I need?
Reverse Osmoses (RO) water is very pure, so the only chemicals in your tank are the ones you put in there with your salt mix. Tap water has so much stuff in it, you can't even test for it all, and it causes nuisence algae down the road, Your fish don't need fluoride, or any of hte other additives designed for humans, all your conditioner does is neutralize chlorine.....So you want to replace that water with RO made saltwater. As you continue doing your water changes it will correct the damage of the tap water you already used.
Most of us have our own RO units...a 5 stage filter system is the best. The grocery stores sell jugs of water and you can refill them. With such a nice big tank, it will be a good investment and save you money. You need RO for waterchanges, top offs and as a plus it makes great coffee and drinking water for the family.
I only answered what Meowzer didn't

 

[snakeblitz33]

If you have glass tops on the tank to keep the fish out - take them off. Let the tank breathe and be open. Increase your internal water flow. If the tank isn't getting enough O2, the pH will be low.

 

[torynicole]

Just an update, I went to the fish store and got some premixed SW and set up a hospital tank for my sick fish. Unfortunately I was unable to catch him ( now I know why people don't buy show tanks) But anyways did the water change, added the carbon back to the filter, stopped medicating the tank, and using the buffer. I also turned the output upwards to make some water movement at the surface and added an air line.
Fish look much better they are not breathing hard anymore and the cloud eye seems to be getting less puffy and more clear.
I will be looking into a protein skimmer and another powerhead. Also a trash can and utility pump to make my water changes easier.
Thank you everyone for your advice!

 

[snakeblitz33]

Your welcome! I hope we can help each other out in the future!

 

[flower]

Quote:
Originally Posted by torynicole http:///forum/thread/387141/new-to-swf-need-advice#post_3404232
Just an update, I went to the fish store and got some premixed SW and set up a hospital tank for my sick fish. Unfortunately I was unable to catch him ( now I know why people don't buy show tanks) But anyways did the water change, added the carbon back to the filter, stopped medicating the tank, and using the buffer. I also turned the output upwards to make some water movement at the surface and added an air line.
Fish look much better they are not breathing hard anymore and the cloud eye seems to be getting less puffy and more clear.
I will be looking into a protein skimmer and another powerhead. Also a trash can and utility pump to make my water changes easier.
Thank you everyone for your advice!
Nothing makes me happier than to see a problem solved...You did good..

 

[fishmaster78]

GREAT ADVICE saltwaterfish.com crew! wish i wasn't a lagger and could have been apart of this thread. keep us posted and maybe display some pics of your tank.