New to this and need advice

[kittenboo]

Hi all. I have just started a new tank. I added on Wed. 4 damsels and 6.5lbs of LR. Now 2 of my fish are dead which I know is to be expected. Also my salt level has droped to 1.019. I also have live sand in the tank. I think that the 2 fish that died where due to one agressive blue damsel in my tank but could it have to do with the salt levels? Sorry if I sound dumb but I am VERY new to this. Thanks all.

 

[bigarn]

Did the tank cycle yet? If you're cycleing with fish, that's why they're dieing.

 

[kpatrick]

If you salt level is at 1.019 then thats okay. Some people keep their tanks at that reading and some go up to 1.025. YOur fish probably died because of the spikes in your water conditions caused by the cycling of your tank. I wouldnt add any new fish for a couple weeks or until your amonia, nitrites and nitratees level out to zero.
good luck with your tank :happyfish :happyfish

 

[fishmaniac]

how big is ur tank? wut filter r u useing? do u have a protien skimmer? u need at least 1 pound of live rock per gallon if ur going reef

 

[kittenboo]

I am cycling still. Just started last Sunday. I have been watching the water levels everyother day and they look good on the test kit. Should I do a 10 water change now? maybe to bring up the salt level? All other levels look good as of last night.
Thanks so much for your responses back. I think I would go crazy without this kinda help.

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by Kittenboo
Hi all. I have just started a new tank. I added on Wed. 4 damsels and 6.5lbs of LR. Now 2 of my fish are dead which I know is to be expected. Also my salt level has droped to 1.019. I also have live sand in the tank. I think that the 2 fish that died where due to one agressive blue damsel in my tank but could it have to do with the salt levels? Sorry if I sound dumb but I am VERY new to this. Thanks all.
Welcome to the boards. You came to the right place. Cycling a tank with fish is an old outdated CRUEL method in my opinion (IMO) because the ammonia levels burn the gills of the fish and it usually causes slow painful death. If the LFS (local fish store) guy or gal told you thats the best way to start the tank, then you need to find another LFS. They will lie to you or tell you crap because of greed and ingnorance. If I was you, I would take the damsels back and see if you could get a credit for them. Place a raw deli style peeled shrimp in the tank and let it rot. This will cause a "cycle" to occur. This is good. Dead fish is bad. This process takes up to 4-6 WEEKS to finish. As soon as your nitrates and ammonia, and nitrites reach a high number and get back to ZERO, then and only then should A FISH be added. One at a time wait a week or 2, some PPL say a month and then you can be ready for 1 more fish. If you place to many fish in a tank (new or old) it will cause the bio load to raise to high to fast for your tank to control. Slow is the key to this game. Get as much LR as you can afford. Do alot of research and read, read, read and then ask questions and read somemore. You can do all that when your tank is cycling. Ha!

 

[kittenboo]

I have a 46 gal bow front. I am doing fish only but was told that the live rock would help the tank to cycle faster. Should I invest in more rock. I did want to wait till I got some experience before doing a reef tank and well a much bigger tank.

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by Kittenboo
I have a 46 gal bow front. I am doing fish only but was told that the live rock would help the tank to cycle faster. Should I invest in more rock. I did want to wait till I got some experience before doing a reef tank and well a much bigger tank.
It is recommended for 1-2 lbs. of LR per gal. I have a 55 gaL. with about 80 lbs. of LR.

 

[airforceb2]

Another key point is this. Please POST your parameters. They aren't good if fish are dying. What all are you testing for?
Also, your specific gravity (salt level) doesn't drop. Did you "season" your hydrometer prior to use?

 

[kittenboo]

WOW that might expalin the damsel that looked like someone ate his side. Oh how sad. I did want to wait like 6 weeks before adding anymore fish. The guy at the LFS told me that I could do it sooner but I have read that it takes like 6 weeks to fully cycle. Would you still continue to add live rook in the tank or just wait till the end of the cycle?

 

[kittenboo]

When I first set up the tank, 5 days after the water and all was in before fish. the level was at 1.026 now it is reading at 1.019. What does seasoning your hydrometer mean?

 

[airforceb2]

LR will cycle the tank. Put as much in now as you can.
What else are you testing for?
Read the package your hydrometer came in, it should tell you how to get it ready for use.

 

[dillon]

Hi Kitten
Welcome to a terrific hobby that will give you years of satisfaction and enjoyment. I am relatively new to salt water but let me share a couple of things.
First and foremost research first. Ask here join another board and get the opinions of those that have been through it several times before.
(Want to know about cooling a tank when your ac goes out in Phoenix Arizona? Been there done that)
Ask others first, read The Concientious Marine Aquarist ,and be patient go slow.
I have a 46 gallon bowfront and would highly recommend you add live rock. I have about 60 pounds in mine, wish I had a little more. The live rock/live sand becomes your filtration method for the tank.
Watching your fish explore and enjoy the caves and shelfs and hiding places as they would in the ocean on a reef, is much more enjoyable than seeing them swim in a fish only tank IMO, and I think they are happier too.
Welcome again and good Luck

 

[fishmaniac]

i cycled with fish none died but i think i would cycle with a fish corpes to raise ammonia next time

 

[kittenboo]

I did everything it said. I am using the test kit that test for PH, Alkalinity, Nitrite, and nitrate. It's one of those 5 in one test strips. Is there something better to use?

 

[hot883]

Originally Posted by Kittenboo
I did everything it said. I am using the test kit that test for PH, Alkalinity, Nitrite, and nitrate. It's one of those 5 in one test strips. Is there something better to use?
Salifert is the best I have heard.

 

[airforceb2]

Ok, what are your readings on the tests?

 

[kittenboo]

Nitrateis 20 Nitrite is 0 Alkalinity is 180 and PH is 8.0 Can It be that the fish that i got from the LFS were just sick the Blue damesles are doing great. Except for the large one sometimes eating the small ones tail. Also another question..... whould an air stone help the tank. I was reading somewhere that it is helpful for the O2 levels.

 

[sinner's girl]

hydrometers suck! mine read 1.022 when it was really 1.025, the lfs hydrometer (different brand) read 1.028 with the same water. The lfs refractormeter told me my water was 1.025. My swing arm measures at 1.024, only off by 0.001, not .003
Would you still continue to add live rook in the tank or just wait till the end of the cycle?
You can add lr now.
What does seasoning your hydrometer mean?
Hydrometer measures sg, to season mine, I had to put it in fresh water for 24hrs. But it was a POS. What are you using to measure sg?
1.019 is fine for fish, but what did it drop from and how fast? A fast drop might stress them. Also, how did you acclimate the fish to your tank?
what's your ammonia? I wouldn't trust a kit that didn't test for ammonia.
Can It be that the fish that i got from the LFS were just sick the Blue damesles are doing great.
I doubt it, but it's possible. 4 fish is a lot to add at once. Ammonia is toxic to fish, some will die from it. Which is most likly what happened.
Should I invest in more rock. I did want to wait till I got some experience before doing a reef tank and well a much bigger tank.
That's up to you. lr is good, but you don't have to add it all at once. fish like stuff to hide in, sleep in, swim around, ect. so as long as you have some, the fish should be fine. Lr helps filtration.
Read the threads here, there are many people just starting and asking the same questions. Read, ask questions, wait. You can't rush this.
Oh, and be careful before listening to any lfs.

 

[the reef]

two tests that need percise digital reading is your sg level and your ph level if I were you I would buy a refragmenter for your sg level and a ph meter or pen for you ph level need any help calibrating both of these just ask. the reason I say you need better acurate readings for these is that the hydrometer is crap can also be off by small bubles that you cant see. and most ph test kits it is realy hard to tell exactly where the ph is because the difrent shades of colors are hard to determine or just say low med or high. It turns into a guessing game with the hydrometer and the ph pen there is no guessing game.