Newbie (HELP!!!)

[mccdaddy101]

I just started a saltwater take about a month ago and it has crashed several times. I asked people at the pet store what I should do and they recomended that I use NUTRI-Seawater. I do not know if this stuff is any good or not. I have tested my water everyday for the last month and nothing seemed to be wrong but everytime I put a fish in my tank, it dies within two to three hours ("the fish are damsels").

 

[cdangel0]

Has your tank finished cycling yet? To only be up a month or so and to have a "crash" several times seems odd. Where are your big 3 at? Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates?
Are you using tap water? Any conditioners? Anything to remove chlorine?
How are you acclimating your fish? Damsels are pretty hardy, I've had some live through the cycle process and thrive so there may be something else going on, the more information you can provide the better someone on here will be able to help.

 

[turningtim]

Welcome to the boards!
Has the tank cycled? have you acclaimated the fish to your tank properly? What are your test readings for your water?
Sounds like your off on the wrong foot. You've come to the right place for help. There is not a "fix-all" but I really don't know about the saltwater you are referring too.
Give us more info and we can help!
Tim

 

[mccdaddy101]

What do you mean by cycling?
Ammonia = 0
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates = 0
I am using Nutri-Seawater and Start Right by Jungle.

 

[ice4ice]

Cycling means you run the tank for a few week until your water parameters are pretty stable. What kind of water are you using ? Tap water ? RO/DI ?

 

[mccdaddy101]

i am using a new product called Nutri-Seawater. do you think that i should use RO water instead? I already have live sand and a live rock.

 

[ice4ice]

What does the directions say on the Nutri-Seawater in how to use it ?
I've heard of Nutri-Seawater brand. Does it have all the necessary trace elements in it ?

 

[mccdaddy101]

Instant Saltwater™ Changes
No Mixing Required
Instant New Marine Aquarium Setups
Natural Live Marine
Bacteria, more than 11,000,000 Bacteria per gallon.
100% Natural Live Ocean Saltwater -"Simply The Best"
Fortified with QX-23® Enriched
Solution: Calcium, Iodine, Molybdenum, Strontium, Magnesium, Cobalt Potassium, Lithium, Aluminum, Vanadium, Chromium, Manganese, Nickel, Selenium, Silver, Cadmium, Zinc, Thallium, Stannus, Antimony.
Maintains proper pH by providing improved buffering capacity
Advantages
NO WAITING... JUST ADD FISH!
Nutri-Seawater™ is Naturally Filtered - Does not remove
or modify what mother nature intended.
Nutri-Seawater™ is 100% Natural Live Ocean Seawater™.
Contains natural Live marine Heterotrophic, Autotrophic and Chemolithotrophic bacteria to provide a proper inorganic balance.
Fortified with QX-23® Enriched Solution.
Reduces the need for additional saltwater

 

[turningtim]

Again I don't know about this "sea water" but I still don't believe in an instant tank. Have your levels always been at 0? What test kits are you using? Where did the live sand and rock come from? Where they cured?
A tank takes time for the bacteria to grow in order to start the nitrogen cycle. This breaks down the Ammn in trite and then to trates.
Do a search on cycling a tank. I think you are rushing things a bit. It can take severals weeks befor eyou can put critters in a tank.
Do some more reasearch and be patient.
Tim

 

[cdangel0]

That sounds like some pretty darn good water. Where'd you get it? I haven't seen anythig like that at either my LFS or national chains.

 

[mccdaddy101]

i got it at Pet Supplies Plus in Columbia, SC

 

[gwh57]

This product appears to be seawater with some additives in it. The water doesn't need to be cycled but the tank surely does. My tank ran for over 3 months before I added my first fish. I tested everythink that there is a test kit for and made sure my tank was stable. Go slowly.

 

[turningtim]

Sounds to me like a good quaility sea salt and water mix. I didn't think that there is a lot of bacteria present in the water colum of a tank (I could be wrong). Maybe soemone else will chime in on that.
I still don't beleive in an instant tank. I find it hard to believe that you can set-up a tank, add this product and wham you have a SW tank.
If something is to good to be true, it usually is. There are tried and true methods on starting a tank. What does this stuff cost compared to salt and RO water?
JMO
Tim

 

[f14peter]

Originally Posted by TurningTim
If something is to good to be true, it usually is. There are tried and true methods on starting a tank. What does this stuff cost compared to salt and RO water?
JMO
Tim

My question exactly. I shudder to think what it would cost (I've already nearly worn out my credit card) to fill/maintain my 90g over the long haul using "bottled" water.
Being on flat-rate water, the only cost I'm encurring in this area is for the RO/DI unit and a bucket of salt.
And in regard to the time it takes to set up a tank using old-school ways, I'm actually thoroughly enjoying it . . . seeing the project come along slowly, but surely, knowing I'm using tried-and-true methods. We've had our tank in the living room for close to three months and we're only at the point of having saltwater in it at the proper SG and am currently waiting for our LR to arrive (hopefully Friday). When people ask, "How long until you get some fish?" I tell them we're at least a month, if not longer, away from that.

 

[f14peter]

Originally Posted by McCdaddy101
What do you mean by cycling?
I don't want to disparage any business (Especially one I'm not familiar with), but your statement implies that your LFS hasn't discussed this with you, and in my mind makes their other advice suspect.

 

[gwh57]

As your message states you are a newbie, but you need to do a lot more reading and research on saltwater topics before you add another fish. Please?

 

[lil ape]

I use this stuff called "blue water". You never ever have to check your salt level cause it's natural sea water. All you have to do is make sure your trites, trates, ph, and ammonia are good. It only cost me $40 to fill up my tank. 1 box is 5 gallons and i have a 20 gallon tank. Each box is $10 where i buy them.

 

[ice4ice]

I suspected it was more like a quickie type of set up for SW. You're better off going the RO/DI route and adding Instant Ocean mix and cycle it from there. Any other opinions ?