So I set up my tank a little over 3 months ago after moving back home from college where I had kept my original 5.5 gal SW tank with no issues. The tank I have set up right now is really old and has been dry for 3 years while I was at school (don't know if that's pertinent information or not) It was originally a freshwater tank so I bought some instant ocean salt, got a marine filter and a new submersible heater and a maxi-jet 900 powerhead, I also have two air stones going in it right now and the under gravel filtration left over from the fresh water setup. The first fish I got (forceps butterfly fish and a saddleback puffer) after letting the tank sit for a week or so died after about a week or two in the tank, levels all read zero, pH was 8.4 temp was 78 (which it still is) tried a couple of chromis about a month after I lost my fire shrimp (Nitrite was high when I lost the shrimp) which didn't last but about two weeks either. As of right now I have a lightfoot crab, a blue damsel and about 10 hermit crabs living in the 55 gallon tank and I just lost my newest addition after I did my biweekly 20% water change yesterday, (ammonia was at .25ppm before the change). Currently my levels are NH3/NH4: 0-.25ppm NO2: 0ppm NO3: 0-5ppm pH:8.0 temp 78 degrees Fahrenheit Salinity 1.022.I just ordered a protein skimmer and everybody in the tank right now is healthy and eating fine. I am feeding micro veggie pellets and brine shrimp once a day, I use tap water and instant ocean salt for my water. I am on a well so the water doesn't have chlorine or ammonia in it or anything, the only thing the well water tests out for is iron, manganese and calcium. So can anybody give me pointers? Am I not acclimating right? something to do with my water changes? is my tank cycling again? I'm feeling pretty defeated but I love marine life and the hobby and I really enjoyed my tank I had in college and want to continue having a tank here but I don't want to keep killing fish.
Not the first SW FO tank I've had but in my new tank I keep losing fish :(
- Thread starter Kat96815
- Start date
silverado61
Well-Known Member
How old is "really old" as far as the age of the tank? What is the frame made of? Why do you have an under gravel filter on a saltwater tank?
dragonborn
Member
Youre tank may be old but make sure the frame is good, I have a 30 gallon tank thats been keeping fish for fifteen years and that's¡ older than me! I know what you feel, once you fill the tank you want something in it. Don't add anything else for a week or two.
dragonborn
Member
Youre tank may be old but make sure the frame is good, I have a 30 gallon tank thats been keeping fish for fifteen years and that's¡ older than me! I know what you feel, once you fill the tank you want something in it. Don't add anything else for a week or two.
silverado61
Well-Known Member
If the tank hasn't cycled in 3 months its not going to. Cycling isnt the problem. Its the under gravel filter. Its trapping waste instead of getting rid of it. I'm willing to bet you used crushed coral. That's another problem area.
Just a thought.
Just a thought.
trigger40
Well-Known Member
1. get rid of the under gravel filter and your gravel. thoes two things are not suitable for saltwater aquariums
2. return any fish you have right now and get live sand/rock.
3.get propper filtration/powerheads. anything will work except the under gravel. if you want to do a sump you NEED to do more research.
4.it appears you have no bio filtration so you will haft to let it cycle with at least live rock. and replace your gravel with live sand it will jump start the cycle.
5. let the tank cycle then add a few fish one at a time.
these are the steps i would fallow. the set up you have right now will not work IMO.
2. return any fish you have right now and get live sand/rock.
3.get propper filtration/powerheads. anything will work except the under gravel. if you want to do a sump you NEED to do more research.
4.it appears you have no bio filtration so you will haft to let it cycle with at least live rock. and replace your gravel with live sand it will jump start the cycle.
5. let the tank cycle then add a few fish one at a time.
these are the steps i would fallow. the set up you have right now will not work IMO.
silverado61
Well-Known Member
+1 +1 +1 +1 and finally, +1.
honu808
Member
well water may not have chlor, or anything else regular tap water does BUT may contain trace amounts of pesticides and or fertilizers.
The hit list (what not to use) has been covered so will not type it again. Acclimation is so very important as well as getting a good cycle on the tank. Live rock will seriously add so much beneficial bacteria, but use ro/di water and never the tap from well or city source.
Don't give up, just start correctly and your losses should end. Hope all the previous posts have helped. Good luck and welcome to the forum.
The hit list (what not to use) has been covered so will not type it again. Acclimation is so very important as well as getting a good cycle on the tank. Live rock will seriously add so much beneficial bacteria, but use ro/di water and never the tap from well or city source.
Don't give up, just start correctly and your losses should end. Hope all the previous posts have helped. Good luck and welcome to the forum.
I've researched the UGF and while opinions go both ways, they are still an effective filtration method with proper maintenance. I'm also running a power filter so based on my own research, while I appreciate your input, I'll be keeping the UGF. I had zero problems with inert gravel in my other tank, but I'll switch it out for this one since I seem to be having more issues. cool about walmart, RO/DI units are not in my budget right now.
trigger40
Well-Known Member
as soon as you add live rock the undergravel filter will be crushed by the weight of the rock. please listen these people know what they are talking about. its as simple as unhooking it and spending a little money on a decent HOB. you are going to haft to restart anyway so you can take the darn thing out and get a filter that can handle the tank. and if the under ground is not crushed by the rock it will be nearly impossible to clean it you will haft to remove every thing to clean like rock and sand. and while doing so you will cause an ammonia spike. it would be best to go with the HOB.