Sad enough to give up

[kackey]

Hi, I'm asking for help. I started cycling a 55 gallon tank Aug.14,2005. I added 40 lb. LS ,20lb play sand,and 50 lb LR Sept.7.All parameters were good and I put in 3 damsels Sept.14.One of the little boogers hid in the rock so good,his whereabouts were unknown. All levels continued to be good,so I added a peppermint shrimp and 2 Percula Clowns on 9/25. Things were Great,I didn't have a light or clean-up crew so I order a 260 PC(E-Bay) and 10 blueleg Hermits,3 Emerald Crabs,10 Turbo Snails,5 Nassarius Snails,1 Serpent Star,1 Brn/Blk Brittle Star,1 Royal Gramma,! Blue Hippo Tang( from this site). My order came from this site 10/7. I did the acc. on the inverts and fish as directed on this site. My light came 10/11. Then the dying cycle started and brown started on my LR.my 1st loss was a damsel, then the Blue Hippo Tang,Fri the Royal Gramma died, Sat the 2 clowns died, and today my last damsel died. The whole time I had fish dying my water levels checked fine PH, NO3,NO2,ammonia,SG--1.024 . I also had water checked at 2 different LFS and it checked fine. The brown came on the rocks 3-4 days after the 260 watt PC was put on 10/11. The LR was cured ,they left Fl one day and I got them the next. I didn"t scrub them like some of the threads I have read here.I know you're wondering Yes, I used Tap water W/Marine Buffer and Instant Ocean Salt. I have att. a pic or the brown rock and sand. Please someone give me some input as where to go all I have is the shrimp,snails,stars,and crabs. Thanks, Kackey

 

[teresaq]

What is your ph. I just lost a firefish because my ph was too low.

 

[jamie814]

If all your inverts are still alive it sounds like a parasite like ick. check the desiese thread and see if you can find any info there.

 

[qreef]

Two things U should not use is play sand and Tap water is a no no. No Matter where U live because U dont know where that 2 source been.

 

[aquapro_1]

You have lost your tankmates. Nothing will survive a tank cycling. You can start by removing the LR and scub of the white, brown & black spots. Definitely do the 50% water change. If you have a second tank...now would be a great time to switch tanks!! Don't add anymore fish until the water has been stable for 3 months consistantly! I started 2 tanks at one time...It took me 6 months to fully cycle my tank to be inhabitated by fish. I, too learned a $$$$$$$$$$ lesson!

 

[jamie814]

Also the brown is diatoms algea is completly normal when starting a new setup but will go away with time, if it was a water quality thing the inverts would be the first to die a they are the most delicate.

 

[aquapro_1]

Did you use a separate container for the water, meds & salt? Manditory to do this before adding to tank. Also tap has added nasty stuff. Even with meds added. Buy r/o from a local fish store or buy a system. Manditory!

 

[kackey]

Originally Posted by TeresaQ
What is your ph. I just lost a firefish because my ph was too low.
PH is 8.2

 

[jamie814]

Originally Posted by aquapro_1
You have lost your tankmates. Nothing will survive a tank cycling. You can start by removing the LR and scub of the white, brown & black spots. Definitely do the 50% water change. If you have a second tank...now would be a great time to switch tanks!! Don't add anymore fish until the water has been stable for 3 months consistantly! I started 2 tanks at one time...It took me 6 months to fully cycle my tank to be inhabitated by fish. I, too learned a $$$$$$$$$$ lesson!
It should not take 6 months to cycle a tank, 6-8 weeks is the norm and he said all parameters where tested and were fine the inverts are alive so it has to be a fish only parasite.

 

[bubles]

sorry for your lose don't give up be patient I know how you feel. good luck with your next cycle. :happyfish

 

[kackey]

Originally Posted by aquapro_1
Did you use a separate container for the water, meds & salt? Manditory to do this before adding to tank. Also tap has added nasty stuff. Even with meds added. Buy r/o from a local fish store or buy a system. Manditory!
Yes,I used 2 new plastic pails for water changes. I haven't used any Meds only the Marine Buffer if that is considered a med

 

[keonia]

Kackey,
I'm sorry you experienced all of this so far but don't give up. First Can you list your water parameters?
PH
Nitrate,
Nitrite,
Ammonia
salinity
temperature
which marine buffer do you use?
do you have any skimmer? or Hang on back filter --- what kind of filter are you using?
How did you start your cycle? did you spike it with a piece of shrimp? check water parameters?
How far is your light from your tank? I recently had that brown stuff you are describing and after I placed 4 blue legged hermits, they chomped away and that brown stuff is all gone. I placed my light too close to tank!
Lets start problem solving your tank situation with your water parameters!!
Hang in there it will all be worth it.
Keonia

 

[rev]

I also had basically the same thing happen about a year ago.EVERYTHING checked out fine...I mean ALL water parameters.Turns out it was a parasitic issue.Happened just like you described,1 after the other 5 fish 5 days apart.
I added another damsel,and withing 2 days it started acting funny (limp,and dull in color) bagged him up and went to the Local reef store,and he said it was a parasite of something (forgot what it was)

 

[jamie814]

The water is not your problem if it was you would have everything dead.

Ick and many other diseases only affect fish not inverts you should quarenteen all new additions first also. If it was a parastite you have to leave the display tank fishless for 8 weeks so the disease can run it's course without a host fish it will die off. And then you can add more fish now if your inverts start to die off then I would be looking further.

 

[qreef]

also U R adding to many fishes and other things at the same or very short time that will cause your bio load to rocket (water parameter to go outta wack). your cycle seem to me is not long enough. If all fishes stress at the same time that will cause to die faster. Just like us if one out of 15 people get sick in a group is ok, but when five get sick thats more likely to get everyone sick too. Fortunately we have medication and we know to take them but for fish...........

.

 

[salty cheese]

Sounds like you over loaded your system by adding so many fish in such a short period of time. What are your actual test results?

 

[fishieness]

what is your ALK? if you are adding buffer, then your ALK may be off and your pH would swing a lot. But i agree that your inverts would probably be the first to go. What were the symptoms of all these fish?
How much flow do you have in your tank? IE: the power of your powerheads, filters, skimmers, ECT.

 

[kackey]

Originally Posted by jamie814
Also the brown is diatoms algea is completly normal when starting a new setup but will go away with time, if it was a water quality thing the inverts would be the first to die a they are the most delicate.
My pictures didn't att????I have some Burgandy,White, and Green on the LR too. The inverts are doing fine. The snails are on the glass,working the LR, the Brittle Starfish and Serpent star are hid up in the LR. I watched them come out to get the sick fish(before they died) I took them out as they died,not to let the starfish eat them.My husband wants to blame the starfish for all of this.He says this happened after they came

 

[jamie814]

Don't blame the inverts for fish deseases only can live on fish and can only get into your tank via a infected host fish which looks liked happened. Really the only way to rid the tank of the problem is to leave it fishless for about 8 weeks and quarantine all new fish for a few weeks to be sure they are not carrying and deseases or praisites on them. Their is no med that you can put in a reef tank or tank with inverts/liverock that will kill ick. Did you notice any little white spots on the fish? Where they eating fine?
"I have some Burgandy,White, and Green on the LR too"
Sounds like coraline algae and is good.

 

[kackey]

Originally Posted by fishieness
what is your ALK? if you are adding buffer, then your ALK may be off and your pH would swing a lot. But i agree that your inverts would probably be the first to go. What were the symptoms of all these fish?
How much flow do you have in your tank? IE: the power of your powerheads, filters, skimmers, ECT.
I haven't seen a swing in the PH It has stayed 8.2 -8.4.Is that enough to be a swing? I have 1/Penguin 200 bio-wheel,1/30/60 Whisper (Charcole in both) and Red Sea Protein Skimmer(up to 100 Gal)