When is a tank ready??

J

jaybird101

Guest
When is a tank finished with its cycle? I have a 44 gal corner tank, that was started 2 months ago. I test the water with Mardel master kit every week. The PH is between 7.8-8.0.
NO2 is .5, NO3 is 40 and Ammonia is between 0-.25. Spec grav. is 1.022.
I have LS and 4lbs LRs.
On week two I bought 2- Blue Damsels (one die in two days and 1- disapeared in two weeks)
Week three I bought 1- marroon clown (who disapeared two weeks later)
, 1- cleaner shrimp(who is still alive and wonderful) :joy: , and 1- Royal Gamma (who disapeared two weeks later)
week four I bought a yellow Tang (who is still alive), and 1-Sebea anemone (who has good days and bad days) :notsure:
The first Damsel dying I put off to not enough time for cycle.
Then the second damsel, clown and royal gamma started to hide. And one by one disapeared. No signs of dead bodies or bones.
Now on week eight I have 1- yellow tang, 1- Sebae anemone, and cleaner shrimp.
I noticed today little white lice looking, crawling on the glass. The forum said it might be pods, which are benifical and a good sign to established tank. Are there other signs to my tank being well established?? I don't want to was money on expensive fish to die or disapear.
And any help on where the other fish DISAPEARED TOO?? :help:
 
richie1742

richie1742

Member
your problem is that you dont have enuff liverock, u need about 1 to 1.5 lbs of live rock per gallon for optimum amount of biologicaal filteration. ur bioload is overwhelmed without the LR, i recomend getting more live rock and also adding a bottle of Cycle to your tank. also try to keep ur no3 below 20 ppm by doing water changes and buy some ph buffer( between 8.2 and 8.4)
 
granny

granny

Member
YOu did not mention what type of filter you are using, but PLEASE do not add anything else to this tank for a while. Your fish either died and something in the tank ate them-crabs and shrimp make short work of dead bodies) or they jumped out.
They couldnt hide in only 4 lbs of LR. And every dead body adds ammonia, to your tank-which is still cycling as a new tank. you pur too much in too soon and lost lives in the process. Slow down and work on providing a better environment for your precious livestock.
Your nitrite levels are way too high-surprised anything is still alive at all.
Fish will tolerate nitrates up to around 50, but thats no reason to keep them there.
Water changes-more live rock-???skimmer?? no more livestock for a while.
Good luck.
 
richie1742

richie1742

Member
More LR will establish your tank, and the cycle helps build up the bennificial bateria. dont worrie about adding a skimmer untill your tank is fully cycled and established, it will actually slow down your cycle if you add one, becasue its skimming alot of the bennificial bacteria your trying to build up.
 
J

jaybird101

Guest
How do I get the PH up. I tried using "PH UP" with no success.
What is PH Buffer?
I have added Cycle to the tank on a weekly bases, every time I check the water.
 
richie1742

richie1742

Member
ph up works too. i can help you out but your going to have to tell me what your set up is like...( substrate, filteration, lighting, )
 
J

jaybird101

Guest
I have 2 inches of cruched coral, 2 1/2 inches of LS on the bottom.
4 lbs of LR and more coming soon.
50/50 6000k light
Topfin 60 double filter, with foam pads.
All in a 44 gal corner tank.
 
richie1742

richie1742

Member
yea, i would just get more rock like i mentioned earlier. and do a 50% water change along with a big dose of cycle.
 
hot883

hot883

Active Member
If I was you I would just STOP! Take all my fish back to the store for a credit on live rock, switch out the cc to live sand and start over. You are on a long hard expensive road that does not have to be that way. Read, research, read some more and research even more. You didn't do much of that before you started or you wouldn't have added ANY fish especially the tang and the anemone.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Originally Posted by hot883
If I was you I would just STOP! Take all my fish back to the store for a credit on live rock, switch out the cc to live sand and start over. You are on a long hard expensive road that does not have to be that way. Read, research, read some more and research even more. You didn't do much of that before you started or you wouldn't have added ANY fish especially the tang and the anemone.

Couldn't have said this better.
DO NOT keep adding pH up or other buffers. These are alkalinity buffers and may do nothing for your pH. It is important to:
Get a reading on your water parameters using a different test kit. This one, I am afraid, is not terribly accurate.
Get an alkalinity reading
Stop adding any fish as the tank is basically cycling (which is why they were dying)
Do you have any powerheads or only the filter? Circulation also contributes to pH isses if there are any.
Your specific gravity, though fine for fish, will be a problem for invertebrates.
LR will not fix everything though it is highly desirable. It will help.
 
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