Fish dying but not crabs and snails

[jjmccloud2011]

hi everybody
im fairly new to the site and the reef hobby but ive had sw tanks for a few years now but my question is i have a 65 gallon tank with a 29 gallon sump/fuge thats been running about 2 weeks now i added that instant ocean bio spria that says fish safe instanly not sure if i belive that or not but i figured it would at least add some bacteria that would speed things up last week i added some snails and hermit crabs and they are doing great so i added a green chromis and next day it died so i added another next day dead so i tried one more and figured third times a charm but nope dead today idk whats going on if the water was bad or something wouldnt the cuc die off too is there any ideas out there that might help me out id greatly appreciate it looking forward to hearing from u guys

 

[secretreefer]

Hi, first off, welcome to the site! ok. so first thing is i would go out and purchase a reef chemistry kit (to test phosphate, nitrate etc..etc..) and a refractometer to check salinity. Run tests for each, write down your results. Check what the normal parameters and determine if any are off are via Reef Aquarium Water Parameters by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[BarbH]

Hello Jim and welcome to r2r. When you set up your tank did you use live rock, dry rock? What is your sg at? How are you checking this using a hydrometer, refractometer, a refractometer is the best choice and you can find one on ebay that won't set you back too much. If you are using a refractometer did you calibrate it first? If you haven't already gotten any testing kits I would recommend picking some up to start off with you are going to want to test for the basics ammonia nitrites nitrates and pH.

 

[jjmccloud2011]

hello thx for the replys i set up with about 30lbs dry rock and 15 lbs live rock and plan on adding more live rock the dry rock was from my previous fowlr tank i tore down a few yrs back and saved the rock so i figured id seed it with new and i used live sand in my display and fuge section my salintiy is at 1.025 and im using a hydrometer to check it i have test kits for ammonia nitrites and nitrates today the ammonia is a bit high due to the dying id guess nitrites at .5 and nitrates at 40 does that mean its cycled cause i have the nitrates or no that bio spira was supposed to work and prvent new tank syndrome which i havent had any diatom blooms yet either i probaly should have waited to add anything but the bio spria said it would be fish safe instanly so idk i dont think it really works but my small cuc is doing great thats what i dont understand and i thought the chromis were hardy i dont really know whats going on with it hopefully its cycled but it hasnt been very long any suggestions

 

[strange33w]

might be a little early for fish. I have never had luck with chromis I got 5 with my last tank and all 5 died. I got 4 with my new tank and all died but the goby I added at the same time is still alive and well. I wouldnt add any more fish till your amonia is back at 0.

 

[BarbH]

With you having ammonia and nitrites I would say that your tank is still cycling. When I cycled my tank I was getting reading of nitrates early during my cycle but it still took several weeks for my ammonia to spike and go down and for my nitrites to spike and go down. Depending on what you did to prepare your dry rock before placing it in the tank, there is probably a good amount of dead organics on it which is contributing to the ammonia and the nitrites. If it was me I would just let the cycle do it's thing and hold off on adding any fish until the tank is done cycling.

 

[Mike&Terry]

With you having ammonia and nitrites I would say that your tank is still cycling. When I cycled my tank I was getting reading of nitrates early during my cycle but it still took several weeks for my ammonia to spike and go down and for my nitrites to spike and go down. Depending on what you did to prepare your dry rock before placing it in the tank, there is probably a good amount of dead organics on it which is contributing to the ammonia and the nitrites. If it was me I would just let the cycle do it's thing and hold off on adding any fish until the tank is done cycling.

I couldn't agree more.

-Terry

 

[Steelerfan747]

+1, just be patient and you will be adding fish before you know it but wait until your levels are were they should be.

 

[jjmccloud2011]

Ok thx guys sounds like the better thing to do I do have chaeto in my fuge and just got some red gracilaria and was wondering the best way to put it in I let my chaeto spin in the current should I do the same with the gracilaria also should I put a divider to seperate them or just let them intertwine thx alot

 

[BarbH]

:bump: currently only have chaeto, so hopefully someone can advise you with keeping both

 

[Young Frankenstein]

The key to this hobby is giving everything time, waiting is a must and a rule !!!
Wait 3 weeks till ammonia drops to zero and add slowly fish, 1 wait a week see how the fish does and then add another one and so on .............

[video=youtube;JjQfgDaDdMM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JjQfgDaDdMM[/video]

 

[jjmccloud2011]

Thx guys I got another question sry to bug u so much but I haven't had a diatom bloom yet any thoughts on why its been almost a month now my guess is because I don't run my lights but someone told me I didn't have to and if I did it would make it worse so I've keep them off 90% of the time

 

[BarbH]

my diatom bloom occurred towards the very end of my cycle and after I think it was a couple of weeks cleared up. Don't worry I am sure that it will happen soon enough.

Sent from my SCH-R720 using Tapatalk 2

 

[jjmccloud2011]

Is it possible to not have a bloom during the cycle or do you have to go though one to complete the cycle not to experienced on that part I get the water parameters and all that just not a lot in the science behind it and the chemistry I wanna get that down before corals get added but I'm ready for fish well when the tank is anyways this is my second attempt at a reef tank but this time I wanna be a lot more educated on everything and not just jump in and get overwhelmed again

 

[wysiwyg]

either put a small piece of live rock over the top of your gracialara in your fuge our rubber band it to a small piece of rock on your fuge bottom your fuge will need some sort of substrate either crushed coral or a sand bed