Help me please!!!!!
- Thread starter jnj97
- Start date
- Tagged users None
I do not think the actual cause of the fish's demise was revealed, yes it could have been nitrates but there is a lot of missing information, like what is the specific gravity of your tank compared to the vendors systems.
How many fish total are you attempting to keep in a 20 gallon, how many fish are you adding at one time?
Reducing nitrates is a good thing but it's not the magic bullet, too many unanswered questions.
Good Luck
How many fish total are you attempting to keep in a 20 gallon, how many fish are you adding at one time?
Reducing nitrates is a good thing but it's not the magic bullet, too many unanswered questions.
Good Luck
Last edited:
cymonous
Active Member
A high increase of nitrates can be an indication of originally a high amount of ammonia. That could be from overfeeding or something died. The one fish dieing could be from ammonia poisoning, poor acclimation or it had a disease/parasite. Even if you tried to acclimate the fish, it may not have been long enough. Did you know what the salinity was of the water the fish was in and the salinity your tank water was? If there was a big difference in salinity, your acclimation may not of been long enough. If there already was ammonia in your tank, your current livestock may be able to handle it. But, the new fish was not able to. Kinda like a shock to them.
Then there comes the parasite/disease. This is why most hobbyists recommend a quarantine tank. Most fish stores do not quarantine fish. If one fish has a disease or parasite, they usually do not take proper measures to quarantine the fish AND treat the tank(s) the fish were in. So, those diseases/parasites get transferred to other fish.
Then there comes the parasite/disease. This is why most hobbyists recommend a quarantine tank. Most fish stores do not quarantine fish. If one fish has a disease or parasite, they usually do not take proper measures to quarantine the fish AND treat the tank(s) the fish were in. So, those diseases/parasites get transferred to other fish.
domination2580
Reef-a-nator
Yes ....but acclimate them over a few hours....with drip animation
domination2580
Reef-a-nator
acclimation
bobman
Well-Known Member
Just by looking at your tank I am going to say you had a botched test. I just cant see nitrates that high and that leather not closing up and telling you something was off. Its was probably just a unhealthy fish and even if properly acclimated to the tank the stress of a new surrounding in a unhealthy fish can kill them very very quickly. You will probably never know why they died in a day but I personally cant see nitrates being the issue here.
something amazing is also true
you could put up that nitrate test kit and never use it again, along with any other test kit other than calcium and alk. no joke, try to imagine how the last week would have gone down having never tested for it at all and thinking it was part of any problem. this is the classic reef misdirection starting early on for you, cast it out.
By removing the sandbed, you've removed the only thing that w spike your nitrates and the reason we don't need a test is because you can test the levels by watching the natural algae that develop on the rocks (that you kill, so it never takes over) if you start to get some algae, work on finding detritus and waste stores in the tank better, remove them, and just kill off the algae. A testing reduced reef is much easier, we trade that off by simply doing better water changes weekly or bi weekly
you can get farther in reefing knowing what to test for and not test for, putting efforts where they really matter and export of waste is what really matters, you can do that better now. I would never recommend any action to a reefer than I haven't already been doing 15 yrs. the reason you also don't need an ammonia kit is because in that type of aquascape you can account for all fish all the time, so if one dies you can see it. its still ok to keep an ammonia test as backup, but the point is testing in general. if you aren't going to do large water changes then test for calcium and alk, if you are, then you don't have to test for anything but temp and salt levels. thousands of us do it this way.
I stated all this in prep for your greatest challenge yet, coming in a couple mos or less, green hair algae. you'll have a clear choice then; chase nutrients, tedious testing, no direct action on the algae and about half w be ok w that, or direct kill on the algae when its the size of a thumbnail on day 1 where 100% have a great outcome with that, and they don't care what their nutrients are because they keep a clean tank...
a choice is coming
you could put up that nitrate test kit and never use it again, along with any other test kit other than calcium and alk. no joke, try to imagine how the last week would have gone down having never tested for it at all and thinking it was part of any problem. this is the classic reef misdirection starting early on for you, cast it out.
By removing the sandbed, you've removed the only thing that w spike your nitrates and the reason we don't need a test is because you can test the levels by watching the natural algae that develop on the rocks (that you kill, so it never takes over) if you start to get some algae, work on finding detritus and waste stores in the tank better, remove them, and just kill off the algae. A testing reduced reef is much easier, we trade that off by simply doing better water changes weekly or bi weekly
you can get farther in reefing knowing what to test for and not test for, putting efforts where they really matter and export of waste is what really matters, you can do that better now. I would never recommend any action to a reefer than I haven't already been doing 15 yrs. the reason you also don't need an ammonia kit is because in that type of aquascape you can account for all fish all the time, so if one dies you can see it. its still ok to keep an ammonia test as backup, but the point is testing in general. if you aren't going to do large water changes then test for calcium and alk, if you are, then you don't have to test for anything but temp and salt levels. thousands of us do it this way.
I stated all this in prep for your greatest challenge yet, coming in a couple mos or less, green hair algae. you'll have a clear choice then; chase nutrients, tedious testing, no direct action on the algae and about half w be ok w that, or direct kill on the algae when its the size of a thumbnail on day 1 where 100% have a great outcome with that, and they don't care what their nutrients are because they keep a clean tank...
a choice is coming
Thanks Nitrates.
ExpensiveHobby
Active Member
I'd also compare the temperatures. My tank runs on the colder end compared to most so I always float my fish for a while
ExpensiveHobby
Active Member
great point. LFS run lower to save on salt and because they typically dont have corals in the tank. Also read the lower salinity tends to decrease Ich outbreaks since it's like running HYPO permanently
