Help!

[savetheocean]

Hello. I recently got back to my tank that my friends were watching for me while I was gone. I get back the tank is nasty! One of my clownfish and my white sandsifter goby are gone. No bodies were found so I suspect the hermits and shrimp ate them after they died since they were small. My goby was white and I have not seen him today, is it possible hes just hiding somewhere in the sand? Today I have done two water changes and it already looks so much better. There is this thick red algae on my rocks that when I rub with a non used toothbrush it comes off like a carpet, that is also on the sand. I am picking it all off. My question is, I feel bad for the little clownfish all alone in the tank with no mate.. Is there anything I can get her? I have two peppermint shrimp, two blood red fire shrimp. One clownfish, one tuxedo urchin, hermits and snails.

75 gallon aquarium (4 months old)
Ammonia before water changes - 0.25-0.50
Nitrite - 0.0
Nitrate - 0.0
High Range Ph- 8.0

I will give you updated tests tomorrow.
I need some suggestions on how to clean my tank, heres a picture of it now

EXCUSE THE CLOUDY TANK - REMEMBER IM IN THE MIDDLE OF CLEANING IT AND ITS CLOUDY FROM THE SAND AND THERES ALGAE EVERYWHERE

About the rock formation - Is it okay? Does it look good or should I change it? If I should change it im doing it before I get corals in a month or so.

 

[savetheocean]

Added more rocks and about to do the 4th 3 gallon water change of the day

 

[Jl330]

You're only changing 3 gallons at a time?

 

[Tautog]

The spike in ammonia is due to your dead fish, Nitrites, then Nitrates will soon follow. Don't bother doing small WC's, do a 70% change, keep testing, add a CUC, more Turbos to clean your rocks, a Tang would help as well, but wait on the tank water first. A lonely fish is the least of your worries

 

[savetheocean]

Its 5 gallons, ive done 20 gallons today. I have a pretty big cuc. Tomorrow I can do at least 6 if my schedule stays clear. I may do 1-2 more tonight. Why would a tang help? I can get one in 5 days. I was told the fish were no where to be seen for two weeks and they tell me as soon as I get home... If there were dead fish I would have found them (I changed my rock formation). If they have been dead for so long, why would the ammonia only be 0.25?

Tank is still a bit cloudy and that stuff on the sand is scraped off algae from the rocks which ill get later.

 

[savetheocean]

The spike in ammonia is due to your dead fish, Nitrites, then Nitrates will soon follow. Don't bother doing small WC's, do a 70% change, keep testing, add a CUC, more Turbos to clean your rocks, a Tang would help as well, but wait on the tank water first. A lonely fish is the least of your worries

Good news, Ammonia is back at zero. I will be doing more water changes tomorrow to make sure it stays that way.

 

[savetheocean]

Still at zero but water is still a bit cloudy. Doing more water changes today,

 

[lou dog420]

I would definitely try to find the root cause as to why your 2 fish died in the first place before adding more fish!!

 

[savetheocean]

I would definitely try to find the root cause as to why your 2 fish died in the first place before adding more fish!!

Im pretty sure I know, the tank had a 0.25 - 0.50 ammonia spike when I was gone. If something really bad happened, my other clown would be dead.

 

[lou dog420]

Im pretty sure I know, the tank had a 0.25 - 0.50 ammonia spike when I was gone. If something really bad happened, my other clown would be dead.

Yes, but what caused the ammonia spike?

 

[savetheocean]

Yes, but what caused the ammonia spike?

Dead fish rotting in the tank, could that be it? I need someone to help me identify the spike. Do you think its something different?

 

[lou dog420]

Dead fish rotting in the tank, could that be it? I need someone to help me identify the spike. Do you think its something different?

The dead fish are going to produce ammonia.

 

[savetheocean]

The dead fish are going to produce ammonia.

If there are dead fish in the tank, they were eaten.. I changed my rock formation and if they were in there I would have found them.