Help!

[LardLad]

Your dry rock is sterling white in a 5-month-old tank?

I strongly suspect your fish died from Ammonia Toxicity.

 

[LardLad]

What are your nutrient levels?

 

[DreamReef04]

Yes, everything I read said the rock would change color but it never did. My ammonia has been reading 0 with my API test kit.

 

[LardLad]

You need to cycle your tank.

 

[DreamReef04]

Yes.

How should I check for that?

 

[DreamReef04]

You need to cycle your tank.

How could my tank not be cycled after 5 months?

 

[LardLad]

What are your nitrates and phosphates?

 

[Greg P]

Does your tank have a sump?

If so, are there any metal fittings?

 

[DreamReef04]

Does your tank have a sump?

If so, are there any metal fittings?

It does not have a sump. Everything is HOB

 

[Greg P]

It does not have a sump. Everything is HOB

OK cool. That rules out metal poisoning from your plumbing.

 

[LardLad]

Nitrates? Phosphates?

 

[Flippers4pups]

How should I check for that?

Multimeter.

 

[DreamReef04]

What are your nitrates and phosphates?

I think you may be right. I retested everything and I found .25 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and a huge amount of nitrate at 25ppm. Do you think this was more likely due to ammonia or the nitrate. And what should my next couple steps be?

 

[Greg P]

What ammonia test kit are you using?

 

[DreamReef04]

What ammonia test kit are you using?

I used the API saltwater master kit one. The one where you drop several drops into a test tube and wait.

 

[Greg P]

I used the API saltwater master kit one. The one where you drop several drops into a test tube and wait.

@brandon429

 

[Flippers4pups]

I think you may be right. I retested everything and I found .25 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and a huge amount of nitrate at 25ppm. Do you think this was more likely due to ammonia or the nitrate. And what should my next couple steps be?

Neither. API test kits for ammonia aren't accurate at low range (.25 ammonia is common reading even if there isn't any).

25 ppm N03 isn't any issue.

 

[DreamReef04]

Okay, thank you. So going back to the potential of a pathogen, what should I do?

 

[LardLad]

Your dry rock is sterling white in a 5-month-old tank?

I strongly suspect your fish died from Ammonia Toxicity.

Done now.

 

[Flippers4pups]

Okay, thank you. So going back to the potential of a pathogen, what should I do?

I'd stay fallow for 72 days.