I HATE saltwater!!

[Rufus’ goofs]

Action plan-

Do a 50 percent water change today
Dose bacteria in a bottle

What else???

Maybe get a seachem ammonia badge, (they only read free ammonia.) and if the ammonia begins to climb after your bottle of bacteria, you can do small water changes to try and keep the ammonia at a level where the bacteria will colonize again without damaging your fish.

Those bottles of bacteria usually have ammonia in them as well. They're designed to be put into. Newly set up tank with fish following a couple hours after. Your ammonia will spike when you dose that bottle.

To me this sounds like the more stressful route to take. It's kind of a gamble IMHO.

 

[Crabs McJones]

50% seems like too much... I'd do 20% water changes twice a week until the problem is resolved, if you add 20 gallons of fresh saltwater, tank inhabitants will be shocked. Bacteria is a good idea though, but be careful if you still have inhabitants in the tank since a cycle is needed...

Agreed, to big of a parameter swing

 

[Oceanwave45]

50% seems like too much... I'd do 20% water changes twice a week until the problem is resolved, if you add 20 gallons of fresh saltwater, tank inhabitants will be shocked. Bacteria is a good idea though, but be careful if you still have inhabitants in the tank since a cycle is needed...

What??? I don't understand the tank cycled I used a dead
Fish to cycle my tank it cycled for a month

 

[Crabs McJones]

What??? I don't understand the tank cycled I used a dead
Fish to cycle my tank it cycled for a month

But were you using the Prime the whole time as well?

 

[Oceanwave45]

Agreed, to big of a parameter swing

Maybe this what I am doing wrong I am doing too big of water changes and too often I do a water changes everytime my water was testing high and I have dosed it with prime too

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

What??? I don't understand the tank cycled I used a dead
Fish to cycle my tank it cycled for a month

Your cycle was broken. You don't have one anymore. The repeated use of prime killed it all off.

Your tank needs to cycle.

 

[Crabs McJones]

If you were using Prime the whole time, prime neutralizes ammonia. So the ammonia never got a chance to break down into nitrite and then to nitrate. So technically your cycle never started.

 

[Oceanwave45]

If you were using Prime the whole time, prime neutralizes ammonia. So the ammonia never got a chance to break down into nitrite and then to nitrate. So technically your cycle never started.

Okay thank everyone!!! But I need a step by step action plan!!!!! What do I do????

 

[PSLReefer]

Your cycle was broken. You don't have one anymore. The repeated use of prime killed it all off.

Your tank needs to cycle.

Exactly this. Take all livestock out and cycle your tank. That is the ONLY way your going to "fix" your problem.

Taken back to the store if you can if not sell them, something.

CYCLE that tank! Don't add any prime or chemicals don't dose don't do anything until it is cycled.

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Please read through this. It will give you a lot of helpful information as well as educate you in depth about the nitrogen cycle and algae cycle of new tanks.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/

 

[Oceanwave45]

Exactly this. Take all livestock out and cycle your tank. That is the ONLY way your going to "fix" your problem.

Taken back to the store if you can if not sell them, something.

CYCLE that tank! Don't add any prime or chemicals don't dose don't do anything until it is cycled.

Well if I have to do that then I'm trashing the whole system...

 

[Crabs McJones]

Well if I have to do that then I'm trashing the whole system...

Then you don't have the patience for this hobby. This isn't an easy fix quick results. If you're going to trash everything where are you located? I'll take it off your hands.

 

[PSLReefer]

Well if I have to do that then I'm trashing the whole system...

Well that's on you...

There is a plethora of info on starting a sw tank. Sorry but this is really your only viable option. Your remaining livestock will most likely die as well. You can try cycling with them in there but most likely they won't make it.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Well if I have to do that then I'm trashing the whole system...

And no offense, but that is kind of a slap to the face to the members who posted in this forum trying to help you. You came asking for help and when the answer was either not what you wanted to hear or not what you wanted to do you simply say "i'm throwing it all away"

 

[rock_lobster]

The tank needs to be started over most likely. Tap water is like pouring cyanide into a reef tank. Its loaded with metals, phosphates, silicates, nitrates, ammonia, chlorine each can kill a reef and absorb into the rock and sand. The best solution would be to take everything out of the tank, clean it and then start over with fresh rocks and sand. Sell off your livestock locally what is remaining(put them in a tupperware now with fresh saltwater made with RO/DI.) Cycle the tank appropriately for 1 month using only RO/DI water. That would be my suggestion. You may want to take a break in between before you restart the tank to research about cycling procedures, RODI and other startup steps before jumping back in.

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

Please make appropriate accommodations for your livestock.
Either back to the store, to a fellow reefer, for sale on Craigslist.

Make sure they go to a good home.

 

[USMC 4 LIFE]

I think you got off to a bad start man. Not your fault. This hobby is challenging at times and it can get confusing if you're getting bad advise.

What everyone here has said WILL help your tank and get you back on track slowly. However, to properly help you we need to know what exactly you've done to give the best remedial action.

If it were me, I'd sell, give or QT the livestock away quickly. This will give us time to get that tank on the right path. It WILL get better. You just have to put your head down and grind through this. Trust me it WORTH it and you'll learn so much.

 

[Oceanwave45]

I'm in Colorado someone come get thing before I just pour bleach in the tank ...just really ticked off I wouldn't do that

 

[Rufus’ goofs]

It's like when that new couple gets a puppy and then takes it to the pound cause they can't potty train it.
No offense, but that's a really bad way to express your frustration, especially to what is probably nothing but aquarists and animal lovers.

Take a deep breath. Go for a walk. Come back to it with a clear head.
This requires patience, diligence and consistency.

 

[Oceanwave45]

It's like when that new couple gets a puppy and then takes it to the pound cause they can't potty train it.

Lol
That's funny!!! Dude I have tree frogs several fresh water tanks and several more animals... but this saltwater tank is killing me!!! So much work time and money! This is one of the most overwhelming pets I have ever had