I need help please, fish dying.

[stanleo]

I have a 120 gallon with no sump I setup 3 weeks ago. I cycled for 2 weeks using live rock (not sure of the pounds but five big pieces of wet rock and 3 pieces of dry rock) and live sand (120 lbs I wanted a deep sand bed.) I have a Fluval FX6 canister filter. I put a skimmer on the tank a few days ago that I had from a previous 55 gallon I had setup five years ago. I rinsed it out using tap water but never got any skimmate out of it after running it for a few days. I have been testing daily for 2 weeks. I took a sample to be tested at my local fish store just to confirm and they said all the readings were fine just a little ammonia but they convinced me that I could start with some fish. I trust this store and have been using them for four years for my freshwater tanks. I have gotten all my freshwater fish from them and never had issues so I took them at their word. I bought 3 green chromis and 2 azure damselfish. They assured that this would not be too much to start with in a 120. I acclimated them over an hour in a bucket by adding a cup of tank water every ten minutes. Things seemed fine. I was still getting ammonia readings but the fish were active and feeding normally and the ammonia reading never got any higher (but it didn't lower either). Its been three days and this morning all that is left are 2 of the chromis. I lost one damselfish by the second day but I thought maybe he had jumped out over night and one of the cats got him. The tank has to be several inches from the wall to make room for hang on the back equipment and maintenance. I awoke this morning and found a chromis stuck to the outside of the powerhead. I searched for the missing damselfish but could not find him. I have since put a lid on the tank so I don't think he jumped out.

My parameters are:
78F
8.2 ph
Ammonia .25ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Calcium 300 (I know this is low but that shouldn't effect fish, right?)
KH 8
Phosphorus between 0-.25ppm
Salinity 1.024

I have been watching this youtube series BRS160 52 Weeks of Reefing (I wish I had found that before I ever bought the tank) and the only thing that is different that I didn't do besides not having a sump is I did not cure the rock myself. Again, the rocks came out of a holding tank and I trusted this LFS.

Is it the ammonia that is killing these poor fish? I know that at high PH like in a reef tank most of the detectable ammonia is the less harmful ammonium which is why I was comfortable adding the fish like they suggested. Could there have been something in the old skimmer that released a toxin? I took the skimmer out this morning. Should I have cured and cleaned the rock myself? I did do a 20 gallon water change the day after I bought them using RODI water mixed with the salt at 1.024 SP. Was this a mistake? Fridays are when I do all my water changes and tank maintenance.

My plan as of now is to return the survivors and get a bio agent to help the cycling process because my conclusion is that the cycle is not complete and I screwed up. I am also going to get a saltwater ammonia test kit. Right now I am using the API freshwater master kit to test Ammonia, PH and Nitrite. API Reef kit for the other tests. What else should I do? The store doesn't open til 1PM on sundays so I should have time to wait for you replies. Please help me.

 

[Swoody]

your tank is not fully cycled yet and the ammonia is too high.....Get some Dr. Tims or Bio Spira asap to get some nitrifying bacteria in there asap to help things out. Also dose some prime to reduce the effects of the ammonia poisoning.

 

[stanleo]

Will do thank you. I’m still returning these fish. I have been doing the aquarium thing long enough I should have went with my instincts and not gotten the fish but they swore it would be fine. I didn’t even plan on getting them when I went.

 

[EmdeReef]

No amount of ammonia is acceptable due to acute and chronic toxicity. As said above adding bacteria makes sense, but I would also add some ammonia detoxifier like Prime in the meantime.

Your cycle will only be complete once you record nitrates consistently.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Sorry you got bad advise. I used Dr Tim’s on all my tanks and it works really well. I’d pull the fish ASAP. Also if you can it’s good to have a qt tank set up for new fish and an emergency like this. I keep a 20 gallon running all the time

 

[stanleo]

Ok. Survivors are returned. They gave me store credit which is the least they could do. I bought a bioseed (they didn’t have Dr Tim’s or Biospiro but I looked this stuff up Aquavitro Seed and it does the same thing. I also got a marine API kit for ammonia nitrite and nitrate ph. I’m going to do the cycle thing with precise ammonia dosing like I did on all my freshwater and do this the right way like I should have. I feel so bad for those fish. THEY ACTUALLY ASKED IF I WANTED TO GET MORE FISH!!! I might have to go to the other store from now on. That left a sour taste in my mouth. Thanks guys

 

[Captain Quint]

Ok. Survivors are returned. They gave me store credit which is the least they could do. I bought a bioseed (they didn’t have Dr Tim’s or Biospiro but I looked this stuff up Aquavitro Seed and it does the same thing. I also got a marine API kit for ammonia nitrite and nitrate ph. I’m going to do the cycle thing with precise ammonia dosing like I did on all my freshwater and do this the right way like I should have. I feel so bad for those fish. THEY ACTUALLY ASKED IF I WANTED TO GET MORE FISH!!! I might have to go to the other store from now on. That left a sour taste in my mouth. Thanks guys

You did the right thing and this was not your fault so do not beat yourself up about it. All of us hate this happened to you and the poor fishes.

Now, on the other hand, the LFS know better and it would have put a sour taste in my mouth as well and lastly, I too would patronize another LFS as you mentioned.