Intro/Advice

[SpikeCount]

Hi all,

Just joined today and could use some help. My 63 gal salt water tank is about 6 months old. I have a nice AI light for it on about 9hrs/day. I have a sand substrate and several live rocks. No coral yet, but I want to get there. I put in a pair of clownfish about 4 months ago and they are still doing great. About three months ago, I added a firefish and a fairy basslet. A little over a month later, they both died within a few days of each other. I added a skimmer and let it cycle up for a few weeks and then added a Coral Beauty (I know they may eat coral but, since I don't have any right now...). Two weeks later, it was dead too. There is zero sign of any disease on any of the fish. And I've tested my water and taken it in for testing. PH, salinity, temp all fine. What is strange is I have zero readings on anything else. No ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, calcium, phosphates, etc all zero. On top of this, I had a persistent brownish algae scum that builds and I have to scrape it off, vacuum some and water change to clear. None of that was working and with no food for diatoms, thinking it isn't that. I just finished a 3 day cycle of keeping the light off and it did seem to prevent any new growth of the algae, fingers crossed.

This all strikes me as very weird and I would really like to stop killing fish. If anyone knows what I need to do to stop that from happening, I'd appreciate the input.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi all,

Just joined today and could use some help. My 63 gal salt water tank is about 6 months old. I have a nice AI light for it on about 9hrs/day. I have a sand substrate and several live rocks. No coral yet, but I want to get there. I put in a pair of clownfish about 4 months ago and they are still doing great. About three months ago, I added a firefish and a fairy basslet. A little over a month later, they both died within a few days of each other. I added a skimmer and let it cycle up for a few weeks and then added a Coral Beauty (I know they may eat coral but, since I don't have any right now...). Two weeks later, it was dead too. There is zero sign of any disease on any of the fish. And I've tested my water and taken it in for testing. PH, salinity, temp all fine. What is strange is I have zero readings on anything else. No ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, calcium, phosphates, etc all zero. On top of this, I had a persistent brownish algae scum that builds and I have to scrape it off, vacuum some and water change to clear. None of that was working and with no food for diatoms, thinking it isn't that. I just finished a 3 day cycle of keeping the light off and it did seem to prevent any new growth of the algae, fingers crossed.

This all strikes me as very weird and I would really like to stop killing fish. If anyone knows what I need to do to stop that from happening, I'd appreciate the input.

Regarding fish loss- how long and how did you cycle tank?
How are you testing water?
How did you acclimate fish and for how long?
Any signs of not eating, elevated breathing, hiding ?

 

[SpikeCount]

Regarding fish loss- how long and how did you cycle tank?
How are you testing water?
How did you acclimate fish and for how long?
Any signs of not eating, elevated breathing, hiding ?

Thanks for getting back to me. Tank was up for 3 months before adding the two clowns. I have two Seachem test kits to cover all. I have also taken samples for testing to my local aquarium shop to verify my results. Fish in bag for 2 hours, then slowly added water over 2-3 more hours before letting them swim out on own. All were eating, breathing normally. Clowns don't hide at all. I also have a Starry Goby that comes out every time I go near the tank. The firefish was always out and the Fairy Basslet frequently hid, but always came out to eat. The Coral Beauty was often swimming around, but none were glass surfing. They all seemed to be behaving perfectly normally, until they died.

 

[00W]

Welcome Welcome to the reef!

 

[vetteguy53081]

Thanks for getting back to me. Tank was up for 3 months before adding the two clowns. I have two Seachem test kits to cover all. I have also taken samples for testing to my local aquarium shop to verify my results. Fish in bag for 2 hours, then slowly added water over 2-3 more hours before letting them swim out on own. All were eating, breathing normally. Clowns don't hide at all. I also have a Starry Goby that comes out every time I go near the tank. The firefish was always out and the Fairy Basslet frequently hid, but always came out to eat. The Coral Beauty was often swimming around, but none were glass surfing. They all seemed to be behaving perfectly normally, until they died.

Acclimation - in the future, float bags for 20 mins First to equalize temperature, then add tank water Slowly equalizing salinity and ph first. I prefer after floating to pour bag contents into Clean pail or bucket and then add water instead of adding to bag. Check store salinity first to compare against your display tank salinity

 

[1112-425XL]

 

[Jimbhoy13]

Welcome to R2R. Good advice for you from Vetteguy.

 

[SpikeCount]

I agree but, I don't think that's what is killing my fish weeks or months after they go in, right? That's the part I'm trying to understand.

 

[jsker]

 

[00W]

My opinion.
Tank is still young and maturing.
I would add more live rock helping to strengthen the biofilter. I believe you only have enough biofilter for the two clowns at present. They can tolerate more than the other fish who passed can.
Ensure proper flow and oxygenation before adding more fish.
Buy some good testers like the hanna ones.
I went years without them. I mean years and now that I have them, what a dummy I am. Couldn't live without them!
All your tests can't be zero.
My two cents.

 

[kevgib67]

Welcome, glad you are here! Sorry for your bumpy start. Probably diatoms, they feed off silicates in a new tank and when silicates are gone so are the diatoms. It would be a good time to introduce copepods to the tank. They will feed off of diatoms.

 

[zheka757]

welcome to R2R!!

 

[RedReefer]

Welcome to R2R!!! Hope you get the tank corrected!

 

[MDAquatics]

Welcome!

Any photos of the algae for reference?

 

[Kiwi reefer]

Welcome to R2R, looking forward to seeing your progress

 

[CoralB]

Welcome !!

 

[FrugalReefer]

 

[Buckster]

Hello and Welcome to R2R! I had lost some fish shortly after an acclimation similar to yours. I then received a fish that I ordered and it recommended to float the bag for 20-30 minutes then to take the fish out and put it directly in the tank. After starting this procedure, I never lost a fish!

 

[7of9]