Me and my challenges as a Newbie

[Fish4Sail]

Hi there R2R

I am a newbie to all things fishy...and in true me style I dive in head first.

About my project.

29 gallon tank.

30lb live sand
+/- 35lb live rock

2 hermit crabs (down from 4)

Snails have been dying off recently (went away for a week and nitrates jumped) but have a few of the following

Astrea
Margarita
Nassarius
Mexican Turbo
Bumble bee

1 x Coral Shrimp!

0 x fish!!!

Every fish I add dies!

Damsel after Damsel... All gone to a better place and I have NO idea why... Which is what brought me to this beautiful community.

My tank has been running for 4 months now.

Ph 8.4
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

Equipment???

Okay... Lay it on thick guys.

Aqueon 30 HOB filter
Sun JVP 530gph powerhead constant
Sun JVP 530gph powerhead 15 min timer every 3 hours.
Standard heater

I also have 3 Coral frags which seem to be doing well...

GSP
Xenia (slightly limp since I got back)
Clove Polyp

Any ideas on why my fish would die?

Parameters seem fine (using API Master Test Kit

Any advice?

Looking forward to hearing from you guys and creating an awesome reef space.

Kind Regards

Fish4Sail

 

[Crabs McJones]

Welcome to R2R

#WelcometoR2R
Are you using ro/di water? What's your salinity st?

 

[Fish4Sail]

Hi Crabs

Yes. When I started the tank I bought seawater.

Now I use instant Ocean Salt and Rodi water I buy from CVS (please see photo of label attached)

Salinity is at 1.022 on my hydrometer.

Thanks for the reply

 

[Ranjib]

your tank looks very sterile. no algae , no critters. how long you have it ? I would wait till it grows some algae, then add snails, not before that.

 

[Ranjib]

Salinity is low. it should be 1.026. Temperature & light?

 

[Fish4Sail]

Hi Ranjib

There is some algae... I just cleaned it with a toothbrush and vacuum. The snails where not doing there jobs. Red hair Red slime and green algae.

Coraline algae is doing well.

Sorry. I took that picture 30 mins after lights went off (switched them on for photo) so corals are retracted.

 

[cracker]

mmm

 

[Fish4Sail]

Temp 78
Lights are small led's on hood of Aqueon Aquarium kit

 

[Fish4Sail]

mmm

Bad? Very Bad? Not sooo bad?

 

[Ranjib]

Those ornamental decorations you have, any of that has any type of metal etc?
There many things thats not right. But they should not cause fish death (like light for example)

 

[KJ]

Welcome to R2R!!!

 

[Fish4Sail]

Those ornamental decorations you have, any of that has any type of metal etc?
There many things thats not right. But they should not cause fish death (like light for example)

They are fish safe bought from Petco...so don't believe there is any metal in them.

This is my concern. My tank is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination...but fish should be viable.

You say light is a new issue, please elaborate

 

[cracker]

Bad? Very Bad? Not sooo bad?

My opologies ! I had to rethink my post . I was going to say I thought your 30 aqueon wasn't enough filtration.

 

[Vahanyos]

You shouldn’t have to brush algae and vacuum it. Work on letting I naturally die off with proper husbandry.

Do you acclimate the fish?
How are you adding them to your tank?
How long has tank been running?
Do you have any chemical filtration? (Carbon, etc...)

 

[mike werner]

welcome,so me being me I hate plastic decorations just for the possibility of something leaching out and killing fish.it's just one of those maybes I would illuminate.fish safe isn't always reef safe. i'm a natural look kinda guy so that's my other reason for not doing them.stay the course and it will happen for you too.

 

[Fish4Sail]

The Aqueon filter has carbon in it.

I do and I don't.

Tried adding directly and tried drip acclimation. Same results.

Not sure what u mean by chemical filtration.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Could just have had bad luck with fish. Maybe try a different source.

Welcome to R2R!

 

[Fish4Sail]

welcome,so me being me I hate plastic decorations just for the possibility of something leaching out and killing fish.it's just one of those maybes I would illuminate.fish safe isn't always reef safe. i'm a natural look kinda guy so that's my other reason for not doing them.stay the course and it will happen for you too.

Hi Mike

Thanks

Yeah... I'm kinda a Shipwreck guy.

If that is a possibility I will take the ornaments out right away. How would/could I test for toxins leaching from these guys?

 

[KJ]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/the-supreme-guide-to-setting-up-a-saltwater-reef-aquarium.138750/
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/beginners-guide-to-acclimation-and-quarantine.304980/

 

[mike werner]

probably no way to test for that.i'm just saying ya never know but it could be an easy fix.you can always use them as decorations on or near the tank.hope ya figure out the problem.i'm sure one of the things that drew you to reefing are the cool swimmers.