Cody51
New Member
I'm new to Reef tanks and I converted my 70 gallon freshwater to saltwater, and I can't keep fish alive, even though all the tests I run they say the level are where their supposed to be, please help
Need some help
- Thread starter Cody51
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Sharkbait19
10K Club member
Welcome to the forum!
Do you notice any specific trends with the fish before dying? Do they look or act off in any way? Could you list your params? If you have pics, that would help a lot.
Do you notice any specific trends with the fish before dying? Do they look or act off in any way? Could you list your params? If you have pics, that would help a lot.
William Mumford
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Please if you can list all your parameters. Temp and salinity also is there movement on the water surface of your tank or is the water flat.
shakacuz
hang loose, cuz
welcome aboard the r2r board!
a good place to start is proper water tests with good grade kits. afterwards try looking into learning about fish diseases to see if you can narrow it down to something bacterial/parasite.
a good place to start is proper water tests with good grade kits. afterwards try looking into learning about fish diseases to see if you can narrow it down to something bacterial/parasite.
Cody51
New Member
Well I just
the ph . Is at the ideal level and with the ammonia, and the nitriates, and the salinity and gravity is at the ideal level , but when ever I add fish they stay at the surface and act like their gasping for air
Uncle99
10K Club member
That’s ammonia poisoning.
Your not cycled.
Cody51
New Member
Mr. Mojo Rising
7500 Club Member
first is you need rock, salt water bio filtration works with rock and flow (google the 'berlin method' for more info), rock and flow is the primary filter on a salt tank, you basically have no bio filter.
You will need rock, when you add the rock, it will cycle the tank. Read about bottled bacteria and fish-less cycle, the tank will be ready for life in a few week. You have to go very slowly with salt, not like fresh at all
You will need rock, when you add the rock, it will cycle the tank. Read about bottled bacteria and fish-less cycle, the tank will be ready for life in a few week. You have to go very slowly with salt, not like fresh at all
death-by-reef
Valuable Member
agree with above, need live rock. its ok, we've all been there at some point.
EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal
Just another girl who likes fish
Read these, and watch BRSTV videos....
www.reef2reef.com
www.reef2reef.com
Cycling an Aquarium
Cycling a new aquarium. One of the earliest topics a new aquarium hobbyist needs to learn is how to properly cycle their aquarium. There is a ton of information on this process and many different methods on how to accomplish it. There are many different chemical and biological cycles our tank...
www.reef2reef.com
The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium
The Supreme Guide To Setting Up A Saltwater Reef Aquarium Introduction The marine environment is one of the most complex systems on the planet. The aquarium you are about to set up is only a tiny sliver of the vast ocean, but it is nowhere near simple. This task is going to take patience, a...
www.reef2reef.com
Mr. Mojo Rising
7500 Club Member
Also I see no wave makers, and the water surface is very still, it could be lack of oxygen issue as well. 99% of us have a powerhead pointed at the surface. Flow and surface agitation is also very important
EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal
Just another girl who likes fish
I don't see any filtration/water movement at all.
death-by-reef
Valuable Member
get some water movement. even just a aqueon 1250 pump might work
EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal
Just another girl who likes fish
I'm sorry, but when you post asking for help, and we ask for your parameters/levels, you saying they are at "ideal level" tells us nothing. We want to help but can't if we don't have all the info available.
death-by-reef
Valuable Member
tru tru
ScottJ
Well-Known Member
Welcome! I am relatively new to saltwater, coming from fresh water also. I spent a good six months reading everything I could find and watching YouTube before I had water in the tank. Believe me, It's very different, and the more you learn about it, the more you discover you don't know.
Do yourself a favor and research before you go any farther. This forum is a wealth of information, the search button is your friend.
You can run a successful tank with all HOB equipment, but it's not like FW. And yes, you need rock specifically for saltwater, nothing you would put in a FW tank. The rock work is where your bio filtration lives that turns ammonia to nitrite, etc.
Last advice, use good test kits, I like Salfiert and Hanna checkers. API is fine for FW, not so much for salt.
Last, last advice. You can do a reef tank on a budget, BUT it's going to cost more per gallon than fresh, like a lot more! Worth it, though.
Do yourself a favor and research before you go any farther. This forum is a wealth of information, the search button is your friend.
You can run a successful tank with all HOB equipment, but it's not like FW. And yes, you need rock specifically for saltwater, nothing you would put in a FW tank. The rock work is where your bio filtration lives that turns ammonia to nitrite, etc.
Last advice, use good test kits, I like Salfiert and Hanna checkers. API is fine for FW, not so much for salt.
Last, last advice. You can do a reef tank on a budget, BUT it's going to cost more per gallon than fresh, like a lot more! Worth it, though.
vetteguy53081
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Can you post pics of your tank?
Opposed to freshwater, saltwater needs to go through what is known as a cycle and other steps before initial stocking. Additionally, you want to monitor water dusing the process and adjust accordingly.
Can you describe your start up, preparations for fish, type of test kits, and typs of filters?
Also are you using RODI water or tap water from the faucet ?
Lastly, how did you introduce the fish to the tank?
CoralB
5000 Club Member
Don’t buy any more fish til your tank is cycled with 0 ammoni
