New 29 Gallon reef tank
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Hey
Been a while
All actually developed perfectly
I added two more fish besides my tomato clown
Got a few snails as well
And 3-4 weeks ago I added a Kenya tree
So here is the problem
I got some kind of red algae - I tried to clean it out by hand by it just continues to grow and spread to the whole tank
One of the fish died - I think it was stock under a stone so not related to any other matter
Then yesterday a the fish store they recommended I got some chemi clean
I added that to the think yesterday including an extra power head (now 3 heads)
I measured all yesterday
Showed a little ammonia
Zero nitrite and nitrate
Salinity at 1.025
Temp 79
Calcium a little low at 360
Ph around 8.2 and alkalinity at 7
During the night the second fish died and now I only have the tomato fish
When I measured the water today ammonia looked fine but I got a spike in nitrite
I think there is a few options
A) the tank is only now going through the biological process
B) I also got a spike in alkalinity - jumped to above 11 (second time I experience this) - I think it's related to adding tropic Marin - bio-calcium
So all in all some very bad days
I did water change yesterday and another one today and hoping my last fish, the coral and the snails survive ( forgot I also have a shrimp)
Any input based on above very welcome
Been a while
All actually developed perfectly
I added two more fish besides my tomato clown
Got a few snails as well
And 3-4 weeks ago I added a Kenya tree
So here is the problem
I got some kind of red algae - I tried to clean it out by hand by it just continues to grow and spread to the whole tank
One of the fish died - I think it was stock under a stone so not related to any other matter
Then yesterday a the fish store they recommended I got some chemi clean
I added that to the think yesterday including an extra power head (now 3 heads)
I measured all yesterday
Showed a little ammonia
Zero nitrite and nitrate
Salinity at 1.025
Temp 79
Calcium a little low at 360
Ph around 8.2 and alkalinity at 7
During the night the second fish died and now I only have the tomato fish
When I measured the water today ammonia looked fine but I got a spike in nitrite
I think there is a few options
A) the tank is only now going through the biological process
B) I also got a spike in alkalinity - jumped to above 11 (second time I experience this) - I think it's related to adding tropic Marin - bio-calcium
So all in all some very bad days
I did water change yesterday and another one today and hoping my last fish, the coral and the snails survive ( forgot I also have a shrimp)
Any input based on above very welcome
Rattooth
Active Member
Ammonia means tank has not cycled. Or a fish is dead inside tank.
?
Fish did not get "stuck " and die from that.
Same Nitrite shows tank not cycled yet.
It will spike and go to zero.
I think you started before cycle was complete. Just wait a few days. Ammonia and nitrite will zero out.
?
Fish did not get "stuck " and die from that.
Same Nitrite shows tank not cycled yet.
It will spike and go to zero.
I think you started before cycle was complete. Just wait a few days. Ammonia and nitrite will zero out.
Okay
My last fish died this night :-(
Also my Kenya tree looks dead
Nitrite back to zero - still no spike in nitrate so get unsure whether whether the biological filter is up running
Ph dropped to around 7.6 so added some ph adjuster this morning
All in all after a few good months a very bad week - only positive is that the red algae are dead too....
All ideas and input are welcome
My last fish died this night :-(
Also my Kenya tree looks dead
Nitrite back to zero - still no spike in nitrate so get unsure whether whether the biological filter is up running
Ph dropped to around 7.6 so added some ph adjuster this morning
All in all after a few good months a very bad week - only positive is that the red algae are dead too....
All ideas and input are welcome
Rattooth
Active Member
Safest bet would be to add a Blue Damsel and watch for a few more weeks.
I think though your tank has cycled though. Just now safe.( You can take damsel out later , if you don't want a fish that mean.)
The cycle is always:
Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate at zero on day one.
Then later Ammonia measures high,soon after Ammonia goes to zero, and Nitrite measures high. When nitrite goes to zero tank has cycled .
Also add a little sand and small rock from established tank. This not only seeds bacteria but introduces other helpful tiny critters and coralline algae.
Leave Kenyan tree alone . Sometimes new growth appears on all kind of corals( both hard and soft) where you can't see anything)
The damsel , I suggested will survive a new tank ammonia cycle.( That is old timer 's way back in seventies.
Nitrate may measure zero or low in newly cycled tanks. As tank matures nitrate shows up a little. You lower that with regular monthly water changes . I suggest 20 to 30 % water change monthly after tank has had fish alive for 90 days.
Good luck.
I think though your tank has cycled though. Just now safe.( You can take damsel out later , if you don't want a fish that mean.)
The cycle is always:
Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate at zero on day one.
Then later Ammonia measures high,soon after Ammonia goes to zero, and Nitrite measures high. When nitrite goes to zero tank has cycled .
Also add a little sand and small rock from established tank. This not only seeds bacteria but introduces other helpful tiny critters and coralline algae.
Leave Kenyan tree alone . Sometimes new growth appears on all kind of corals( both hard and soft) where you can't see anything)
The damsel , I suggested will survive a new tank ammonia cycle.( That is old timer 's way back in seventies.
Nitrate may measure zero or low in newly cycled tanks. As tank matures nitrate shows up a little. You lower that with regular monthly water changes . I suggest 20 to 30 % water change monthly after tank has had fish alive for 90 days.
Good luck.
Thanks for the help
After searching more I think I used chemi clean wrong - simply not enough oxidize in the tank - hhmmppfff - not happy
Not really sure where to start now other than adding one fish and see - perhaps a dead shrimp first and see that the biological filter works
After searching more I think I used chemi clean wrong - simply not enough oxidize in the tank - hhmmppfff - not happy
Not really sure where to start now other than adding one fish and see - perhaps a dead shrimp first and see that the biological filter works
LetItReef
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I would do just water change over the weeks and I would not add any chemicals in the tank.
Once all fixed, I would do every two weeks wAter change ,about 5g and weekly topp off, no additives.
Once all fixed, I would do every two weeks wAter change ,about 5g and weekly topp off, no additives.
bfam4t6
Active Member
Nice start! Seriously. I know your first round of livestock died, but that happens in this hobby.
The red algae you're referring to is cyano bacteria, and you're right, you probably dropped the oxygen levels in your tank when you used Chemiclean, and this could have started the killing process. Cyano means excess nutrients, and it likes to cling to areas of low flow. So, often times increasing flow in these trouble spots can help eliminate the cyano problem.
Here's what I would do:
Don't by a Damsel...unless of course that is the ONLY fish you want in your tank. I'm serious.
Put in ONE turbo snail.
Put in about 2-3 Astraea snails.
Put in about 2-3 hermit crabs (make sure they're reef safe hermits. Some aren't!)
Maybe add one or two more other snails like Nassarius or Cerith or whatever other beneficial species you can find.
Now, the goal is to keep all of those occupants alive. If a bunch of snails die the first two days, you're going to get a nutrient spike again, but at least you'll only be losing $5 instead of $35. So, just start with snails and hermits. If they live 3+ days! then your water is habitable. At this point, you'll need a fish in the water to provide poop for the clean up crew to eat.
Now pick your fish. I'd recommend a clownfish. Maroons, Tomatos, and blacks, are the more aggressive clowns, so just know this.
After you add your fish, I would do TWO 10-15% water changes a week for at least two weeks. This should help balance out your water while your bacteria colonies struggle to keep up with all the bio load you just a added.
Once your clownfish and basic clean up crew have managed to live for about a month, it should be safe to start slowly adding more things, one or two at a time. Remember, even corals add to your bio load.
Here's a cheap secret. Once your basic clean up crew and one fish have managed to survive, just wait until you see a decent amount of coralline algae growing on your rocks. Coralline is a sign of stability, and should indicate that your tank is ready for another coral or two. You're new, and probably shouldn't follow my tactic exactly, but I NEVER use test kits on my new tanks. I just start with a cheap clean up crew, and then I wait for coralline to grow before I start slowly adding fish. This is a risky and imprecise way of doing things, but it works for me. You really can learn a lot about your tank just by staring at it every day. Test kits are handy, but not an absolute necessity.
The red algae you're referring to is cyano bacteria, and you're right, you probably dropped the oxygen levels in your tank when you used Chemiclean, and this could have started the killing process. Cyano means excess nutrients, and it likes to cling to areas of low flow. So, often times increasing flow in these trouble spots can help eliminate the cyano problem.
Here's what I would do:
Don't by a Damsel...unless of course that is the ONLY fish you want in your tank. I'm serious.
Put in ONE turbo snail.
Put in about 2-3 Astraea snails.
Put in about 2-3 hermit crabs (make sure they're reef safe hermits. Some aren't!)
Maybe add one or two more other snails like Nassarius or Cerith or whatever other beneficial species you can find.
Now, the goal is to keep all of those occupants alive. If a bunch of snails die the first two days, you're going to get a nutrient spike again, but at least you'll only be losing $5 instead of $35. So, just start with snails and hermits. If they live 3+ days! then your water is habitable. At this point, you'll need a fish in the water to provide poop for the clean up crew to eat.
Now pick your fish. I'd recommend a clownfish. Maroons, Tomatos, and blacks, are the more aggressive clowns, so just know this.
After you add your fish, I would do TWO 10-15% water changes a week for at least two weeks. This should help balance out your water while your bacteria colonies struggle to keep up with all the bio load you just a added.
Once your clownfish and basic clean up crew have managed to live for about a month, it should be safe to start slowly adding more things, one or two at a time. Remember, even corals add to your bio load.
Here's a cheap secret. Once your basic clean up crew and one fish have managed to survive, just wait until you see a decent amount of coralline algae growing on your rocks. Coralline is a sign of stability, and should indicate that your tank is ready for another coral or two. You're new, and probably shouldn't follow my tactic exactly, but I NEVER use test kits on my new tanks. I just start with a cheap clean up crew, and then I wait for coralline to grow before I start slowly adding fish. This is a risky and imprecise way of doing things, but it works for me. You really can learn a lot about your tank just by staring at it every day. Test kits are handy, but not an absolute necessity.
Perfect
Thanks for the good info
I already have some snails in the aquarium as well as a fire shrimp - will continue with the water changes and if they all hang on till the weekend I will add a new clown fish and take it from there
Still a very disappointing week :-(
Thanks for the good info
I already have some snails in the aquarium as well as a fire shrimp - will continue with the water changes and if they all hang on till the weekend I will add a new clown fish and take it from there
Still a very disappointing week :-(
Okay snails and shrimp are still fine
Added 3 crabs a few weeks back - also fine
Tested again last weekend and all good so added a small clown fish Sunday - when I cam home today it was laying dead in the bottom - ohh boy
Not happy - tested all again
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all zero
Ph 8.2
Salinity 1,026
Talked to the fish shop - she recommends I drop salinity to 1,023
Any other ideas ??
Added 3 crabs a few weeks back - also fine
Tested again last weekend and all good so added a small clown fish Sunday - when I cam home today it was laying dead in the bottom - ohh boy
Not happy - tested all again
Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate all zero
Ph 8.2
Salinity 1,026
Talked to the fish shop - she recommends I drop salinity to 1,023
Any other ideas ??
I've noticed you have never measured any visible nitrates which leads me to believe the tank never cycled properly.
You may need better test equipment.
You should not add any more fish till your sure the tank has established.
Good luck
You may need better test equipment.
You should not add any more fish till your sure the tank has established.
Good luck
What are you testing salinity with?
Have you ensured its calibrated?
What test kits are you using?
Good points
I use a refractometer
I checked it - it was a little off
So real salinity is 1,023 - which I think should be fine
For ammonia, ph, nitrite and nitrate I use the standard api kid - and it's not expired - so all should be good there
I use a refractometer
I checked it - it was a little off
So real salinity is 1,023 - which I think should be fine
For ammonia, ph, nitrite and nitrate I use the standard api kid - and it's not expired - so all should be good there
Ask your lfs to calibrate for you.
Bring them a water sample to confirm your tests are accurate.
I would add some flakes or pellets daily and continue testing till you have nitrates.
This confirms the nitrogen cycle is working.
At this point a 20% water change will reduce the nitrates.
Then your ready to add fish.
Your should add 1 at a time 4 weeks apart to slowly increase tanks capacity to process ammonia.
I hope this helps. Good luck.
