New fish die within hours

[adittam]

He doesn't have to buy a damsel. Chromis sell for $10. I sure haven't seen any clowns for under $30 each. My suggestion was to go with something inexpensive to start out with since he has already lost a chunk of change and is discouraged.

I understand what you're saying, but I still don't think adding a fish that wasn't on his intended stock list as a canary in a coal mine, so to speak, isn't what I would do.

 

[Glass Algae]

Hey I could be justa noob here but How is the reservoir sump that low to begin with. i run a fluval evo with its own sump and either the tank would over fill and return drain to sump or vice versa. Is bio cube just like that where you could have a nearly empty sump?

Also in regards to eheims I agree with the poster who said the dry shut off isnt always true. Mine will stay lit and on (and has - my fault though not the heaters) when doing a water change and leaving the heater in the empty water bucket.

I really thought the heater would have cracks or malfunction. Lucky it doesnt!

OP have you considered a Send away test? Maybe also check your power heads and pump for rust?

 

[BoneDoc]

I think we are getting As others have noted,
1. don’t use any cleaning products not meant for aquarium
2. Consider changing your heater and Make sure it is submerged

try having inverts first … just a couple of snails or crabs

 

[BoneDoc]

Keep that sump reservoir at least halfway filled

 

[RedSeaReefer1]

(sorry for the long post)

Hello guys,
I have a Coralife BioCube 32 gallon tank. I completed the cycle about a week ago (took me 4 weeks and a half). Dosed 2ppm ammonia and all levels go to zero in less than 24 hours (except nitrates). I have a RO/DI system which I used to do a few water changes to drop nitrate levels before adding fish. Last week I added one clownfish first (acclimated the fish). It started gasping for air and then stayed at the bottom until it died (died within hours). Checked parameters and everything zero. Thought maybe fish was sick. Next day went to another lfs and they advised me to get 2 clownfish claiming that they don't like being alone. Got home acclimated for about 2 hours, added fish and both died again. One looked OK for about 3 hours swimming normally but then started to swim on the sand like scratching himself and got lethargic and stayed on the sand until it died. The other one died first. That one was gasping for air at the top and started losing strength until it died. Tested parameters and everything zero (alkalinity 1.022). I waited one week, adding 2 ppm ammonia every 2 days to make sure that the bacteria had something to eat. Again, all parameters down to zero in less than 24 hours. I bought a chlorine test which arrived this week. Tested the water had zero chlorine, tested tds from rodi system and was zero, did a 50% water change one day and 25% next day to lower nitrates to about 5ppm. I decided to buy 2 more clownfish and both died within hours. The exhibit similar patterns before dying. At this point I don't know what to do. I was so excited but I'm losing hope. I don't like seeing these fish dying. It's way too sad. Every and any advice will be appreciated. Thank you.

PH 8.0
Temp 79-80 degree
Alkalinity 1.022
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
Chlorine 0
TDS 0
Protein skimmer
2 sponges for filtration
1 media bag
1 seachem purigen
About 20 pounds of rock and 2 inches of sand

Your first mistake was buying a bio cube. Second mistake was buying more fish again and again and letting them die. Should’ve stopped after the first one. Third mistake is you probably didn’t use a start up bacteria like Fritz turbo start 900. You should get a bigger tank…if you’re a newbie smaller tanks aren’t really for you. Contrary to popular belief they are actually harder to maintain because of how fast your parameters and water quality can change on you…scrap that bio cube and get a Red Sea or something

 

[Pico bam]

Man I had something similar happen except my fish survived. They've been in the the tank about a year now. Turns out brightwells phosphate e liquid phosphate remover is not as fish safe as they claim it is woah! You wouldn't happen to have used a toxic phosphate remover have you? Sorry if there's negativity to an already stressful situation on here not sure if the answer has been found alot of posts.

 

[Clemsy]

I decided to empty the tank, change sand, get new rock, clean it and start the process all over again. That will rule out any toxin that may be inside the tank.

 

[Alexoss]

Understandable but it would have been really useful for you to understand what went that wrong in your first try to avoid repeating the same mistake imo.

 

[Clemsy]

Understandable but it would have been really useful for you to understand what went that wrong in your first try to avoid repeating the same mistake imo.

I just feel like a dog chasing his tail.

 

[Shawaiz_106]

I just feel like a dog chasing his tail.

I mean its your tank so your choice but imo it will be nice to get to know what happened in the first place. But I also get where you are coming from, it will be nice to just forget and restart fresh. Keep us updated on what happens even after you restart and what you do different.

 

[Clemsy]

I mean its your tank so your choice but imo it will be nice to get to know what happened in the first place. But I also get where you are coming from, it will be nice to just forget and restart fresh. Keep us updated on what happens even after you restart and what you do different.

I too want to know what happened. It's that I have a feeling that is some kind of toxin or something like that because every test I do comes out normal. I added 2 ppm ammonia yesterday to make sure again that the tank is cycled. By night time ammonia was almost zero, nitrites 2 ppm, and today nitrites are zero. Salinity still normal, ph is 8. I just don't know what to test. I'll be coming back if I ever find out. You guys are the best. I've never felt so welcome in a community before. Never change

 

[RedSeaReefer1]

I too want to know what happened. It's that I have a feeling that is some kind of toxin or something like that because every test I do comes out normal. I added 2 ppm ammonia yesterday to make sure again that the tank is cycled. By night time ammonia was almost zero, nitrites 2 ppm, and today nitrites are zero. Salinity still normal, ph is 8. I just don't know what to test. I'll be coming back if I ever find out. You guys are the best. I've never felt so welcome in a community before. Never change

You need to add Fritz turbo start or something in your tank

 

[Clemsy]

You need to add Fritz turbo start or something in your tank

Last time I added drtim's one and only

 

[andiesreef]

You need to add Fritz turbo start or something in your tank

i don't think this is a cycling issue. it's been narrowed down to maybe a toxicity problem.

@Clemsy can you try adding a poly-pad to remove any contaminants before you have to start over?

 

[Clemsy]

i don't think this is a cycling issue. it's been narrowed down to maybe a toxicity problem.

@Clemsy can you try adding a poly-pad to remove any contaminants before you have to start over?

I can try that. Any brand you recommend? I added a carbon filter pad. Should I remove that one and place the poly-pad or the poly-pad goes on top? Thanks

 

[DaddyFish]

Don't forget that you can flush a tank/system with plain old tap water. Then refill it with RO/DI/Salt mixed.

With as much doubt being pointed towards something toxic, I'd flush that tank/system several times with tap water before adding a final mix.

 

[andiesreef]

I can try that. Any brand you recommend? I added a carbon filter pad. Should I remove that one and place the poly-pad or the poly-pad goes on top? Thanks

anything that says poly-pad should be ok. you could probably run both but i'd double-check since i'm not sure.

i'd try taking out all of the water, flushing it out w/ tap water, refilling it, running a poly-pad for at least a few days, and then adding a hermit crab or something and seeing how it does.

 

[czoolander]

Your first mistake was buying a bio cube. Second mistake was buying more fish again and again and letting them die. Should’ve stopped after the first one. Third mistake is you probably didn’t use a start up bacteria like Fritz turbo start 900. You should get a bigger tank…if you’re a newbie smaller tanks aren’t really for you. Contrary to popular belief they are actually harder to maintain because of how fast your parameters and water quality can change on you…scrap that bio cube and get a Red Sea or something

That is easy to say but how many people have the money for a 300 gallon setup or the space for a 200gallon set up? Its not just as simple as saying its a mistake buying a bio cube just buy a bigger tank.

Kind of an ignorant statement to be honest . I know lots of people that started on small tanks with a clownfish or two .

OP was genuinely looking for a solution to his problem and is learning like all of us had to do at some point

 

[RedSeaReefer1]

That is easy to say but how many people have the money for a 300 gallon setup or the space for a 200gallon set up? Its not just as simple as saying its a mistake buying a bio cube just buy a bigger tank.

Kind of an ignorant statement to be honest . I know lots of people that started on small tanks with a clownfish or two .

OP was genuinely looking for a solution to his problem and is learning like all of us had to do at some point

I’m just telling it how it is

 

[Karen00]

Your first mistake was buying a bio cube. Second mistake was buying more fish again and again and letting them die. Should’ve stopped after the first one. Third mistake is you probably didn’t use a start up bacteria like Fritz turbo start 900. You should get a bigger tank…if you’re a newbie smaller tanks aren’t really for you. Contrary to popular belief they are actually harder to maintain because of how fast your parameters and water quality can change on you…scrap that bio cube and get a Red Sea or something

I'm sorry but this has nothing to do with the tank being a biocube, or the fact it's a small tank or the fact that the OP is a noob or that Dr. Tims was used to cycle. I'm a noob, and have a cheap 5g from Petsmart and I'm currently using conditioned tap water with my salt. My inhabitants are totally fine. This sounds like something with the water to kill that quickly. @Clemsy if this happens again after restarting your tank I think you need to send your rodi water away for a full test (maybe even your salt mixed water as well). I'm assuming you didn't use a tank or rocks or anything that came from a friend that might've been bleached or anything like that. If you know the origins of everything then this sounds like toxicity in the water. I think the suggestion of using a poly-pad is good.