new to hobby! what am I looking for ?

Cottonmdalton · Nov 25, 2015

So I got a 90 Gallon tank started it on 11.7.15 with 20 pounds of live rock and50 pounds if ( Dry / Dead Rock ) . added 10 damsels on 11.8.15 . . Two of the same kind die on 11.15.15 thinking bad batch that I got before all the others r fine. My main question is what am I looking for to know my tank us cycling right or okay. My salinity is at 1.025 and temperature stays around 78 degrees. Oh and I added about 3/4th of ( Fritz Zyme 9 ) on 11.15.15 live natural bacteria

Brian Kim · Nov 25, 2015

I have tried that Fritz Zyme 9 and it almost killed all of my fishes while I was setting up a hospital tank on a fly, they were literally trying to jump out of my tank.
I believe most people here will disagree with cycling a new tank with fish but since you already started it, I would suggest using Bio Spira and check your parameters at least once a day.
Welcome to R2R and happy thanksgiving

Smite · Nov 25, 2015

Could have been an ammonia spike possibly? 10 fish at once will be tough on a system. I'm not 100% sure 10 damsels could co-exist in a 90 gallon system. I thought they were very territorial, and highly aggressive.

EDIT:

I have started my last 3 upgrades with Dr.Tim's "One and Only" Bacteria in a bottle. They were complete swaps, fish along with a mixed reef. I didn't have a single loss. I did have some slight color loss on my sps, but that can happen on any tank transfer.

Cottonmdalton · Nov 25, 2015

Brian Kim said:
I have tried that Fritz Zyme 9 and it almost killed all of my fishes while I was setting up a hospital tank on a fly, they were literally trying to jump out of my tank.
I believe most people here will disagree with cycling a new tank with fish but since you already started it, I would suggest using Bio Spira and check your parameters at least once a day.
Welcome to R2R and happy thanksgiving

That's where I am lost. What do I check my parameters with and what am I looking for.? I ask shops but they shoo me away.; (

Cottonmdalton · Nov 25, 2015

Smite said:
Could have been an ammonia spike possibly? 10 fish at once will be tough on a system. I'm not 100% sure 10 damsels could co-exist in a 90 gallon system. I thought they were very territorial, and highly aggressive.

EDIT:

I have started my last 3 upgrades with Dr.Tim's "One and Only" Bacteria in a bottle. They were complete swaps, fish along with a mixed reef. I didn't have a single loss. I did have some slight color loss on my sps, but that can happen on any tank transfer.

That's what I hear about the damsels but to be honest they r not fighting. They r fine with each other. I got 10 of them because the place I got my tank at told me that's what I need to cycle my tank.

Brian Kim · Nov 25, 2015

Cottonmdalton said:
That's where I am lost. What do I check my parameters with and what am I looking for.? I ask shops but they shoo me away.; (

You can get some affordable API "Saltwater" master test kit or get better ones such as salifert, red sea, hanna, etc. I would suggest getting API, they are not that expensive and will get most of the readings accurately.
Test for Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and ph. Your Ammonia should be close if not @ 0

Cottonmdalton · Nov 25, 2015

Brian Kim said:
You can get some affordable API "Saltwater" master test kit or get better ones such as salifert, red sea, hanna, etc. I would suggest getting API, they are not that expensive and will get most of the readings accurately.
Test for Ammonia, nitrate, nitrite and ph. Your Ammonia should be close if not @ 0

Is this the one? And I have ( 3 ) 800 GPH powerheads and ( 1 ) 1300 GPH powerhead. Is that to much ?

Brian Kim · Nov 25, 2015

yes that's the one

Ryan15236 · Nov 25, 2015

Cottonmdalton said:
That's what I hear about the damsels but to be honest they r not fighting. They r fine with each other. I got 10 of them because the place I got my tank at told me that's what I need to cycle my tank.

Do yourself a favor a run away and never look back to a shop that recommends cycling a tank with live fish and not atleast adding some sort of bacteria supplement. They should never recommend cycling with live animals to someone new to the hobby. It is so much easier and humane to throw some deli shrimp in there and let it rot essentially then I would bet you could do a water change and be ready to go.

That being said I didn't cycle my tank the traditional way this time but I used established LR from another source and went ahead and added corals. I would get the API test kit for now. Cheap and all in one for what you need at the moment. Pretty user friendly as well.

Ryan15236 · Nov 25, 2015

BTW, good luck and looks like you have a great start!

Brian Kim · Nov 25, 2015

Trying looking up Ecotech MP40's for your tank or Jebao RW-15/20 if on budget

Brian Kim · Nov 25, 2015

Is that an Aqueon 90 gallon tank? What type of filtration are you using, sump, wetdry, canister

Cottonmdalton · Nov 25, 2015

Well I guess they see that I'm new and are trying to make money.. idk what to do . It's not been a month yet so is a water change needed?

Cottonmdalton · Nov 26, 2015

Brian Kim said:
Is that an Aqueon 90 gallon tank? What type of filtration are you using, sump, wetdry, canister

It's a wet dry . No sump

Brian Kim · Nov 26, 2015

Cottonmdalton said:
Well I guess they see that I'm new and are trying to make money.. idk what to do . It's not been a month yet so is a water change needed?

You should be getting used to doing 20% water change twice a month until your tank matures

Cottonmdalton · Nov 26, 2015

Brian Kim said:
You should be getting used to doing 20% water change twice a month until your tank matures

I was told not to change water until about 2 or 3 months

Brian Kim · Nov 26, 2015

Cottonmdalton said:
I was told not to change water until about 2 or 3 months

by the same guys at your LFS? I would stop going there. Try buying Bio Spira, you can find them at Petco and add it to your tank asap

saltyfilmfolks · Nov 28, 2015

My friend please do some research in the beginners section.
You will probably kill the fish you bought.
A tank has to cycle. It only takes about a month. There are easy ways to do it.
Nothing in a bottle works as well as time. Rushing a cycle will only lead to problems later.
Don't trust the fish store. Don't trust boards with ransoms giving advice. There are articles by actual aquarists and scientists on how to begin.

Some keywords for you to look at. On Google. Advanced aquarist. Randy Holmes Farley Ron Shimek Melevs reefs
This website on the homepage has one of the best how to and beginner sections anywhere.