Tank crashing suddenly?!

[reef_1]

For me this doesn't make sense, 0.2 total ammonia shouldnt kill two clownfish assuming normal ph. There was also a skimmer running - I assume continously? So oxygen shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Indiana Jones]

Tank last Saturday:

 

[Indiana Jones]

Tank this Saturday:

 

[Indiana Jones]

For me this doesn't make sense, 0.2 total ammonia shouldnt kill two clownfish assuming normal ph. There was also a skimmer running - I assume continously? So oxygen shouldn't be an issue.

Yea, I don't understand either. Skimmer was running continuously.

 

[SaJon]

Tank this Saturday:

Nice rockwork !

 

[Indiana Jones]

Nice rockwork !

Thank you!

 

[Dom]

Last week my tank was 3.5 months old. I have 2 clowns and 1 starry blenny. Everything was going well despite the ugly stage forming. I went to my LFS to buy clean up crew, and bought a dozen or so snails/hermits, and also a short spined black urchin. They also recommended me to dose seachem stability. I have been consistently dosing stabiltiy as the directions say, and this morning all of my fish are suddenly on the sandbed breathing heavily. I noticed a couple crabs have died, and the urchin is losing alot of spines. I tested ammonia with red sea kit and it was around 0.2. First time it has increased since the initial cycle. Im sure it spiked because of the deaths, but what caused the sudden crash? My temp is consistently 78 and my salinity is 1.024. I performed a 20% water change. What can I do?

How quickly did the crabs die off?

If there is a large difference in the salinity of your tank and the salinity of your LFS, the rapid die off may be due to osmotic shock. Did you acclimate the CUC prior to placing them in your display tank?

 

[Garf]

It’s more fundamental. There’s summit really wrong. Salinity and temp are the obvious culprits according to occams razor

 

[Indiana Jones]

How quickly did the crabs die off?

If there is a large difference in the salinity of your tank and the salinity of your LFS, the rapid die off may be due to osmotic shock. Did you acclimate the CUC prior to placing them in your display tank?

I am not sure honestly. I didn't notice anything was dead until this morning.

I put them in a 5 gallon bucket and added a cup of water every few minutes for about 15-20 minutes or so.

 

[Dom]

I was wondering that but assumed they were the experts. The LFS is now recommending me to use Seachem Prime.

Understand this:

The brick & mortar stores are struggling to compete with their on line counterparts. Its a survival thing. Their advice is often driven by sales.

 

[Indiana Jones]

It’s more fundamental. There’s summit really wrong. Salinity and temp are the obvious culprits according to occams razor

I use an ATO to help with salinity. Its always been pretty consistent 1.024-1.025.

Temp has been around 78 every time I check it, but I'm not using a temp controller. It's possible it may be fluctuating more than I realize.

 

[Tamberav]

Hermit crabs are really hardy... I never acclimate them tbh... just toss em in. They survive copper and chloroquine phosphate... little cute roaches! I am surprised they died before a snail.

The only thing that seems to kill them is a bad molt or another hermit crab (well and invert predators).

 

[Garf]

Hermit crabs are really hardy... I never acclimate them tbh... just toss em in. They survive copper and chloroquine phosphate... little cute roaches! I am surprised they died before a snail.

The only thing that seems to kill them is a bad molt or another hermit crab (well and invert predators).

Lol, I used to breed Dubai’s roaches, till I spilt them all over the floor and they really threatened my marital status.

 

[SaJon]

Lol, I used to breed Dubai’s roaches, till I spilt them all over the floor and they really threaten my marital status.

Lol

 

[Graemesreef]

Stability is not mb7 or anything that should be dosed daily with fish in an aquarium. I'm not sure what it really does but I'm guessing that since it cost LFS's cent's on the dollar this is why their pushing it. Best way to find out is to call your lfs and ask if they have mb7. If they dont you know why and it poisoned you tank. OD of stability = low oxygen and high ammonia which = burning gills and fish death. Sorry for your loss it sucks.

 

[Garf]

Stability is not mb7 or anything that should be dosed daily with fish in an aquarium. I'm not sure what it really does but I'm guessing that since it cost LFS's cent's on the dollar this is why their pushing it. Best way to find out is to call your lfs and ask if they have mb7. If they dont you know why and it poisoned you tank. OD of stability = low oxygen and high ammonia which = burning gills and fish death. Sorry for your loss it sucks.

Adding stability did not cause this. It may be a waste of time and money, however.

 

[Graemesreef]

Adding stability did not cause this. It may be a waste of time and money, however.

If not, then what did?

 

[Rmckoy]

For me this doesn't make sense, 0.2 total ammonia shouldnt kill two clownfish assuming normal ph. There was also a skimmer running - I assume continously? So oxygen shouldn't be an issue.

In normal parameters or a mature tank ( but even 0.2ppm ammonia shouldn’t exist in a cycled tank !
Now add some sort of bacteria that also uses oxygen in the water to colonize .

 

[MnFish1]

Stability is not mb7 or anything that should be dosed daily with fish in an aquarium. I'm not sure what it really does but I'm guessing that since it cost LFS's cent's on the dollar this is why their pushing it. Best way to find out is to call your lfs and ask if they have mb7. If they dont you know why and it poisoned you tank. OD of stability = low oxygen and high ammonia which = burning gills and fish death. Sorry for your loss it sucks.

Stability is a cycling bacteria product. It's used when cycling a new tank OR - adding new bio load to a relatively immature tank. It's pretty simple here.

Seachem - Stability

www.seachem.com

 

[Graemesreef]

Stability is a cycling bacteria product. It's used when cycling a new tank OR - adding new bio load to a relatively immature tank. It's pretty simple here.

Seachem - Stability

www.seachem.com

So lets just keep pouring stability in our tank daily, nothing bad gonna happen here, I promise everything will be just fine. Wait isnt this the post where everything just died? Whoops yeah stability good with fish more the better.