Totally perplexed

[Ken C]

i am new to the scene but have been doing my research. I set my 55 up with live sand live rock bio wheel 350 i let it sit for about three weeks testing the water weekly all my levels were in range of my chart so i added some fish, with in about two weeks from the day i added i lost one then a week later lost another, one week after that within three days i lost the three. They would go crazy swimming then would die later. I really dont know what else to test for or change i did a 50% change after the first four died then the last two died two days later. I need help im so lost

 

[ScottMyers123]

Sounds like you added too many fish at one time and your bio load became to high for the newly established tank.

 

[redfishbluefish]

Three weeks seems a little short for a cycle. What is critical is ammonia needs to be zero....undetectable. It is very toxic to fish and will kill. So you need zero ammonia and the presence of nitrates.

Did you introduce an ammonia source to start the cycle....either ammonia itself of maybe a piece of shrimp?

 

[melypr1985]

Did you ever see a spike in your ammonia or nitrites?

Haha... you beat me to the same question redfishbluefish!

 

[Ken C]

I never saw any spike in my test, my no3 was in the middle and no2 was neear the bottom of the chart

 

[Ken C]

I also have the brown algea growing crazy

 

[redfishbluefish]

Here's another thought......LFS's usually keep salinity low. Did you drip acclimate the fish to the salinity of your tank?

 

[steve&mari]

It's still cycling if you never saw a spike n the fish paid for it. What test kits are you using quality test are worth it.

 

[Ken C]

I didnt use the drip method i used what my supplier suggested Nd that was a bucket and swapping a little water At a time for about an hour. Im using the api saltwater test kit