White stuff on rock, fish dying

[jaxteller007]

I looked for everything I could identify as dead on the love rock and left it in buckets of saltwater for a couple days. Now we have this white stuff growing on it and have had 2 fish just up and die.
Testing water now but Saturday the LFS tested a water sample and said the only thing was our ammonia was a little high but not emergency high.

 

[jaxteller007]

The pictures aren't the greatest. I'll get better ones.

 

[jaxteller007]

So everything but ammonia tested fine. Ammonia between. 5 and 1 if we tested right.

You can see this stuff everywhere.

 

[samnaz]

hard to tell from the pics, all I can make out is sponges. looks exactly like the sponges on my rocks.

 

[jeffmr4]

I'm not sure about the white stuff but you shouldn't have any ammonia with that many things in the tank. How long has it been up? I'd recommend getting a bottle of instant ocean bio-spira and dump it in to facilitate bacteria growing that can take care of the ammonia. You should probably test your ammonia and nitrite levels every day until they are 0. Next you'll want to watch your nitrate level such that it stays below 10 and below 5 if you have corals.

 

[jaxteller007]

Our old light was almost all white light. About to hook that up and see if it brightens up to take the pic. There seems to be almost like a dusting of snow coating the rocks and stuff.

 

[jaxteller007]

I'm not sure about the white stuff but you shouldn't have any ammonia with that many things in the tank. How long has it been up? I'd recommend getting a bottle of instant ocean bio-spira and dump it in to facilitate bacteria growing that can take care of the ammonia. You should probably test your ammonia and nitrite levels every day until they are 0. Next you'll want to watch your nitrate level such that it stays below 10 and below 5 if you have corals.

Its relatively new actually. The live rock was added last week. We bought a used set up and made the mistake of overloading it and over feeding.

Nitrite and nitrate are 0 are almost 0

 

[jeffmr4]

As the bacteria grow they will break down the ammonia into nitrite. Then a different bacteria will grow and break the nitrite down into nitrate. Ammonia and nitrite are toxic to all sea creatures and there is none in the ocean. If you don't add some starter bacteria it will take longer for the bacteria to grow, you will have higher and longer ammonia and nitrite spikes and you might lose some of your inhabitants. I'd put some starter bacteria in the tank and monitor it every day. Once there is no more ammonia and nitrite in the tank and your nitrates start to rise, you will have completed your cycle.

To give you an idea of how long the cycle lasts its usually a month without bacteria and a few days to a week with starter bacteria.

 

[Tenji]

Ammonia is toxic to animals at extremely low levels. Anything above 0.2 ppm requires immediate correction. Your ammonia level is double, or quadruple that, which is why you are losing fishes.

I suspect there was die-off on the live rock you recently added, and you note some overfeeding, which will also spike ammonia.

Do a 50%+ water change after matching salinity, temperature, and pH. Continue to perform this size water change until ammonia is reduced to zero (may require multiple per day).

Any detectable ammonia in a reef system is an emergency, I suggest finding a new local fish store if they told you otherwise.

 

[jeffmr4]

+1 to a water change, although I'd still add the bacteria.

 

[jaxteller007]

Yea we have some of that we are using now. This weird white crap has us a little freaking out. Like I said it's almost like snow.

Here's a better picture. It's kind of slimy. I was reading about some kind of bacteria bloom that can be caused by VOGs or something.

 

[jaxteller007]

 

[jaxteller007]

We have some ready to go salt water that we can put in the small 10g set up. Transfer the fish we have there and start fresh.

 

[jaxteller007]

It also stinks. Like the live rock did. I'm guessing I messed up and didn't cure enough.

 

[samnaz]

how long has this tank been running?

 

[jaxteller007]

how long has this tank been running?

Bout 3 weeks probably. But we bought it as an existing system that had been running for 6 months or more. We added real reef rock and live rock and more fish. In hindsight we added too many fish, and my allergies were acting up so I couldn't smell the live rock very well. But that piece I pulled off absolutely reeked.

So what do I do about the live rock now? Pull it out right? Soak it in tubs of saltwater for awhile? Overly salty or normal and how long? I'm not above throwing it out but I'm for sure gonna be scared about ordering more down the road.

 

[cracker]

If possible, scrub that stuff as best You can & big water changes. I don't know hoe to summons the reef squad however I'm sure they will give you more info !
Don't Ya just love reef keeping?

 

[jaxteller007]

If possible, scrub that stuff as best You can & big water changes. I don't know hoe to summons the reef squad however I'm sure they will give you more info !
Don't Ya just love reef keeping?

#reefsquad I think lol.

Scrub it how?

 

[cracker]

get a separate bucket with Salt water & a scrub brush & scrub it off & swish. 2 buckets would be better !

How did you do that ? LOL # reef squad
see didn't work for me ! Hey You got other stuff going on . Summons them

 

[jaxteller007]

At a store getting more salt and stuff. Looking at their Caribsea live sand like "hey just start fresh" they have 3 bags, 2 of them have a green substance inside lol