Another Cycling Problem - w/ Pictures

[BigBlueTang]

They say in the OP it was set up a year and they upgraded a couple months ago.

Not like return for credit, just give them to the store or someone else with a tank that they'll not suffer in until you get this sorted out. Your ammonia and nitrite levels indicate a serious problem with your bio filter. Its not a matter of tweaking your skimming or adding a refugium, it's basic stuff about how you set the tank up. IMO you should be sorting this out fishless. Under feeding them is not the answer to ammonia problems, they produce it by respiration too.

We can help you get on track, but I don't think it's a safe enviro for animals right now. 1.5 ppm ammonia is likely painful

+1
Great idea... If you can make nice with the owner of an lfs he may let your fish stay there...

 

[Shawn O]

You can place the new "dead" rock in a brute trash can or tub and dump in some ammonia (2ppm level), add a powerhead and/or air stone and let it sit for a few weeks. Do a large water change each week on it. After it's cycled you could always add the live rock for a week to seed the now live rock with whatever other critters are in the live rock added.

For the phosphates, you could throw a bag of Seachem Phosbond in a canister filter, hob filter or just tossed into the brute. It should suck up the phosphates in the rock.

If you're using API kits, the ammonia kit is useless and will likely always show ammonia, even if there is none. They're about as accurate as doing a "smell test". Good idea to get better kits.

Place a small fan blowing across the water's surface to cool the tank.

Definitely find a new or temporary home for the fish until you can safely put them back into the tank.

Welcome aboard.

 

[gone fishin]

I agree with the other folks. IMO your tanks biological filtration is seriously flawed, it is the foundation of your tank. As such if your foundation is lacking then everything you built up in the tank is lacking. Your not doing yourself or the fish an favors here.

I would suggest returning the fish and starting over. Do some research and get the proper equipment. At some point in time when you have all the proper equipment then you can start back up. Just my 2 cents worth.