Fairly new tank, advice needed.

[RaissiKitten]

My tank is approximately 2 months old. Started out with 75 gallons, became the start up process, including adding 50 pounds of live rock, building a 2 inch live sand bed, and seeding it with bacteria. At about 1 month, the ammonia and nitrite levels read 0. At this point I added a 30 gallon sump, using an ehopps overflow, and jecod 50w controllable return pump. It works amazing, BTW. Anyway, my tank sits at around 80 degrees, salinity is 1.023, nitrite 0, ammonia 0, and nitrates are around 20, lowering every other week when I do a 20 gallon water change. I let these numbers sit for 2 weeks before adding critters. I started with 2 emerald crabs and 2 hermits, and 3 turbo snails. I now have 2 damsels, and a Royal gramma. The fish are perfect. The snails died within days and the emerald crabs died within a week. My two hermits are fine. I need a clean up crew, but I am hesitant to purchase more if they will just die. My tank has aquarium florescent lighting (the cheap 4 foot bulb from Walmart, which in two weeks will be replaced with LED reef lights.) However my sump has a reef light which I forget which one, but the algae is insane in there! Now, I also use tap water, I do not have to dechlorinate. Apparently this little town doesn't use it. I tested it multiple times, straight from the tap is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates, 0 chlorine, the water is very hard, rating over 300 on the test. The pH is 7 however in my tank it is 8.4. I plan to start buying store water until I get a change to switch to RO/DI in a couple weeks. Anyway, that's the basics. I'm not sure if I missed anything, but I'd like to know if anyone has input on why my emeralds and snails won't survive? Someday I am going to make this a reef tank, but baby steps on that end. Oh! Could it possibly be flow? I have 800 gph through my overflow, and one small flow maker in the tank, however, it still doesn't seem like there is a lot of flow inside. You can see food particles when feeding float straight down in most areas. Thanks so much!

 

[sde1500]

Welcome to RC and the hobby!

Get RODI asap if you want a reef. And why do you say you need a CUC? I know it is the typical first addition but I added a big one too, for my current tank and same thing, most died. I don't think new tanks really produce enough to support a large CUC. If you add a couple snails that is probably enough, though depending on what type of hermits you have, they may just end up murdering the snails. I'd also bring your salinity a bit higher, 1.025 is a good target.

 

[mjstech]

Welcome to the forum.The loss could have been due to aclimation time...Drip for inverts is best. Could be no food source too. I like to run around 1.024-1.025 also. I use a swing arm cheapo hydrometer but it is checked against LFS refractometer so I account as needed. You didn't list the power head size, but you could add more or use different ones and keep existing for mixing saltwater, or move it to see where other dead zones are. If you are gonna get a ro/di in a few weeks and buy LFS water, you might as well just get the unit sooner than later, so you aren't paying the premium and getting containers for transport. Damsels can be agressive so watch them. Watch your feeding, if you have it just floating down, that seems like overfeeding. I don't Qt and have been lucky, but some would recommend a qt process if you had that in mind. Keep going slow, it's not a race. Ask questions, check posts and stickys.

 

[jayball]

I started with 2 emerald crabs and 2 hermits, and 3 turbo snails. I now have 2 damsels, and a Royal gramma. The fish are perfect. The snails died within days and the emerald crabs died within a week. My two hermits are fine. I need a clean up crew, but I am hesitant to purchase more if they will just die.

Now, I also use tap water, I do not have to dechlorinate. Apparently this little town doesn't use it. I tested it multiple times, straight from the tap is 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 0 nitrates, 0 chlorine, the water is very hard, rating over 300 on the test. The pH is 7 however in my tank it is 8.4. I plan to start buying store water until I get a change to switch to RO/DI in a couple weeks.

I am going to assume you are on well water, that would explain the lack of treatment, no chlorine, and hard water. No one here knows what is in your water, if it is supplied by the town see if you can get a water quality report from your DPW. Post it here and people will look for any potential problems.

What is your alkalinity?

Anyway, that's the basics. I'm not sure if I missed anything, but I'd like to know if anyone has input on why my emeralds and snails won't survive? Someday I am going to make this a reef tank, but baby steps on that end. Oh! Could it possibly be flow? I have 800 gph through my overflow, and one small flow maker in the tank, however, it still doesn't seem like there is a lot of flow inside. You can see food particles when feeding float straight down in most areas. Thanks so much!

You need more flow. There will always be spots that food settles but it should swirl around the tank while you feed. You should have, IMO, at a minimum 2 powerheads pushing at least 1000 gph each in addition to your overflow. This will keep the water column oxygenated and prevent dead spots.

 

[RaissiKitten]

Thanks for the input. I feed the Omega Cubs. They only float until I walk away and fish come out and attack them until nothing is left. I feed 1/2 cube once a day. Is that to much? I assumed a CUC because there is quite a bit of debris all over the sand from the fish. They're insanely messy. There again, maybe I am over feeding. I believe I may have a water report. My husband runs a business in town and when I found out the water was chlorine free I contacted the local health dept. And he was supposed to go get one. I'll ask tonight and post it, if so. It's not a single home well, but from what I understand, the city operates off three massive wells. Not 100% on that though. We are an extremely small town. Definately going slow. I'm at the phase now where my refugium is a solid wave of hair algae and everything else is covered in diatoms. =/ oh, and for the power head size, I'm not certain, but it's definately not big enough for a 75 gallon tank. I'll raise the salinity too, thanks! I wasn't sure on that aspect, as everything I read said between 1.022 and 1.025.

 

[mjstech]

I would think you are overfeeding a bit. You can try to pick out some of the hair algae. But yah..1.022-1.025...Higher for reef. Maybe get gravel vac for water changes, and get more flow. I like small multiple feedings. I turn off hob filter and power heads when feeding. The fish are 'trained'. I feed pellet and then when no more are floating. They get whatever frozen food i have thawed out. Then I dip my finger in it and waft it in the tank. I try not give em anymore than they will immediately eat.

 

[RaissiKitten]

I attached screen shots of my water report. I think I know the problem now. I'll be buying some RO water from my LFS to get me by on top offs until my RO/DI system comes in later this week...

 

[RaissiKitten]

So, I bought a reef test kit. Did a huge water change with the RO DI, calcium is 520, hardness is 14 dKH. Raised my sg to 1.026, nitrites, ammonia is 0, nitrates 40ppm, phosphate 0.5, and phosphate is 8.4. I'm installing a GFO this weekend. (My brother sent it to me, so why not? Also adding an MP10. Fingers crossed. My fish and hermit crabs are doing magnificent.

 

[RaissiKitten]

I meant pH is 8.4. Phosphate is 0.5. Stupid autocorrect.