Fish are dying!

[avyandjoey]

So we just started our new 100 gallon marine aquarium. We've had it cycling for about a month now. All of our levels are perfect but we can't keep fish for more than three days and we tried adding a clean up crew that just died within a day. Anyone got advice on what could be the cause or ideas on how to resolve it?

 

[Mcgeezer]

Are you using tap water? What kind of rock (dry,cured,uncured)?

Post all of your parameters

 

[gaberosenfield]

Also, what test kit are you using to test params? Some are notoriously bad. Although if your cleanup crew died within a day it is probably something more serious than a little bit of nitrite or a tiny bit of ammonia.

 

[avyandjoey]

We're using R/O water and cured live rock..

 

[gaberosenfield]

What test kit did you use. Post your params. Also, what other equipment do you have in your tank?

 

[avyandjoey]

We ourselves use reef masters test kit. We've been taking water samples to our local reef store to get tested In case were reading something wrong and they keep coming back to show that everything is at it normal levels.

 

[avyandjoey]

We are using a generic brand for a protein skimmer, and have a 150phosban reactor from little fishes and a power head.. we started putting a couple bags of carbon in the sump to try and filter put any possible chemical.

 

[avyandjoey]

Fish are dying!

Will post params soon. Didn't write down last results.

 

[ponda]

how long have u been adding fish for ?

 

[avyandjoey]

About three weeks

 

[boosted_347]

I agree with posting results. Make sure that your test kit isnt expired. Talk about your rock a bit. Did you add dry rock? Live rock? Historically since getting the tank wet did you ever see a spike in ammonia?

With it only being a month, all things even, I have a feeling you didn't complete the cycle perhaps. I hope you get it figured out!!!

 

[avyandjoey]

We have a little 30gallon that just bangs with no issues but we can't even get fish to live in our 100.. so annoying

 

[avyandjoey]

We 30 lbs of previously dried base rock and 40 lbs of just live base rock and 60 pounds of Caribbean live rock. All the live rock was pre-cured and we cured in a desperate tank for another month before we put in our tank

 

[silent_circle]

Are you acclimating slowly? What's the lfs specific gravity of their water at? What is yours at?

 

[avyandjoey]

Yes we're acclimating slowly. But idk what your other question is.

 

[avyandjoey]

We've been trying cromies and damsels. Maybe we should try another fish?

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Yes we're acclimating slowly. But idk what your other question is.

Specific gravity is salinity. Please list the fish you have added, how many and how far apart. Did you quarantine any of the fish?

 

[Coral Dilema]

And have all of the fish come from the same place? Perhaps it is not your tank at all but something at the LFS that is weakening this fish before you buy them. Just a possibility. With the tank only being up 1 month my bet is on incomplete cycle.

Post your water parameters including salinity when you can and lets see what they look like.

 

[avyandjoey]

Thankyou for the definition. We've added cromies and damsels at different times. Two at a time.. Tried first two about three weeks ago. First set of cromies died. Next day tried added two damsels after two days died. About a week later tried adding two cromies and a couple days later died. Added two cromies this last Saturday one died and one is still kicking.

 

[avyandjoey]