Hello folks, I have setup a 6 feet saltwater tank and had it cycling for almost 35 days. Introduced a pair of blue damsel. Everything went fine for an hour but suddenly both damsels started heavy breathing, twitching their heads/gills, rapid swimming, and finally on the ground, almost dead. Immediately I transferred them to my established saltwater tank and they both revived in seconds. I'm not sure what's the issue I'm facing in my new tank. Can somebody help me get through this. SG - 1.024 pH - 8.2 Ammonia - 0 Nitrite - Nitrate - very minimal Tank size - 6 feet length x 1.5 feet width x 2.50 feet height. I tried to introduce same fishes after 2 days, they showed the same twitching behavior and was almost went into deathbed in an hour. But fortunately I transferred them to my another tank and they are doing well now. Kindly help me understand what issue I'm going through and how to rectify the same.
Fish in new tank issue
- Thread starter Pravin
- Start date
You might want to check for stray voltage. http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2182599
Also, Nitrite should be zero, not minimal.
Kevin
Also, Nitrite should be zero, not minimal.
Kevin
“Kindly help me understand what issue I'm going through and how to rectify the same.“
@Pravin
Help us help you by providing details of the tank startup. Is anything alive in the tank: bacteria or snails. Do you have any substrate or live rock? Are the lights on a cycle? Does the tank show any algae?
Also, would you post a full tank shot of the tank in question. You mentioned having an established tank. How long have you been Reefing and how long has the established tank been set up.
@Pravin
Help us help you by providing details of the tank startup. Is anything alive in the tank: bacteria or snails. Do you have any substrate or live rock? Are the lights on a cycle? Does the tank show any algae?
Also, would you post a full tank shot of the tank in question. You mentioned having an established tank. How long have you been Reefing and how long has the established tank been set up.
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Hello Kevin, Patrick
I double checked for the stray voltage with my electrician and it is negative. I'm doing saltwater aquarium for almost 3 years now.
Actually the new tank which I built has no option/place for a proper sump, tank is located inside a showcase compartment and no plumbing work or sump can be done. So I placed a partition tank made of acrylic sheet and placed inside the tank. Skimmer is placed outside the tank and skimmer pump is placed inside acrylic sump. I have used very-small size gravel and sansibar rocks. Salinity level never swinged, always at 1.024. Wave maker and return powerhead producing good water agitation.
I know sump is necessary, but due to no option of placing a sump, I made this acrylic internal sump (1.5 feet width x 2.50 feet height).
Placed brown-colour ceramic rings, sponges and ceramic balls as media (in good numbers).
Used nitrobacter beneficial bacteria powder.
Usually I mix salt in water and after a day Or two I will use sand and rock. But this tank is located in such a height where I should use a ladder from behind to work inside the tank. I can barely touch the bottom of tank even using ladder, so I placed rock first, added water, mixed salt. Tank capacity is almost 475 liters, as I don't have a drum or big container to premix the salt in water, I poured water in tank and mixed salt running wave maker and powerhead.
I have prepared many saltwater aquarium, but never saw fishes twitching their gills/head and making erratic swimming and lying in ground, almost to dying stage.
My established tanks - 2 feet tank and a 4 feet tank.
I didn't introduce any snails or invertebrates in my new tank so far. Found few tinges of green algae in 2-3 rocks. Tank is located outside doorstep, so tank gets enough outside light, so never switched on aquarium light so far.
Bear with me for the lengthy message.
Thanks in advance.
I double checked for the stray voltage with my electrician and it is negative. I'm doing saltwater aquarium for almost 3 years now.
Actually the new tank which I built has no option/place for a proper sump, tank is located inside a showcase compartment and no plumbing work or sump can be done. So I placed a partition tank made of acrylic sheet and placed inside the tank. Skimmer is placed outside the tank and skimmer pump is placed inside acrylic sump. I have used very-small size gravel and sansibar rocks. Salinity level never swinged, always at 1.024. Wave maker and return powerhead producing good water agitation.
I know sump is necessary, but due to no option of placing a sump, I made this acrylic internal sump (1.5 feet width x 2.50 feet height).
Placed brown-colour ceramic rings, sponges and ceramic balls as media (in good numbers).
Used nitrobacter beneficial bacteria powder.
Usually I mix salt in water and after a day Or two I will use sand and rock. But this tank is located in such a height where I should use a ladder from behind to work inside the tank. I can barely touch the bottom of tank even using ladder, so I placed rock first, added water, mixed salt. Tank capacity is almost 475 liters, as I don't have a drum or big container to premix the salt in water, I poured water in tank and mixed salt running wave maker and powerhead.
I have prepared many saltwater aquarium, but never saw fishes twitching their gills/head and making erratic swimming and lying in ground, almost to dying stage.
My established tanks - 2 feet tank and a 4 feet tank.
I didn't introduce any snails or invertebrates in my new tank so far. Found few tinges of green algae in 2-3 rocks. Tank is located outside doorstep, so tank gets enough outside light, so never switched on aquarium light so far.
Bear with me for the lengthy message.
Thanks in advance.
Thank you for detailed description. Considering your access to this tank, I would get a pump to add water to the overhead display. I would suspect something in substrate or dry rock you used or old cannister filter. I would drain all water and remove rock & as much of substrate as possible. Fill with fresh water and circulate for a day. Drain & discard that water. Fill with water a second time and add some goldfish and observe for a week. If nothing bad happens drain this potable water and add water for your reef, salt it up and circulate.
A sump is not necessary for a reef tank. Note 55G Ornamental Seward Lagoon at 10 months old. Started with diver collected live sand & live rock. This set up has HOB, cannister filter and reverse flow undergravel. SUMPLESS & SKIMMERLESS.
A sump is not necessary for a reef tank. Note 55G Ornamental Seward Lagoon at 10 months old. Started with diver collected live sand & live rock. This set up has HOB, cannister filter and reverse flow undergravel. SUMPLESS & SKIMMERLESS.
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As in you constructed the actual tank? If so and if glass, was the silicone aquarium safe? Sorry if I misunderstood what you mean by "built", just trying to cover all the bases.
Subsea
Today I checked water parameters, ammonia and nitrite were zero. Nitrate was 20. I have introduced a pair of clown in my new tank. Four hours everything went well, they both happily wandered and finally started swimming at the same place (bottom, behind a rock). Suddenly one of the clown started to lie/fall on the ground. Immediately I transferred both to my other tank and they are doing good.
Also, in this 4-hour time period I noticed slight red mark near their gills. What might have caused this? Suggestions please.
Today I checked water parameters, ammonia and nitrite were zero. Nitrate was 20. I have introduced a pair of clown in my new tank. Four hours everything went well, they both happily wandered and finally started swimming at the same place (bottom, behind a rock). Suddenly one of the clown started to lie/fall on the ground. Immediately I transferred both to my other tank and they are doing good.
Also, in this 4-hour time period I noticed slight red mark near their gills. What might have caused this? Suggestions please.
Paul B
Premium Member
I think, Ammonia which should always be zero and could make gills red.
