Fish keep dieing

[Guy W]

Follow up for those interested.

I had my LFS test my water parameters. They got basically the same results that I posted in the original post.

Regarding mixing salt, as a few people said I wasn't mixing the water long enough and possibly that was hurting the fish. The instructions on the bucket of RC says, and I'm paraphrasing, stir the water vigorously and it's ready to use immediately. For best results airrate to ensure oxygenation (no time frame given).

That said I assumed 60 minutes of mixing with a decent sized power head was more than adequate if they said it's ready to use immediately after a good stirring. Is the manufacture not to be trusted?


Regarding placing the fish in to soon and the tank not being cycled. Having used bagged live sand, cured live rock from the LFS, and a bottle of bio-spira, it's my understanding the take was basically cycled and ready to go immediately.

The instructions on the bio-spira, and again I'm paraphrasing I don't have the bottle, basically says add the bio-spira and fish at the same time. Even the bulk reef supply week 13 video from their BRS160 series suggests that this practice is standard, and they routinely start a tank with bio-spira and a fish or two.

That said after setup and seeding the tank with bio-spira and adding 2 clownfish, I tested and got a low ammonia spike that quickly dissipated over a week. Unless there's something I don't understand, given all the sources of bacteria I started with my tanks biological filter is good to go. Having not lost any inverts and only fish reinforces this notion doesn't it?

Is Bulk Reef Supply and the Bio-spira manufacturer wrong?

In the end I think my problem is some sort of of disease. The last fish I have in the tank doesn't look great. It doesn't look like ich though based on the pictures i've seen. The fish doesn't have as well defined spots as I see in pictures. The fish just looks kind of pale and mabye a little dusty, is the only way I can describe it. Maybe I'll setup a QT tank and let my main tank go fallow for 3 months or I'll break it down and start over.

 

[Pet Detective]

Classic tank NOT cycled scenario.....6 weeks is barely enough time to cycle properly let alone trying snake oil bacteria & adding fish so quickly.

 

[shifty51008]

If your getting ammonia that doesnt dissapear right away that is a sign that your adding to much to fast. A week of haveing ammonia is way to long after adding fish. I would suggest ghost feed the tank daily for a couple of weeks to build up the bacteria, if you ever get an ammonia reading from ghost feeding then do not add any fish. When you add fish only add 1 at a time and wait a couple of weeks in between the next fish, if you have ammonia a day after adding the first fish do a water change to bring it down to 0.

My feeling is the fish are dying from ammonia burns to the gills.

 

[Guy W]

If your getting ammonia that doesnt dissapear right away that is a sign that your adding to much to fast. A week of haveing ammonia is way to long after adding fish. I would suggest ghost feed the tank daily for a couple of weeks to build up the bacteria, if you ever get an ammonia reading from ghost feeding then do not add any fish. When you add fish only add 1 at a time and wait a couple of weeks in between the next fish, if you have ammonia a day after adding the first fish do a water change to bring it down to 0.

My feeling is the fish are dying from ammonia burns to the gills.

What? I'm not getting ammonia readings where'd you get this? When I first set the tank up after adding the live rock and biospira I got a .25-.5 or so ammonia spike the quickly dropped to 0 in the first week and have had none since for going over 6 weeks.

 

[shifty51008]

Your last post said after you added the clownfish you got a low ammonia spike that quickly dissapated over a week.

 

[sde1500]

That said after setup and seeding the tank with bio-spira and adding 2 clownfish, I tested and got a low ammonia spike that quickly dissipated over a week. Unless there's something I don't understand, given all the sources of bacteria I started with my tanks biological filter is good to go. Having not lost any inverts and only fish reinforces this notion doesn't it?

Ammonia is toxic to fish at just about any level. Right here you say you had a spike that "quickly" dissipated over a week. A week is not quick. 24 hrs is quick. I'd say you overloaded the tank too quickly, not letting it cycle. I used bagged sand, cured live rock and seachem stability for my tank and still waited a few weeks before adding fish. Looks like you just added fish too quickly.

 

[tattoosandfrags]

Would that happen 3-4 days after a water change?

ive had reef tanks on and off 3-4 years i would never make my own saltwater would be too scared to its probably easy but i rather go to a lfs and get some natural saltwater to do water changes.