I have keept salinity around 1.023-1.024 and i add destilled water to fill up from evaporation. As far as water my friends lives on an ocean front property soo basically its just ocean water which i tested before adding but hes been using it for years and never had any issues
Fish keep dying Please HELP
- Thread starter DBullet22
- Start date
neededahobby
New member
The way you "know" for sure is you measure and track the cycle process.
First Ammonia go up (then down), then Nitrite go up (then down) then Nitrate go up (then down) then everything holds at zero
If you just saw the ammonia go up and down and then measure zero it doesn't means "for sure" that the cycle is done.
It took me 10 weeks to cycle my tank and I never did get measurable "nitrates"
that stupid API test was a junker it stays perfectly clear blue no matter what.
I would try a different test kit.
Also try 'feeding' or spiking the tank with an ammonia source and what it cycle
neededahobby
New member
DING DING DING
This is likely going to be a issue.
I will let people more experienced than I try and explain why.
Out curiosity does you friend have a Much larger tank?
FlameAngelfish
In Memoriam
:facepalm:Honestly?!
Do U know how much these oceans are polluted these days?! Mix ur own water or buy those huge synthetic seawater canisters from the store. There's more to perfect water parameters than pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. And learn how to choose fish properly as well! Will help u with that after u reply first.
Patiently waiting 4 response,
FlameAngelfish:fish1:
Do U know how much these oceans are polluted these days?! Mix ur own water or buy those huge synthetic seawater canisters from the store. There's more to perfect water parameters than pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. And learn how to choose fish properly as well! Will help u with that after u reply first.
Patiently waiting 4 response,
FlameAngelfish:fish1:
CStrickland
New member
That's an API ammonia test. It's really common for them to read a false positive between 0-.25 like you are seeing. I would say that if the store that tested it got zero, your probs ok. Seachem makes a little badge that you stick on the inside glass and it changes color for ammonia. It's accurate, and you can just look at it whenever you want. $5 well spent IMO.
I'm wondering if you have an aeration issue. Fish need oxygen, which gets into the water by passing over the surface. I don't think 200gph plus a can filter is enough movement. I'd be closer to 1,000 gph in a 30g. The surface of the water should move, aaand the water from the bottom of the tank needs to be circulated up to the top.
I'm wondering if you have an aeration issue. Fish need oxygen, which gets into the water by passing over the surface. I don't think 200gph plus a can filter is enough movement. I'd be closer to 1,000 gph in a 30g. The surface of the water should move, aaand the water from the bottom of the tank needs to be circulated up to the top.
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Dkuhlmann
New member
IMO this tank is not cycled. I would take out all alive critters and dose ammonia up to 2 ppm then let it cycle. Your tank setup wasn't done properly, because you didn't give it an ammonia source to start. Like was said API test kits do show false positive for ammonia at .025, The ammonia that you saw after your fish died was from them. If your tank was cycled you never would have seen any ammonia.
Oh and do yourself a favor, stop using the local ocean water and get your own mix.
Oh and do yourself a favor, stop using the local ocean water and get your own mix.
BrokenSpoke
New member
There are many, many threads questioning the accuracy of the API test kits. Most people, myself included, use Salifert. I would suggest taking a water sample to the local fish store, or your buddy's if he has different test kits, and getting the water checked as a good starting point. A couple of other suggestions is to raise your tank temp to 78 and verify the specific gravity (SG) for your water is 1.025 - 1.026.
Once those are inline you can at least verify you have a solid starting point
Once those are inline you can at least verify you have a solid starting point
I think that's the bottom line. You may have added fish before you were cycled. Here is what you want to achieve:
1. no ammonia at all, even if you drop in a little fishfood. It disappears, and there's still no ammonia. That means the tank can handle waste.
2. temperature 79, day and night
3. salinity 1.024. Constantly, no variations. Draw a line on the tank and keep it filled to there, testing salinity daily until you figure how it works.
4. nitrate under 20.
5. alkalinity between 7.9 and 8.3.
Once you're there, then you can add crabs and snails for four weeks until the tank is fully ready. We'll walk you through this, but these are the points you have to hit before you consider fish. You also need a quarantine tank and separate pump for that.
1. no ammonia at all, even if you drop in a little fishfood. It disappears, and there's still no ammonia. That means the tank can handle waste.
2. temperature 79, day and night
3. salinity 1.024. Constantly, no variations. Draw a line on the tank and keep it filled to there, testing salinity daily until you figure how it works.
4. nitrate under 20.
5. alkalinity between 7.9 and 8.3.
Once you're there, then you can add crabs and snails for four weeks until the tank is fully ready. We'll walk you through this, but these are the points you have to hit before you consider fish. You also need a quarantine tank and separate pump for that.
Thank you guys for all the help, it sucks to have to go through that again but i really want my tank to do well soo will find a place for the snails and crabs and basically just add amonia. Any product you guys recomend ? Or do i just keep adding food till the amonia rises ?
neededahobby
New member
Another random thought -is your skimmer pulling out LOTS of scum yet?
You could try turning off the skimmer and see if just regular feeding causes a spike
Local fish store might sell a product to spike ammonia but I would just give it another 2 weeks.
You could try turning off the skimmer and see if just regular feeding causes a spike
Local fish store might sell a product to spike ammonia but I would just give it another 2 weeks.
neededahobby
New member
Good luck - give it two weeks and get a different brand test kit
gone fishin
New member
If your ammonia never got higher than that then your tank did not cycle. you never saw nitrites because there was not really any ammonia to convert.
If you do not have any living critters in the tank now you can toss in a raw deli shrimp or use some pure ammonia. Get the ammonia up to about 2-3 ppm then let nature do her thing.
Yeah, ammonia is very harsh on livestock. What kind of aeration/circulation do you have in your system? Just a canister filter is very likely not enough to get adequate oxygenation. I say that due to your fish doing some gasping. Could have been just the ammonia. I'd memorize the stickys at the top of this sub-forum.
Virtual Balboa
New member
Nitrate usually goes up and stays up until you do something to lower it like changing the water.
