Fish keep dying Please HELP

[Sk8r]

Mmm. FIrst, it takes 4-12 weeks to cycle, unless all live rock and fresh to boot. Secondly, something's wrong, so it's time to change what's being done. Stop adding fish. COncentrate on inverts and maybe even soft coral until you can get those happy. Quarantine a fish, but don't put it in until you're real sure of those parameters. I'll give you ones to shoot for. Temp 79 degrees, day and night, no spikes; 1.025 salinity, no variance (use an ATO system); 7.9-8.3 alkalinity; 420 calcium; 1300 magnesium. Hit these, and hold them for several weeks before you have a fish. YOu need your own tests [I recommend Salifert brand], your own supplements, and you need to test and log your test results once a week at least.

 

[chimmike]

the other thing is that canister filter should be cleaned weekly.

 

[Cymonous]

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 ?

Just get Pure Ammonia from the grocery store. You can even get the cheap stuff, but make sure it has no additives. I would use the link below for a calculator to figure out how much ammonia to add. You want to add the right amount. If you add to little, you won't get the cycle you need. If you add too much, your cycle will be stuck.

http://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm

 

[mkobu]

I am wondering .. Have all the fish come from same LFS?
He's tested watershed said others have tested and all came out Ok..
Personally I don't like canister filters for salt but whatever...
You might be getting bad fish to start... Didn't you add 1 at a time but died?
Many will say I am wrong here but...
I suggest try a new LFS .. Get 3 damsels or clowns ( prefer clowns due to desirable to keep .) however get salinity up to @ 1.028 and temp @78..

This is mine started on Aug 20th 2015... Yep 5 months... Almost all diy ....

Love my baby....[emoji7]

 

[mkobu]

? Though... When you said 200 gph power head .. Was that for circulation or to canister? If canister not strong enough unless parallel to the tank/pump....

 

[neededahobby]

Nitrate usually goes up and stays up until you do something to lower it like changing the water.

yes and no?

I am new so maybe I am wrong but my understanding is IF you are setting up a tank where live rock is doing the work the goal was low nitrates indicate the true cycle end. (certainly you can start water changes during a new cycle once nitrate is measurable) but eventually have low 0.25 ppm to .5ppm for a reef tank.

Most important for Dbullet22 is to measure the changes to confirm the cycle is happening ammonia should get well above 1ppm or you should have measurable nitrites/nitrates. Everything 0 with only a single ammonia reading at the threshold 0.25ppm is an indication the cycle isnt done.

first bacteria establish to convert ammonia to nitrite, you see the ammonia levels drop, while nitrite levels will increase. Then as bacteria establishes to convert nitrite to nitrate, the nitrite levels will drop while the nitrate levels will increase. Finally, when bacteria to convert nitrate into atmospheric nitrogen establishes, the nitrate levels will drop.

 

[Virtual Balboa]

You want ammonia and nitrite to be zero after its cycled. Not necessarily nitrate. Once you can add a source ammonia and see ammonia spike and drop in 24 hours then you know the tank is cycled.

Look at all the diagrams online for the nitrogen cycle. The nitrate line always goes upwards. A lot of people including myself end up with a high nitrate level after cycling and it won't go down by itself.

 

[ThRoewer]

: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:

The canisters at the stores are natural ocean water, just filtered and maybe sterilized.

If ocean water is safe depends on where it was taken out and how it was treated afterwards.

 

[924wal]

Are you aclemating fish when you get them also do you have a ato to keep salinity constant

 

[DBullet22]

The canister filter its a marineland c220 thats rated for up to 55 gallon tanks, and the circulation pump is a 250gph, i also have an 800 gph pump that originally bought but i thought it was too much soo i went with the 250. I have heard many stories on the canisters but i really dont have the budget or knowledge to step anything complicated, maybe down the road i want to get a larger tank once i gain some experience and set it up a little better.



And yes i have acclimated the fish for 45 mins like the lfs recommended and salinity has been constant between 1.023-1.024

 

[DBullet22]

The first fish i bought were 2 small clownfish i got them together hoping the could mate in the future and one lasted 1 week and the other 2 week and after a 3 week i added the royal gramma who lasted about 5 days. At first they all looked healthy and ate well. I feed them flake, pellets and mysis shrimp every couple days

 

[sonubhai]

Looks like a lot Of stuff, I would keep it short.
1) mix your own saltwater with ro water
2) google Dr Tim's fishless cycle and follow it to the end
I have setup multiple tanks with Dr Tim's and Work every time.

 

[KKGaskin90]

You've gotten some good advice. My only thought is that the clowns lived a good bit to have died from parameters...
Regardless, ensure that you are properly cycled. Also, how did you cure your rock?
Once you are all set with your water parameters, make sure your fish are healthy and eating upon purchase. Clowns are pretty hardy. Seriously consider a quarantine tank. You could even set up a super simple 10 gallon QT now (tank, light, pvc, heater, HOB filter, and ammonia badge) and hold fish there until your tank is ready. That ensures you aren't adding parasites/diseases to your display. Waiting 3 weeks between the clowns and next fish will not matter... Crypto, for example, can lay dormant in the substrate/Rock/etc. up to 72 days. So you'd essentially need 11 weeks fishless (if you had crypto... Not saying you did) to ensure you aren't just giving the crypto a new host to feast on.

 

[mkobu]

Dbullet.. You can do a diy sump for cheap ... Watch YouTube videos !! Get pumps off eBay and you'd be surprised what you can build cheap. Mine was around $50 for a acrylic 30 gallon build. Less than the cost of fish dying from poor filtration....

 

[DBullet22]

I looked up Dr Tims fishless cycle and order the bacteria and amonia to follow his steps as soon as i get the product. Thanks for all the help will post results as soon as i get this done

 

[DBullet22]

I took all the living creatures out of the tank and started the cycle all over using dr tims instructions. Its a 800 gph and a 500 gph circulation pump to much for my 30g ? Tank is 30x18x12