Fluval edge collapse

[Nemos Boss]

keeping the pad dirty or clean will have very little affect on what going on in this tank. At this point in the game for this tank i would focus on waterchanges and testing. if your looking for bacteria thats didnt come on the filterpad to begin with then buy some biospira. Otherwise keeping trapped detritus on the pad to break down will feed the cycle, but cause more spikes. Leading back to y the clown and shrimp died. If there is no ammonia or nitrite then the tank must be done cycling at 6 weeks. The diatom is most likely being fed by the new sand bed. I would wait a few more weeks to be sure. Then think about a few softies.

 

[thebanker]

We all agree on one thing, take it slow. Nothing good ever happens quickly in this hobby! (especially in a nano)

The tank looks good though, aesthetically.

 

[jagr200]

The side just collapsed? Have you contacted the manufacture?

 

[sjnovakovich]

1. Your tank may have been overstocked for being so new.
2. Your sand looks fine, I would not touch it or vacuum it. It will only hinder the establishment of your beneficial bacterial population. The brown stuff you see looks like diatoms on the sand, which is a normal part of the cycle.
3. I think what you saw was the result of an ammonia spike in the tank, which = death.

Keep the remaining clownfish in there, feed sparingly, and take it slow. Don't put any more animals in there for another 1-2 weeks. Especially fish. In two weeks, try a hearty coral, like common branching frogspawn (euphyllia paradivisa).

Good luck, if you have other questions just ask.

I agree with everything said above. I didn't put any livestock at all in my tank for 10 weeks, even though my readings told me it was cycled (I seeded with some live rock). Very, very, slow changes and additions are key to a successful reef.

Best of luck, and stick with it!

 

[wlyon]

The filter on my five gallon quit on me when I went home for christmas for 3 days, came back to a solid black jello substance that took 2 months to clean out. Needless to say that tank got a sump on it soon after and has been running strong ever since.