Frustrated and about to give up

W

WessWackos

New member
Hello friends, I have been watching my 55 gallon salt water tank sit in my wall cycling water for over a year now...with zero fish in it. I was so frustrated with the death of fish after fish that I couldn't bear to spend more money on it. Well, it is time to "poop or get off the pot". Either I stick with the saltwater and give it one more chance-----or I swing over to cichlids and see if I can keep them alive.

I've had water tested (at my local fish store) more times than I can imagine and everything comes up roses (given, I'm sure they can't test for everthing...but I have lost EVERY FISH :headwalls:....the last go around I lost a $40 clownfish, and numerous others in the $20+ range.

I need a COACH(es) :).....I'll post pics, answer questions, etc....whatever info you need, I'll hunt it down...I just NEED HELP to get to the bottom of this thing.

Anyone game to help? If so, what info do you need?
 
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Are u using a quarantine tank for your fish before they are put into your display tank?

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What's all your water parameters? How about all your equipment? Any chance something you have could be toxic? Have you tested for ammonia? I know when I first started I wasn't testing ammonia since I thought I didn't really need too but since I've learned it's a good idea.

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No, I don't have a quarantine tank. I bring the healthy fish home, put the bags in my tank...slowly add water over time until the water is close to my own PH and away they go. The first two (cheap fish) lasted MONTH.S...so we added a couple more...one by one the "newer adds" died over the period of a couple days. The blue/green $8 fish were fine. I did water changes and had the water retested---bought a couple more fish...same thing...water changes...etc.......tested, looked GREAT....bought 4-5 more fish.....brought them home, was very careful in adding in water, everyone seemed fine.....within another 10 days or so I think everything was dead.
 
Pix, parameters, equipment and more detail about your system would help. Have you joined a local club? You may find "local" help beneficial, having someone more experienced taking a closer look?
Good luck and don't give up.
 
How would I know if something was "toxic"? I don't know if the fish store tested for ammonia or not, is that "standard procedure"?
 
What pics can I take that would help? What parameters do you need to know? I have a canister filter, in line heater, 2 thrusters, 2-3" of sand (sand bed).
 
You can't 'see' ich or velvet. Fish can look perfectly healthy until it breaks out in pimples or white patches, or whatever. You can't test for the presence of these pests. I suspect you had a healthy tank for a while, then added more fish that brought you the plague. And since many pests drop off fish part way through the life cycle and live in the sandbed waiting for a new fish--they can spread.

I'd change fish sources, for one, just to be sure. Mail order is fine. I'd also wait 72 days from the last fish, which is the length of time it takes for ich to starve out.

You need test kits, you need a qt tank or a lot more luck than you've had, and you need the 'setting up' and other stickies at the top of the forum.

Understand that the addition of every new fish is a risk to every fish in the tank unless you are taking precautions.
 
What is your salinity and temp? it will help us to determine if you can post all your parameters. Also how are you doing your water changes and how much and how often? Are you dosing anything? What are you using in your canister filter?
 
I don't know of a local "group". I'' sure I could pay to have the fish store people come take a look, the problem is, I'm not made of money. :)
 
Temp is 78...Salinity has always stayed in the 30-34 range. I have not noticed any "ick" at any point along the way. I haven't had ANY fish for over a year so 72 days is clear.

I'll look at the "setting up" stickies next.
 
Honestly, I'm really questioning whether I have the time/patience to do a reef tank well. I might just be better off sucking out the salt water and switching to cichlids and calling it a day. There just seem to be SO MANY different variables with salt water fish tanks that I'm not sure I can keep up with them.

How often do you all test water? etc.?
 
I have never tested and bother to test any of my saltwater tanks since i started. I been in the saltwater tank for about 10yrs but off and on. Currently i have a 6g, 29g biocube and a 110g mix reef with softies, lps and sps and they are all doing great. My 6g cube is still looking great 6yrs old, 29g is about 7months old and 110 is a little over 2yrs now. I only using ro water, i do not dose anything and i do about a 25g water chnages every 5 to 6 months on the 110g, the 29 i plan to do 5g water chnage every 6months, 6g cube i do about 2g per year, usually i just top off the water. Once i Set it up i just let it be, i really dont think saltwater tank is that hard and im one of the lazy reefers out there. I keep my temp around 78 to 79, salinity around 1.025.
 
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Low maintenance is a MUST, but this tank has not proven to be as such despite coaching from my local fish store owner. Like I said, the tank has passed every "test", the fish store owner was baffled as well...
 
What are you using to test salinity and your temperature? You could have a bad thermometer. You might have a bad piece of rock with metals in it. It really should not be this hard. It is probably something simple. Start with the cheapest and work out.


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Why is that tank only 2/3 full of water and no water movement..?
What is that rock in the back different then the reef rock ?
What kind of filtration do you have ?
What is your Maintenance routine ?
Can you post water test results ?

Your asking a wide open question with so little information to go on...

Ohh where are you buying the fish from.?
 
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