UCF_BRAVES_FAN
New member
Hey guys, sorry in advance for the long-winded post, but I'm just going to lay everything out in hopes to get some ideas.
I started a 20g waterbox cube a few months back. I went through the proper routine and was very patient with everything. I had a 16g a few years ago and was patient with that as well. With that said, this new tank has been a much bigger headache. I didn't lose any fish with my old tank, just ended up breaking it down when we moved.
Anyways, to the issues. I slowly added livestock as time went by and things became established. I started with a CuC, a clown pair and a couple of shrimp. Eventually, I added a six line wrasse.
Eventually I found the clowns dead (not at the same time). I asked my LFS and they didn't seem to know since all of my parameters were stable. Throughout the next month or so I added a blenny and another clown pair. The blenny jumped out (even though I have a lid), and the clown pair died as well (again not at the same time - a few days apart).
I was at a loss and told my LFS I didn't want to keep going through this as something was obviously wrong.
They guessed that maybe the wrasse was bullying (even though I never noticed anything). They suggested leaving him in there by himself for a few weeks and seeing if he survives. He was completely fine the entire time so we chalked it up to him killing the others so I brought him back to the store.
I waited a month or so to let anything that might be wrong flush out and then most recently added a pink skunk clown pair and a goby. I noticed after about a week, one of the skunks was hiding under the rocks. He was still eating and acting normal, but just wasn't coming out. Of course with my paranoia after everything, I was scared he was on his way out. Sure enough, he was under the rock dead this morning.
Having said that, throughout all of this, my CuC and my shrimp have been perfectly fine. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought they would be more succeptible to dying if something was wrong in the tank. Is that a wrong assumption? It's a cleaner shrimp and a blood shrimp.
At this point I'm more frustrated than anything. As I mentioned, I didn't have any issues with my other 16g a few years back, and this has been a nightmare so far. I'm not giving up and going to be patient, but I also don't want to keep throwing fish in a death trap.
I also have a few easier corals (according to the store). I have a green trumpet and some GSP. The GSP looked amazing the first week or so, but it's been receded for a few days now and isn't opening up. Also, the trumpet has looked terrible for a few weeks now.
I go to the store at least once a week if not twice and have been asking them every question in the book and they're lost as well. My parameters have been fine every time I test. See parameters below.
I also noticed a potential algae bloom in the last week or so. My watersock has been super dirty everyday and I'm seeing a lot of stuff on the rocks and walls. I turned my lights down to try to combat that. Is there anywhere I can find an easy light schedule that will give me success? Also, the water has been cloudy.
I'm having them come out as a service call this week, not for any maintenance, but really to just look at my entire set up and see what's wrong. I want them to look at it as if it was their tank and how they would set it up at their house.
Again, I apologize for the very wordy post but just wanted to lay everything out and see if anything blatant could be happening.
I started doing too many water changes. Was doing 20% every week. LFS told me to back off and do 20% every two weeks. The fish always ate fine, which added to the confusion, Bc the store said if they were sick or anything it would be slow and they would stop eating. In every case where a fish died, they had eaten perfectly fine within a day.
Thanks so much for any insight.
20g waterbox cube
AI prime HD light
Aqaimai pump
Watersock
Icecap skimmer
Icecap ATO
Parameters
Calcium 420
Alkalinity 9-10
Phosphates 0
Nitrates 0-5
I started a 20g waterbox cube a few months back. I went through the proper routine and was very patient with everything. I had a 16g a few years ago and was patient with that as well. With that said, this new tank has been a much bigger headache. I didn't lose any fish with my old tank, just ended up breaking it down when we moved.
Anyways, to the issues. I slowly added livestock as time went by and things became established. I started with a CuC, a clown pair and a couple of shrimp. Eventually, I added a six line wrasse.
Eventually I found the clowns dead (not at the same time). I asked my LFS and they didn't seem to know since all of my parameters were stable. Throughout the next month or so I added a blenny and another clown pair. The blenny jumped out (even though I have a lid), and the clown pair died as well (again not at the same time - a few days apart).
I was at a loss and told my LFS I didn't want to keep going through this as something was obviously wrong.
They guessed that maybe the wrasse was bullying (even though I never noticed anything). They suggested leaving him in there by himself for a few weeks and seeing if he survives. He was completely fine the entire time so we chalked it up to him killing the others so I brought him back to the store.
I waited a month or so to let anything that might be wrong flush out and then most recently added a pink skunk clown pair and a goby. I noticed after about a week, one of the skunks was hiding under the rocks. He was still eating and acting normal, but just wasn't coming out. Of course with my paranoia after everything, I was scared he was on his way out. Sure enough, he was under the rock dead this morning.
Having said that, throughout all of this, my CuC and my shrimp have been perfectly fine. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought they would be more succeptible to dying if something was wrong in the tank. Is that a wrong assumption? It's a cleaner shrimp and a blood shrimp.
At this point I'm more frustrated than anything. As I mentioned, I didn't have any issues with my other 16g a few years back, and this has been a nightmare so far. I'm not giving up and going to be patient, but I also don't want to keep throwing fish in a death trap.
I also have a few easier corals (according to the store). I have a green trumpet and some GSP. The GSP looked amazing the first week or so, but it's been receded for a few days now and isn't opening up. Also, the trumpet has looked terrible for a few weeks now.
I go to the store at least once a week if not twice and have been asking them every question in the book and they're lost as well. My parameters have been fine every time I test. See parameters below.
I also noticed a potential algae bloom in the last week or so. My watersock has been super dirty everyday and I'm seeing a lot of stuff on the rocks and walls. I turned my lights down to try to combat that. Is there anywhere I can find an easy light schedule that will give me success? Also, the water has been cloudy.
I'm having them come out as a service call this week, not for any maintenance, but really to just look at my entire set up and see what's wrong. I want them to look at it as if it was their tank and how they would set it up at their house.
Again, I apologize for the very wordy post but just wanted to lay everything out and see if anything blatant could be happening.
I started doing too many water changes. Was doing 20% every week. LFS told me to back off and do 20% every two weeks. The fish always ate fine, which added to the confusion, Bc the store said if they were sick or anything it would be slow and they would stop eating. In every case where a fish died, they had eaten perfectly fine within a day.
Thanks so much for any insight.
20g waterbox cube
AI prime HD light
Aqaimai pump
Watersock
Icecap skimmer
Icecap ATO
Parameters
Calcium 420
Alkalinity 9-10
Phosphates 0
Nitrates 0-5
