My tanks story - disaster

[DanReedRogers]

Okay, so around November, I decided to take the leap and start a marine tank. Now, I went out foolishly pressured. And brought products that I didn't research. So. Originally my tank water turned black and stank of hydrogen sulfide (yes i had a dsb) this was during the cycling process. And during this time you would think my skimmer would be clearing heaps out.. Nope..empty. So I tore everything down and restarted. Got a better start lasted around 2/3 months. Then I noticed my fish, had white poo. My only solution was internal parasites (had long white stringy poo, nimbling at food and not swimming around) and still my skjmmer was doing nothing. So then the fish died, and the tank has been sitting there ever since. I'm thinking of re-curing the live rock. Buy a good skimmer. Probably hob. If not then build a sump.

 

[Dr. Reef]

you summed it well yourself, "i didnt research".
not sure where to begin with advising something to help as nothing about your setup is mentioned.

 

[Saltliquid]

Recurring? Just wash off what is your base rock now and put it back in and have no substrate and get your self a fresh ocean water change and get into proper cycling with lots of surface water disturbances and in tank current at 15 to 20 times your tanks water volume per hour to maintain oxygen and PH and add in tiny bits like one eight of a tea spoon of fish food each 4 days after day ones added foods till ammonia then nitrite, then nitrites to zero then keep adding tiny food amounts till nitrites do not show even with it is added.
During the tanks life always dose with cal and mag and always have something in place to remove phos.
It sounds like you relied on the your skimmer a lot, if you have a tank like that you are wasting your time!
A skimmer is supposed to help out.
For over 25 years i used no skimmer, which was after threes of using my home made skimmers.
This hobby is painfully easy, get some good advice it is very easy if done right!

 

[Sk8r]

We have a massive sticky up top of this forum: SeTTING UP: contains a dozen or so links to articles that range from 'I know nothing' to 'I know a lot but I've never deal with this thing before.'

 

[Frantz]

What was your weekly maintenance for the tank? What about daily? Were you taking any water readings? Did you have a QT tank at all? If you have questions, it doesn't take much to have a nice tank, and it doesn't take much to have a disaster.

 

[RussIV]

you learned the hard way that a skimmer is a placebo. the guys doing this for years and years usually ditch it. and with good reason.

dont go dsb unless you can isolate it from the DT.

but by all means... look at the live phyto, zooplankton that died in your skimmer that stinks to high heaven and think it lowered your nitrates.

fun fact.

50% of your skimmate is calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate. so much for it only targetting doc