Need some help
- Thread starter rum_pride
- Start date
spleify
Premium Member
Don't give up yet rum.
Tell us a little more about your tank and maintenance routine.
RO/DI water? Tap water?
What are your parameters? Actual numbers, not just "good"
What kind of tank?
Do you have a refugium? Skimmer?
We need a little more info to be able to help you properly.
Spleify
Tell us a little more about your tank and maintenance routine.
RO/DI water? Tap water?
What are your parameters? Actual numbers, not just "good"
What kind of tank?
Do you have a refugium? Skimmer?
We need a little more info to be able to help you properly.
Spleify
whyamisofly
New member
Also, how long do you have the fish before they die???
Do you quarantine?
Do you quarantine?
Dave & Monica
New member
Do you always buy them from the same store? Are you buying them the same day they arrive or does the store quarantine? Some fish don't make it from the stress, more so when they're not quarantined. Just a thought.
Lets see I'll try to answer as many as i can.
I have a 12g jbj with the three chambers in the back. I do 25% water changes weekly, I have tap water but add start right, or somthing like that. Can't remember the exact name. it removes the chlorine. Not too sure on the exact peramaters I'll have to check them when i get home and then post again.
The first 2 fish i had were damsels and I had them for about 2 months before they died. then I got 2 firefish from petco, I had them for about 2 weeks then they died. then I got 2 clowns from Dr Foster and smith. One of them was dead before they even arrived, and the other dissapeared for a while, I still fed him even though I wasn't sure if he was alive. F&S reimbursed me for another clown and when it got here before I put it in the tank I found my first clown, Dead. So now I'm down to 1 clown which I've had for 2 days and he looks okay.
I have had the tank running for about 6 months now.
I have some Candy cane coral
Hammer/ anchor coral
Evergreen starburst
branching xenias
pink button polyp
elegant moon polyp
and purple tree coral
which are all doing great.
I also have a serpent sea star and an anemone crab which are also healthy.
For my lighting I use a cross between 150W MH and the stock bulbs that came from the hood. I run the 150 for an hour and fifteen minutes in the morning at noon and at night. the rest of the time i run the stock lights. I wasn't sure about this at first but everything in the tank (except fish) is doing great.
I have a 12g jbj with the three chambers in the back. I do 25% water changes weekly, I have tap water but add start right, or somthing like that. Can't remember the exact name. it removes the chlorine. Not too sure on the exact peramaters I'll have to check them when i get home and then post again.
The first 2 fish i had were damsels and I had them for about 2 months before they died. then I got 2 firefish from petco, I had them for about 2 weeks then they died. then I got 2 clowns from Dr Foster and smith. One of them was dead before they even arrived, and the other dissapeared for a while, I still fed him even though I wasn't sure if he was alive. F&S reimbursed me for another clown and when it got here before I put it in the tank I found my first clown, Dead. So now I'm down to 1 clown which I've had for 2 days and he looks okay.
I have had the tank running for about 6 months now.
I have some Candy cane coral
Hammer/ anchor coral
Evergreen starburst
branching xenias
pink button polyp
elegant moon polyp
and purple tree coral
which are all doing great.
I also have a serpent sea star and an anemone crab which are also healthy.
For my lighting I use a cross between 150W MH and the stock bulbs that came from the hood. I run the 150 for an hour and fifteen minutes in the morning at noon and at night. the rest of the time i run the stock lights. I wasn't sure about this at first but everything in the tank (except fish) is doing great.
adova
Premium Member
First challange is the size of the tank - 12g is very small, and will have a huge affect with just the smallest impurity.
With that said - using tap water with some additive is probably a bad idea. RO/DI will remove just about everything and is relatively cheap for a tank that size.
Also, do less water changes more frequently (I do 20% bi-weekly) - if you have a desire to do weekly, just do 10%.
You are ok to run your lights on day cycle (8 hours or so) - your corals will like you more for it - just watch the water temps and how close the light is to the corals. I have no experience with nanos, so I could be off here.
Anyways - go RO/DI and you will probably see a big difference. You can get from most Local Fish Stores for about 50 - 75 cents / gallon or so, or get a unit for about $100...
Shawn
With that said - using tap water with some additive is probably a bad idea. RO/DI will remove just about everything and is relatively cheap for a tank that size.
Also, do less water changes more frequently (I do 20% bi-weekly) - if you have a desire to do weekly, just do 10%.
You are ok to run your lights on day cycle (8 hours or so) - your corals will like you more for it - just watch the water temps and how close the light is to the corals. I have no experience with nanos, so I could be off here.
Anyways - go RO/DI and you will probably see a big difference. You can get from most Local Fish Stores for about 50 - 75 cents / gallon or so, or get a unit for about $100...
Shawn
Crystal Sea
Premium Member
First, start using RODI water even if you buy it from one of those machines in Safeway or Walmart.
Second, if it was me, I would only do a 10% waterchange bi-weekly or weekly at most.
Third, Are you making sure that the salinity and the temperature of the water change water match the tank? With a tank this small, and waterchanges that large, you could be causing a pretty big swing in temp and salinity. Also, remember that water changes in a tank this small are stressful to fish. That is why I would do it less often and smaller amounts too. You are looking for stability. Online shipping is stressful, Look for a Fish Store, close to home, not a Pet superstore. Look closely at the fish you are purchasing and watch them for a bit. You can ask some questions.
1. How long has it been in the store? 2 weeks or more is good. Dying to have it even though it came in 2 days ago?
2. Is it eating? ask them to feed it and watch the behavior, does it really eat, or just get excited but not eat?
3. Watch the fish. Are there any spots or things hanging on the fins or body? Is it brushing itself against rocks like it is itchy?
4. Is it FAT? You want fat fish, they are usually healthier.
Just some things to think about.
Lastly,
Don't give up. Ask Questions here and be willing to try things. There is no one right way do everything in this hobby.
My first tank was a 7 gal cube which I killed the entire thing one day in. All corals, fish everything, then I started learning. 10 yrs later....I have a beautiful tank, and I still love the hobby.
BTW, Check your tank temp when the MH are on. You also could be having a pretty large temp swing with the on off cycle you are using and may need to add a fan while MH is on.
Just think STABILITY
Second, if it was me, I would only do a 10% waterchange bi-weekly or weekly at most.
Third, Are you making sure that the salinity and the temperature of the water change water match the tank? With a tank this small, and waterchanges that large, you could be causing a pretty big swing in temp and salinity. Also, remember that water changes in a tank this small are stressful to fish. That is why I would do it less often and smaller amounts too. You are looking for stability. Online shipping is stressful, Look for a Fish Store, close to home, not a Pet superstore. Look closely at the fish you are purchasing and watch them for a bit. You can ask some questions.
1. How long has it been in the store? 2 weeks or more is good. Dying to have it even though it came in 2 days ago?
2. Is it eating? ask them to feed it and watch the behavior, does it really eat, or just get excited but not eat?
3. Watch the fish. Are there any spots or things hanging on the fins or body? Is it brushing itself against rocks like it is itchy?
4. Is it FAT? You want fat fish, they are usually healthier.
Just some things to think about.
Lastly,
Don't give up. Ask Questions here and be willing to try things. There is no one right way do everything in this hobby.
My first tank was a 7 gal cube which I killed the entire thing one day in. All corals, fish everything, then I started learning. 10 yrs later....I have a beautiful tank, and I still love the hobby.
BTW, Check your tank temp when the MH are on. You also could be having a pretty large temp swing with the on off cycle you are using and may need to add a fan while MH is on.
Just think STABILITY
thanks for all the advice. I will deffinetly lower my water changes and look into a RODI system. I watch the temperatures throughout the day, when I first got the lights there was a bit a of a temperature change when theMH were on so I updated the stand and now the lights sit about 12" above the tank with a piece of heat resistant plexy glass about 3" under them and a fan to cool them. Now there is no temperature change. I guess i could have added that earlier.
I was also wondering, about refugiums and sumps. Should I invest in one? is it worth it in such a small tank?
Again thak you for all your advice, I t is truly appreciated.
I will try to post some pics soon.
I was also wondering, about refugiums and sumps. Should I invest in one? is it worth it in such a small tank?
Again thak you for all your advice, I t is truly appreciated.
I will try to post some pics soon.
If you did pick up a parasite such as ich or oodidium they can survive in the tank for up to 30 days w/o a fish host. some of the stores in town will necropsy a dead fish. I cant remember the last time I went into a petkiller(petco) that didn't have some kind of disease in the salt systems(parasite, bacteria, fungal...). I agree with everything already said. if your other fish dies I would wait the 30 days before adding more...I would wait 30 days anyways at this point. I also agree with using ro/di, but if you are going to use tap... get on the city water pages and find everything you can about the water you are using(water report,dosing schedules...). Also get a good test kit and test it straight from the tap for copper(if your corals are ok you are probably safe,but its better to know). I only change 20% water monthly.
gh0st
New member
I've got to disagree with the water change advice.
In small Nano tanks that usually don't have skimmers, etc, I like to do 50% water changes every week. As long as you match up the Specific Gravity and Temp. and keep up with them it shouldn't be too stressful on the fish as they are practically always in fresh new water.
As a fringe benifit it pretty much eliminates the need for skimmers and any type of supplements as long as you use a good quality salt mix.
In small Nano tanks that usually don't have skimmers, etc, I like to do 50% water changes every week. As long as you match up the Specific Gravity and Temp. and keep up with them it shouldn't be too stressful on the fish as they are practically always in fresh new water.
As a fringe benifit it pretty much eliminates the need for skimmers and any type of supplements as long as you use a good quality salt mix.
Im looking at some skimmers and RODI systems and was wondering what everyone thinks about them for my 12g. anything good or bad about these items. Too much or too little for my tank. SeaClone Protein Skimmer, Coralife Super Skimmer Needle Wheel Protein Skimmer, Pure-Flo II RO Units 24 gpd 3-stage.
Hmmm, maybe we should all be taking a step back here on the equipment.
We all love the latest equipment but the fact remains that he IS successful with the corals and invertebrates which would be more apt to be effected by the water quality no?
What kills fish (even damsels) or perhaps the better question is why are his fish not living while his corals are thriving?
Pics might help, what are you feeding etc.,
We all love the latest equipment but the fact remains that he IS successful with the corals and invertebrates which would be more apt to be effected by the water quality no?
What kills fish (even damsels) or perhaps the better question is why are his fish not living while his corals are thriving?
Pics might help, what are you feeding etc.,
adova
Premium Member
Actually, his corals are pretty hardy on their own - the fish, if already stressed from shippment, disease, etc, could be affected more by small problems in water quality.
Also, the tap water has a LOT of trace elements that the RO/DI takes care of. These trace elements can have a more profound affect on the biology of the fish than the corals - just removing the chlorine is not enough IMO.
Shawn
Also, the tap water has a LOT of trace elements that the RO/DI takes care of. These trace elements can have a more profound affect on the biology of the fish than the corals - just removing the chlorine is not enough IMO.
Shawn
