Hello everyone,
I'm new, so hello! Let me preface this by giving a little bit of a disclaimer. I have had freshwater tanks for the past 15 years with no issues. I understand fish keeping chemistry and the importance of "doing it right". I will also say I have been doing business at the same fish store for the entire time, and nothing they have ever told me ended up with disaster/deaths/illness. They have been my primary resource for equipment, food and fish. I want to do this right, and not the fast/easy way. Unfortunately, I've grown suspicious of their advice and conducted considerable research these last few days. I'm worried they rushed me into failure, and I'm looking for advice/ help on how to proceed to stabilize the tank properly if that is indeed the issue here.
Two weeks ago, I set up an all new 65 FOWLR that I will most likely make a simple reef tank. Following their advice I set up the tank as follows:
Actnic/White T5
Reef Octopus HB-100 Skimmer
Aquatop 400CF Cannister (UV off)
3x Powerhead (550gph for behind rock, 2x 1150g for front
300 watt heater
2 Digital Thermos and a manual floater
83lbs Base rock
8lbs fully cured live rock
60lbs live sand
Seachem Stability
Seachem Prime
Original parameters(Liquid testing):
Ammonia: 0 (Got up to 0.25 and never spiked again)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Calcium: 380
pH: 7.9
Phos: 0
SG: 1.025 (Instant Ocean Reef using refractometer)
Temp: 79
Per their timeline outlined for me, I introduced 3 Super Tongan Nassarius Snails, 5 Scarlet Hermits, 5 Blue Leg Hermits, and 1 Green Emerald after 7 days. They are all thriving and continue to do so with the exception of a Nassarius who died the first night. Two days ago I introduced 3 Green Chromies. They seemed to acclimate fine (Floated- 1/2 cup tank water every 15 minutes for 1.5 hours, netted into tank- they use copper) and were happy and schooling and eating. Overnight, one died and one went into hiding and the third was active. Yesterday, both hiding. Last night, both on bottom breathing heavily (1 hiding, 1 open). I see no signs of disease and they won't eat. All parameters are still the same as above, cleaned canister, did 15% water change, doubled carbon and pointed both 1150s at the surface. It's been 12 hours with no improvement. My major concern is that the tank never cycled, and they got hit with an ammonia spike that has since dissipated. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I didn't get into the saltwater hobby so I could torture my fish.
Thank you
I'm new, so hello! Let me preface this by giving a little bit of a disclaimer. I have had freshwater tanks for the past 15 years with no issues. I understand fish keeping chemistry and the importance of "doing it right". I will also say I have been doing business at the same fish store for the entire time, and nothing they have ever told me ended up with disaster/deaths/illness. They have been my primary resource for equipment, food and fish. I want to do this right, and not the fast/easy way. Unfortunately, I've grown suspicious of their advice and conducted considerable research these last few days. I'm worried they rushed me into failure, and I'm looking for advice/ help on how to proceed to stabilize the tank properly if that is indeed the issue here.
Two weeks ago, I set up an all new 65 FOWLR that I will most likely make a simple reef tank. Following their advice I set up the tank as follows:
Actnic/White T5
Reef Octopus HB-100 Skimmer
Aquatop 400CF Cannister (UV off)
3x Powerhead (550gph for behind rock, 2x 1150g for front
300 watt heater
2 Digital Thermos and a manual floater
83lbs Base rock
8lbs fully cured live rock
60lbs live sand
Seachem Stability
Seachem Prime
Original parameters(Liquid testing):
Ammonia: 0 (Got up to 0.25 and never spiked again)
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0
Calcium: 380
pH: 7.9
Phos: 0
SG: 1.025 (Instant Ocean Reef using refractometer)
Temp: 79
Per their timeline outlined for me, I introduced 3 Super Tongan Nassarius Snails, 5 Scarlet Hermits, 5 Blue Leg Hermits, and 1 Green Emerald after 7 days. They are all thriving and continue to do so with the exception of a Nassarius who died the first night. Two days ago I introduced 3 Green Chromies. They seemed to acclimate fine (Floated- 1/2 cup tank water every 15 minutes for 1.5 hours, netted into tank- they use copper) and were happy and schooling and eating. Overnight, one died and one went into hiding and the third was active. Yesterday, both hiding. Last night, both on bottom breathing heavily (1 hiding, 1 open). I see no signs of disease and they won't eat. All parameters are still the same as above, cleaned canister, did 15% water change, doubled carbon and pointed both 1150s at the surface. It's been 12 hours with no improvement. My major concern is that the tank never cycled, and they got hit with an ammonia spike that has since dissipated. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I didn't get into the saltwater hobby so I could torture my fish.
Thank you
