Tank in serious trouble!!!

hondadude2k5

hondadude2k5

Awesome Dude
I need some help fast. My water parameters are off the charts right now. All my fish are stressed out to the max. I have lost a white cheeked Tang, a turbo snail and a Black Onyx clown in the last week. the rest of the fish all have Ich. it goes away and comes back. Water params go up and down daily. I do water changes to bring them down and a few days later they are back through the roof. Anybody have any ideas as to why the tank would be like this? Also I have a pair of Pyjama Cardinals that need a place to go. Both act healthy although one has some ich spots. I am trying to cut this tank back to an all coral tank plus my clowns and gobies. Cardinals have to go.
 
Hi Hondadude,

Don't take this wrong but from what it sounds like, it could be your the problem. Please correct me if I am wrong. From all the reading I do on Reef Central I have read so many posts by you in the last couple of months talking about all the things you are doing with your tanks. I have read that you are switching things, adding things and so on. I am no expert or anything but I do no that you aren't supposed to disturb your tank very often at all. Maybe you are stressing everything out.
 
I agree I have alot less problems now that I leave my tank alone and do not over stock.I know it can be hard but it will pay off in the long run.Once you get you 55 gallon going you will have better luck things do not change as fast.
 
Hi,

I notice you don't have a skimmer based on your post. I never recommend salt tanks without skimmers. Could you elaborate on what parameters are out of wack? Nitrates, nitrites, amonia, PH, etc.

Thanks
Rob
 
Rob,
My Ammonia stays pretty constant at .50 and lately my nitrits have been sky rocketing. i found them to be literally 5.0 yesterday afternoon. I did water changes last night and brought all of my levels back down. I tested the water this morning and now they are back up to 2.0 My nitrates have been pretty steady up around 40PPM. In the last week, I have done 30 gallons of water change. I bring the levels back down and back up they go. Believe it or not, they have been at there worst since I have added the De*Nitrate to the filter and I think it may be partly because I listened to the guy and put it in a sock instead of a filter bag. I do not have a skimmer on the tank as of yet but that is simply a money issue. I haven't really needed a skimmer. I haven't had any problems with the tank until the fish died last week. Ever since it has been one thing after another.
 
John,

Please explain your comment. If you are meaning the media inside of it, I hjust changed it a few days ago. I replace media on all my filters every 45 days.
 
What inside of the filter would be holding the Nitrates inside? I am not doubting your reasoning, I am just trying to understand why that would happen.
 
Something might also be dead and decaying in the tank, look around to see whats happening in there, any missing inhabitants? Starfish can get nasty when they die, etc....... I would then replace the canister filter for a skimmer ASAP. Continue water changes until whatever it is adding amonia to the tank stops. Change all filter media as well and pick up some activated carbon to help absorb some of the bad stuff. Nitrate sponge might also help.
 
Unless you change daily/5 days max, catches organics, breaks down to NH4, NO2, NO3 and no where to break down NO3. Use sump and live rock then it will complete the cycle better. Also 1" fish per 5 gal water, cut back feeding. Read up on Lee Cheng Eng, circa 1953
 
There is nothing dead in the tank. There is also nothing in the canister filter left from dead critters. It has a new carbon pad in it and it also has a new dose of De*Nitrate rocks. I don't have room for a big skimmer. I would love to have one believe me.
 
some pics

some pics

Here is a picture of the readings on my tank. In order it goes Ammonia, Nitrates, Nitrites 12 hours ago, Nitrites now.

100_0195.jpg
 
Ok let me back track and say how the equipment is set up and used. I have an Aqua Clear 110 set up as a refugium. It has a pound of live sand and about 2 pounds of live rock inside of it with chaeto. It dumps somewhat into the center of the tank. I have a power head blowing from left to right. I have the canister filter set up on the right side of the tank with the return going from right to left. The only media inside of the canister is a new carbon pad and a new dose of De*Nitrate rocks. I have done 30 gallons of water in the last couple of days. Ill cut back on the feeding. is there anything else i should do?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7014824#post7014824 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hondadude2k5
I don't think I appreciate your smart *** tone
Click to expand...

Aren't you sure you don't appreciate it? Really I wasn't looking for appreciation. And can you really hear a tone in my post's. Come on Hondadude, you can do better than that. Honestly if you slow down on everything you do to your tanks, maybe you wouldn't have a problem. You have such a good buddy who knows oh so much about reefing, why are you asking everyone else?
 
My comment was not towards you John. I am listening to what you are saying. I am just asking questions so I know what is going on and why. I hate asking quetions and being given an order without reason. I like to know why things do or don't work. hence the quetions. My comment was towards SHEreefer who chimes in to be a smart *** for no reason. She don't know me and has no right to speak to me with a smart *** tone.

SHEreefer,

What makes me understand your tone? I understand the tone because I can read and I can pull up history. In the past your comments have been a smart *** tone. TO ME! Unless history doesn't repeat itself, tell me I am wrong in assuming your tone?

Why do I not ask Hector? I did. His answer to everything these days is water change.
 
Wheres Hector when you need him? Who suggested the de-nitrate? Find the source, eliminate the source, bingo, its done should resolve in a day or two, unless you got gunk in rocks. Blow out rocks with powerhead with canister filter running one last time, throw out cannister or save to run carbon on occasion. Do water change and leave alone, it will settle, treat as new set up, pretend its going threw a new cycle for 2 months. Then minamize bio-load and build up slow. Nothing happens fast, loaded tanks=high maintiance and high crash risk.
 
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