Tim's 54 Gallon Corner -> Going Reef

[TLTGF]

Oh, and the sale is off... lol Well let's say $80. lol

 

[Gregcoyote]

Cabezon,

Let me start by saying that I bought this set-up used about 10 weeks ago, I think, and at that point the tank had been setup for (4) years. I moved everything to my apt, and the only fish that came with it were the (4) green chromis.

I did see a very small mini cycle from some LR dieoff at the very beginning, but within literally 3 or 4 days, the parameters were perfect.

As far as sand, I can honestly say that I have no idea, again it came with the tank, and furthmore the previous owners "claimed" that the sand was from a tank that was running for the previous (6) years before that one, and they transferred the sand there.

When I lost my flame, I did test my water and all params were in check.

The only thing left for me to believe at this point is that in betwen adding the PH's and the diamond goby kicking up the sand, the combination caused a release of some bad junk hidden in the sand. The flame and the royal may have just been to fragile to adapt, while the chromis, wrasse, and goby were more hardy and survived the intrusion.

My water parameters still look great, and I'm doing another pwc on Saturday to get trates even lower - they were at 20 before last Saturday's pwc.

Thanks for the input.

Oh and I'm not 100% sure that my Chromis is preggo, she's been hanging out behind the overflow box with her bf. Plus ther belly is getting even bigger, about twice the size of the others, and her orange spot is very noticable. I've been trying to capture a pic, but to no avail at this point.

I don't want to be a downer, but the fish might have an impacted bowel. This will cause their bellies to swell up and eventually die, unfortunately. Will keep fingers crossed.

 

[TLTGF]

Thanks Greg, I appreciate all view-points. Gives me more to think about. Well I hope the bad news doesnt come in three for my tank.

I will keep updating!

 

[rob_mango]

So l was going to ask if u have anymore pics of your tank I am wanting to c how it is looking with it all together

 

[TLTGF]

Rob, I did take one pic this morning that shows mostly everything but the fish. Here ya go... and I'll get more when I start updating sump, etc.

 

[rob_mango]

Wow that looks amazing I like the depth you have as well looks really good

 

[TLTGF]

Thanks for the compliment!

 

[cabezon]

I had a fish I thought was preggo, I put it into a little breeder thing. It pooed its body weight. Wth FW fish we give peas squeezed out of their skins. I can imagine it would work for SW too.

For the sand, I use a product called bioclear. This is usually on a new tank. I kick everything up,use the bioclear and add a lot of filter floss. In my 125 I put floss in the sock. It cleared up in 3 days of repeated kicking up and floss changing. If this is used sand there is all sorts of waste. If you didn't wash the sand, you are probably right about disturbing the nastiness from below.

 

[TLTGF]

Thanks for the tip...

This has already been a crazy day... I start off the day as any other, feeding the tank. Today was mysis day, and usually this means a frenzy. I put the shrimp in and watch as everyone goes crazy trying to get a ton. Today, though someone was missing... Yup the fatty chromis. So thinking what Greg said may have happened I started to scope around the tank for remains. Instead I see a tiny mouth peeking though a tiny hole on the top of my LR. Instinctively I ran to the sink, boiled off my skin and came back out and used my finger to "push" the fish out. Well this let to getting bit a few times.

I then tried to use a thermometer probe casing and nothing. Of course this is in a piece of LR that weighs 25lbs, so I pick up the rock and flip it, and sure enough the fatty is stuck. I shake and shake and turn the rock towards the PH which ended up pushing the fish out.

Upon doing this however, I kicked up enough dust to barely see into the tank. So when I decieded to replace the rock, it didn't sit properly and tumbled, causing three others to tumble and (6) of my new corals to go flying around the tank!

I can barely see in the tank, but I think I got everyone repositioned... WOW.

 

[carey]

Glad you got him out! Stinks that you have a sandstorm now but at least the fish is safe.

i woke up to a flood myself so my day isnt going as splendidly as I would want either. lol

Gotta get better as the day goes on though right? hehe

 

[cabezon]

He probably used to fit in that hole. :-(

Another thing I use is a fluval 405 filled with floss to help do a massive filtration. You definitely have something wrong with this dust cloud. If you were near tampa I would lend you a couple.

 

[TLTGF]

That's what I'm saying - if this was the worst of it... then I'm all good - Just hate to see such beautiful corals lying on their sides.

Luckily for me I only have (7) total!

 

[cabezon]

Nothing worse than seeing your $40 acan covered in sand.

 

[TLTGF]

Well... looks like at the cost of a chromis, I may be closer to finding the culprit that is wiping out my tank.

Please look at this fish and let me know if you know what this is.

The chromis is covered in an orange / red / pink patch.

He is currently in the QT.

 

[Gregcoyote]

That fish is bleeding under the skin, could be from injury, or disease.

 

[TLTGF]

Update:

Here is what I have found / been told:

Ammo - 0
Trites - 0
Trates - 20

PH - 7.8 (taken 1st thing before lights kicked on) Testing again tonight.
Alk - 273

Salinity - 1.023

Temp - 80F

Went to LFS and spoke with owner - extremely knowledgable about everything I've ever asked.

He stated that my pH is on the low side, but he would expect a small swing 8.2-7.8 during the night when the corals and algae start making their own food and using oxygen and producing CO2... I'll buy that.

However he did say that my alk was just outside the range on the low side, so he recommended seachem buffer, which I got and dosed.

I also picked up a API Master kit, so I actually had my own pH kit.

Furthermore, he stated that the signs, symptoms that I was facing in his opinion would not be caused by anything to do with any readings that he got from the water. He did state however that it sounded like a bacterial infection commonly found in Green Chromis. He also stated that USUALLY it doesn't transfer to other fish, however, it is possible.

He also stated that there could have been factors that led to stress which caused the infections to show up more quickly.

His advice was to monitor all the fish very carefully for anything out of the ordinary. Act accordingly. He also stated that he wanted me to test my pH tonight after a full day of lights on, and ensure that it is up to 8.2. He stated to call him if not, and we would look to a plan of action.

Any thoughts?

 

[rob_mango]

From everything I have researched if ur p.h. is at 7.8 -8.3 there is nothing wrong with that although 8.3 is recommended so I would say dose the buffer but dot get to worried if it don't reach 8.3

 

[Gregcoyote]

Do this very slowly. When adding the buffer, watch your Kh and Ph readings, monitor a few hours after you add the buffer. Lots of people use different chemicals to affect Ph and Kh, but in the end it becomes a balance with Calcium. Older reefs can acidify and need more buffer. My 20 year old reef needed buffer when I didn't do a good job of vacuuming detritus last year. Once I did that clean up, my buffer needs went pretty much away.

 

[TLTGF]

Update / Question:

It's been (5) days since my last post, and knock on wood, everything seems to be going well. None of my remaining fish have showed or exibited ANY strange behaviors. Everyone is eating well, my sixline is very very active all day long, the chromis still hide out when I'm not sitting in front of the aquarium, and the diamond is a sand sifting hot mess.

Question:

Equipment - my PH started making noise at about 3:00a, like a rattling / vibrating sound. I tapped the magnent holding it on, and it stopped, started, and stopped for about 30 minutes and then back to ultra quiet.

The only thing I've noticed is that the PH's are getting covered in brown algae and whatever else - whats the best way to clean them?

Thanks!

 

[carey]

I take mine out and scrub them in hot water with those long brushes they sell for cleaning aquarium tubing. If its a koralia I take it apart and scrub in there as well.