mdvaldosta
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2006
- Messages
- 3
37G tank, 1 small live rock (I think, probably dead now), gravel bed, filter on the back of the tank, no heater (72*).
Set the tank up with correct salinity and tap water treated with stress coat. Ran for 24 hours like the pet shop said and added a fish a week until I had 3 fish (clown, damsel, yellow tang). Then added one of those colorful slugs. Realized I had a problem when the slug died after 2 days. Pet store guy advised to do a partial water change and not feed the fish for a few days and all will be fine.
Looked up some info on the net, went and got a test kit and found the Ammonia level above 8ppm and Nitrites and Nitrates off the charts. The PH was fine. Did 20% water changes every day for a week and ammonia got down to .25ppm but nitrites and nitrates remained off the charts.
The Damsel died a few days later, out of the blue and I noticed the other two fish had ick (I think), they had some white dots sticking to them and began loosing pigmentation. Panicked and did 3 50% water changes over the next 3 days. Ended up loosing all the fish. I
t was a sad day indeed, I was attached to the fish. I cleaned out the tank completely because I was worried about the ick eggs and started fresh. Ran the tank for a week and added 1 damsel. Once again I can't get the ammonia down or the nitrates and nitrites. The fish still looks ok but I'm worried about him.
What I don't understand is how can the ammonia be so high when I've only fed the fish 3 flakes the whole week and he's by himself in a 37 gallon tank. I've been adding ammo lock and bio start as per instructions on the bottle. I've tested my tap water and it's only got .25ppm of Ammonia.
I'm confused, I thought I was intelligent but apparently not.
Set the tank up with correct salinity and tap water treated with stress coat. Ran for 24 hours like the pet shop said and added a fish a week until I had 3 fish (clown, damsel, yellow tang). Then added one of those colorful slugs. Realized I had a problem when the slug died after 2 days. Pet store guy advised to do a partial water change and not feed the fish for a few days and all will be fine.
Looked up some info on the net, went and got a test kit and found the Ammonia level above 8ppm and Nitrites and Nitrates off the charts. The PH was fine. Did 20% water changes every day for a week and ammonia got down to .25ppm but nitrites and nitrates remained off the charts.
The Damsel died a few days later, out of the blue and I noticed the other two fish had ick (I think), they had some white dots sticking to them and began loosing pigmentation. Panicked and did 3 50% water changes over the next 3 days. Ended up loosing all the fish. I
t was a sad day indeed, I was attached to the fish. I cleaned out the tank completely because I was worried about the ick eggs and started fresh. Ran the tank for a week and added 1 damsel. Once again I can't get the ammonia down or the nitrates and nitrites. The fish still looks ok but I'm worried about him.
What I don't understand is how can the ammonia be so high when I've only fed the fish 3 flakes the whole week and he's by himself in a 37 gallon tank. I've been adding ammo lock and bio start as per instructions on the bottle. I've tested my tap water and it's only got .25ppm of Ammonia.
I'm confused, I thought I was intelligent but apparently not.