missing damsels???

[crazedtxf]

Hey people! I just started a 55gal tank its been running for 5-6 weeks now or so I got about 6 medium size rocks,a fliter and rocksnon bottom sand in the middle and live sand ontop I have a good light in don't got a heater yet coming this week. I did water test and it was fine so I bought 3 damsel on Sunday and today one is missing ??? I do got a lil crab some snail's hermit crab s I'm clueless someone help!!

 

[Beengirl]

Hey people! I just started a 55gal tank its been running for 5-6 weeks now or so I got about 6 medium size rocks,a fliter and rocksnon bottom sand in the middle and live sand ontop I have a good light in don't got a heater yet coming this week. I did water test and it was fine so I bought 3 damsel on Sunday and today one is missing ??? I do got a lil crab some snail's hermit crab s I'm clueless someone help!!

What ammonia source did you cycle the tank with? What's the water temp without a heater? When you say the water test was "fine", what were the actual numbers of the tests you did? Ammo? Nitrite? Nitrate?

 

[crazedtxf]

Ammonia source? I'm sorry I'm new to this, water temp is 68-70 I'm getting heater tommrrow and it was color test she matched the colors and said it was good it wasn't numbers. Am I doing something wrong

 

[Beengirl]

Ammonia source? I'm sorry I'm new to this, water temp is 68-70 I'm getting heater tommrrow and it was color test she matched the colors and said it was good it wasn't numbers. Am I doing something wrong

To start the cycle and build bacteria, you need to add an ammonia source. Research the nitrogen cycle. So you're basically doing a fish-in cycle if you didn't add an ammonia source to cycle the tank. The fish are adding the ammonia for you, but it's pretty rough on them. Ammo burns the skin and gills and nitrites decreases the amount of oxygen they get, so they can suffocate basically. It usually takes 4-6 weeks for the cycle to complete after ammonia source is added. You'll need to get some liquid tests for ammonia, nitrites and nitrates at a minimum. If you buy a master test kit, it'll also have pH and alkalinity. You'll need to test every day for ammo, nitrites and nitrates and if ammo or Trites go above 0.25ppm, you'll need to do a PWC to bring it down. Above that level can kill fish quickly.

That temps a little cold for a marine tank. The temp shouldn't go below 72*F, and shouldn't have big fluctuations in the temp from day to night. It needs to be steady. When you buy a heater, try to get one that you can dial in a temp number instead of one that has a preset temp. The preset temp ones don't generally get warm enough for marine tanks IME.

 

[crazedtxf]

Okay thanks ...but why not dead body woukdny the fish float?

 

[Beengirl]

Okay thanks ...but why not dead body woukdny the fish float?

No, they don't generally float. And your CUC would have eaten the body, that's their job after all.

 

[solo]

Also buy a refractometer to check saltnity. Hear

 

[solo]

Also buy a refractometer to check saltnity. Hear red sea salt is good salt for saltwater good luck