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[Powrsurg]

I have a 75 gallon fowlr setup with about 100 pounds of live rock and 80 pounds of live sand. The tank is two months old. My chemistry is as follows.
Am 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 0
PH 8.1
Calcium is high
Alkalinity is high

After the tank cycled I added some livestock. Then, the PH dropped to 7.8-7.9. Couldnt raise it even after adding Balance and Buffers. Fish started to die.

I performed water changes 6 gallons every 3 days. I wanted to dilute the original salt that I used. Long story but I used Petco salt. It's been diluted out with coral life salt.

Now, my ph is up to 8.1. Still can't raise it higher. I would prefer 8.3-8.4.

Fish are still dying.

Here is whatnivelost so far. I'm sad because tonight I found my fuzzy dwarf dead.
Fuzzy dwarf lion
Garden Eel 14"
2 Sleeper Gold Head Goby
Snowflake Blenny
Orbicular Batfish
Blue Devil
Green Chromis
Azur Damsel
Cleaner Wrass
Spotted Cardinal Fish
Blue Linckia Starfish

I feed them mysis, and flake.
I've replaced the dead fish with others. These I don't want to lose.

What am I doing wrong?

Thank you!

 

[carey]

Did you cycle the tank with an ammonia source?

 

[Powrsurg]

A few damsels which are all still alive except for one.

 

[carey]

You used damsels to cycle your tank? Were you testing the water while you were cycling? When the fish were dying off did you test for ammonia?

 

[Powrsurg]

I tested the water everyday since I bought the tank. Observing the cycling process was very neat. It was like a wave with tailing ripples as ammonia peaked, them nitrite, then nitrate.

I have had some ammonia peaks since cycling completed. Once it went up to 2.0. I performed a water change and added some prime. Other than that one episode, I've experienced slight ammonia spikes
, nothing more ore than 1.0 no longer than a day, when I've added livestock.

I really thought I solved the problem when I got the ph stable at 8.1. But with the lion dead and my bicolor angel not eating I think not.

 

[Powrsurg]

I also want to add that I have a Red Sea prism protein skimmer, fluval FX5 filter, air rock, and perform weekly 6 gallon water changes.

 

[carey]

If you had any ammonia spikes after the cycle that could very well have killed the fish. :-( Did you do water changes when the ammonia spiked in those instances? In addition, I would be doing larger water changes on that size tank. I would say at least 10 gallons. I take out 20g when I do water changes on my 90g and about 40g on my 125g.

 

[Powrsurg]

The first ammonia spike I honestly didn't do a water change. It took 3 days to come down to 0.

I've been told by my local shop I shouldn't do more than 10 gallon water changes due to the amount of live rock I have. Once I took out 20 gallons and almost half the water was gone.

Since the 2.0 spike, I have done water changes every time within a day. I use prime as a short term stop gap if I can't do the change at the moment I test.

Do you find it strange that I can't get the PH higher than 8.1. Do you think that is playing a role at all?

Ps my gravity is a 1.023 and thermometer claims to be 78.

 

[carey]

I don't think the ph is playing any role in your troubles. My phis at a steady 7.8 and all is well in my tank.

I was running my 125g tank with 250lbs of rock and still managed to do a large water change. I would for sure increase the amount of your water change by a bit, don't worry about the water level. A water change is a great thing and can fix many issues believe it or not.

Your salinity is a tad bit low as well, I run my tanks at natural seawater level of 1.026 but thats not the cause of your troubles either.
I honestly think it's the ammonia build up that is getting your fish. If you try to stock again I would suggest one or two fish max and see where that gets you. I would monitor the ammonia and get the water changes done as quickly as you can if there is another spike. You might have to live with just one or two fish in the tank for awhile though, stocking too fast and too many fish can seriously cause a spike so i would be patient and go slow.

Sorry, thats the best advice I have for you. Good luck, let us know how it works out.

 

[Powrsurg]

I appreciate the advice and will follow it with regards to the water changes. I already replaced the dead live stock with more expensive fish thinking problems were solved. I am not buying anything new for awhile. That's a promise.

I know ammonia is very bad. What levels can fish take if the duration is just a day? Is 2.0 for a day guaranteed death? What about 1.0? I know 0 is required but I'm just wondering if I can use your answer to forecast carnage in the tank?

Thanks for the help. Best advice I've received so far and I've talked to a lot of people and wasted a lot of money on buffers and balance.

 

[carey]

Glad I've been a bit helpful.

As far as the range that fish can tolerate my honest answer is it depends on the fish. Some people throw fish right in to cycle a tank and sometimes the fish actually survives. ANything over .25 is erason for an immediate water change though. Once you get to that level you are starting to poison the fish. It's a toss up as to how long a fish can last. I would also stay away from starfish for a bit, they are notoriously hard to keep especially the linkias. I had one starfish and he actually disingrated leg by leg over a weeks time. Very hard to watch. If you want a starfish I would suggest the serpent stars, they are alot easier to keep and are pretty neat, some will take food right from you.

What did you add fishwise this time? Hopefully not alot or not big time messy fish...

 

[Powrsurg]

Don't beat me up too bad. Tis is what is in my tank right now.

Powder Brown Tang
Lunare Wrass
Falcula *Butterflyfish
BiColored Angel Fish
Fimbriated Morey Eel
Spotted Cardinal Fish
Green Chromis
Four Striped Damsel
Clown Fish
Yellow Tail Blue Damsel

Fluorescent Green Feather Duster
Caribbean Feather Duster
Bubble Anemone
Electric Blue Hermit Crab
Emerald Crab
Spotted Moon Crab
Long-Spined Sea Urchin
2 Scarlet Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
6 Snails
Cowry

 

[Powrsurg]

Ps I'm giving the eel back. While its only 8 inches now, I have a deal to exchange him for a smaller snow flake from the place I bought him.

 

[carey]

Well, that is ALOT of fish for a brand new 75g. I'm afraid you are going to see a huge ammonia spike with big fish like that. I would have said get a couple clowns and test it out but you've got a full house already. lol The key is to balance the beneficial bacteria with the bioload of the fish. Adding a big amount of fish means a big amount of waste which will give you ammonia spikes. The beneficial bacteria builds up as you introduce fish to the tank which is why you should stock slowly in the beginning. Just be on the lookout for that ammonia reading and when it gets to .25 get ready to change some water.

In case no one told you that tang you have really needs a 6 foot tank, they tend not to be so happy in smaller tanks and can fall ill. So keep an eye on him.

I wish you luck, hopefully this time you won't have any losses.

 

[Powrsurg]

Thanks for well wish. I never put more than one fish in per day. I think 2 in a two day period is the soonest I've put them in. Still, I completely get your point.

I got the tang at a discount. It was in a tank with equal sized triggers and handsome nip marks which have started to heal. I see myself getting a bigger tank when I Move into the new house. 1 year or so down the road.

Assuming all that I have now survives, do you think I have room for one more. I would love to save up for a juvenile harlequin tusk? Thoughts on space and choice of fish?

 

[carey]

Tusks get pretty big. I wanted one for my 90g but decided in the end that the tank was too small. So my thought would be no to a tusk. Awesome fish though. If you had less fish it would still be too big unfortunately. Sorry.

 

[Powrsurg]

Then I'll wait for the bigger tanks. Thanks

 

[Richy35]

+1 Carey, I think you need to slow down. Rushing these things can only cause you heartache.

 

[paulace2372]

I agree with all Carey has advised you with too, also I would question why your LFS has sold you this amount of stock so closely together? I know aswel as anyone the temptations of "just one more" but it sounds as if they are giving you an impersonal and poor service in allowing you to make these purchases without suitable advice. Take it steady, you'll get there!