Please help?

[Iceman72]

Hello everyone. I'm new to the site and the saltwater world. I have been doing lots of reading here and have learned a great deal. So about a month ago after doing tons of reading here and a bunch of sites I took the plunge. I picked up a 55 gallon tank, about 30 or so pounds of live rock so far. I put 30 pounds of sand and 20 pounds of live sand. I have a hang on back 70 gallon filter a guy at my LFS recommended. He said he uses it for his salt water tank. I have a dual light with two 10k light bulbs. I also have a nice water test kit. I had used the dr Tim's one and only to help cycle the tank a lil faster. I had two clowns, and a yellow tail blue damsel and one Atlantic condylactis anemone. My water was doing great. Ammonia was 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 0, ph was about 80-82, salinity of water was perfect. Everyone was happy happy happy. All fish were eating well. Anemone was being fed directly with turkey baster. Everything was great. Then. One day last week I come home and see that my daughter was feeding the tank. I told her to stop. The next day I catch her again. So I hide the food. Well the next day BLAM on the right side of my tank this greenish brown hair algae is everywhere but just on the left side of tank. Which I found bizarre. I did about a 10% water change. Also for some odd reason now my tank keeps hitting 80 degrees even though I turned my heater way down. Even turn off lights. Then I ordered a clean up crew which came in yesterday. After about two hours of acclimation I put them in. They were all over the place. But late last night I noticed one of my clowns acting odd. Did water test and everything was fine. I wake up this morning and my clown is dead, the other one seems to be on his way, the damsel looks fine, most of the clean up crew either looks dead, not moving or at the very very top of aquarium and not moving. Is my tank about to wipe? I was going to get a nice protein skimmer next week and add another single power head. BTW right now I am running a single dual power head on the right side. I had one on both sides but they blew way to much water and sand around. Any ideas besides start all over.

 

[Tkey3425]

Did you cycle completely? Did the dead fish show any signs of disease? The lights you have will NOT support an anemone . If the anemone is dying from lack of light it may have nuked your tank. What test kits are you using? 0 nitrates in a one month old tank makes me think you have a faulty kit.

 

[Iceman72]

The anemone looks to be the only one that's doing well oddly. I have been checking prams daily and the tank seemed to have cycled. I am using the API saltwater master test kit. The clown looked healthy up to last night. Now the tank looks terrible.

 

[Tkey3425]

The anemone looks to be the only one that's doing well oddly. I have been checking prams daily and the tank seemed to have cycled. I am using the API saltwater master test kit. The clown looked healthy up to last night. Now the tank looks terrible.

Do you use Tap water or RODI? Wether the anemone looks good or not right now it will slowly die under those lights. I'd try rehoming it if it foot isn't too dug in. What salt mix are you using? Unplug the heater and see if it is stuck on and that may answer your 80* temp problem.

 

[Tkey3425]

Hair algae means it has nutrients to live off of. My tank is normally in the 5-15ppm and I don't get algae growth like your describing. In 3 years my tank has never grown hair algae that I've ever seen so I assume you have some nitrates or phosphates in the water. In small levels your fish will be fine but the anemone is a sensitive animal. Get the water tested at a LFS that doesn't use API. They are notorious for being inaccurate. Idk how they are allowed to sell those kits lol. If it turns out to just be stressed fish then restock and put a good grazer like a lawnmower blenny or some type of herbivore to eat that algae away . An urchin will demolish that algae quickly too. I have 5 in my tank and they will eat from top to bottom all day long.

 

[Iceman72]

I used instant ocean sea salt in the purple bag also tap with the marine conditioner. I don't have any place to buy water. Ammonia went up.

 

[Tkey3425]

I used instant ocean sea salt in the purple bag also tap with the marine conditioner. I don't have any place to buy water. Ammonia went up.

Sounds like you didn't complete the cycle and/or you didn't build up the bacteria levels high enough. You can either take everything back to a LFS, do water changes to keep the ammonia down or add some kordon AmQuel to detoxify the ammonia and nitrite. Always over cycle a tank lol. It's much easier and cheaper on the long run.

 

[Iceman72]

My clean up crew won't go near the rock on left. Most look dead. The ones that are on glass are not moving and look dead.

 

[Ingy]

It looks like you have nitrites. Nitrites are a prime indicator the cycle is only partially completed. How did you cycle your tank?

 

[Tkey3425]

My clean up crew won't go near the rock on left. Most look dead. The ones that are on glass are not moving and look dead.

Invert are the most sensitive to parameters being wrong. If they are on the glass holding on then they aren't dead. If they are dead then they will be on the sand bed and not moving. Snails can stay in their shell for up to 3 days sometimes longer because of shipping stress. You need to remove you stock or start detoxifying the water with AmQuel when the ammonia or nitrite levels rise

 

[Iceman72]

I just got water tested at lfs and guy says my water is **** near perfect. Which is what I tested. So I am lost here. I am picking up the amquel plus. But he says based on my water it won't do much because my parameters seem great.

 

[Ingy]

The question is the type of cycle you did. I saw you added Dr Tims I think it was, which does not give a true cycle of the rocks. It adds ammonia and ammonia eating bacteria to the water column. A week later all the ammonia is gone, but the bacteria mostly die too. As for the local water test, add some salt to a galon of water and take it to get tested. Perfect. Add a fish to it and it will die soon from ammonia poisoning. The test means nothing on its own.

 

[baron1282]

IceMan72

I agree with everything being told to you here. If you want to keep your anemone your going to need a stronger light. Two 10K bulbs are not going to give it the proper light it needs to live happy.

This is the cheapest light I could find that I believe will do the Job.

Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 Lamp High Output Fixture

It's a great investment as you can add some low light coral down the road and really make your tank pop!!

You need to take your fish back to the LFS and cycle your tank properly. I suggest you go to the local supermarket and buy a two or three uncooked shrimp and some clean panty hose. Put the shrimp into the hose and throw it into your tank! Three to Four weeks your tank should be cycled! It will be a strong cycle and you will know your tank is safe and ready for your first fish!

Always add slowly to allow more bacteria to build up! Slow wins this race!
Don't feel discouraged, a lot of people make the mistake of starting up a tank fast! I did! I lost my whole freshwater tank because I decided to go fast! I got out of the hobby for a year until I decided to research and do it right!

Good Luck!!

 

[Iceman72]

Thanks a mill guys.

 

[TheTodd]

Dr Tim's works, if done properly. I've used it on two tanks and never had problems with getting ammonia or nitrites afterwards. Did you just use One &Only or did you add the ammonia that they sell (or some of your own)? Just like any cycle, it needs an ammonia source. They have detailed instructions on their site.

 

[Iceman72]

I just found a stink bug stuck to my power head. When I pulled it out it was reaking. Could that have killed my fish, snails and crabs?

 

[Nikachu0315]

I just found a stink bug stuck to my power head. When I pulled it out it was reaking. Could that have killed my fish, snails and crabs?

Maybe you daughter put that stink bug in there???

 

[Iceman72]

Naaa in Pa because of the unseasonable warm weather stink bugs are everywhere again. We've been keeping doors and house fan on. She would never do that.

 

[huma-huma]

Idk why everyone keeps going to the improper cycle response. He tests the water daily and even had a secondary source verify his results. Also ive always used API and have never had an issue. Whats your ph at? Id test it at 2 different times. Test it mid day then late at night. Also if your test is showing 0 ammonia and the Lfs verified that. I wouldnt even consider addind amquel or whatever was mentioned. It prob wont do a single thing and may add to the problem.

 

[Iceman72]

Idk why everyone keeps going to the improper cycle response. He tests the water daily and even had a secondary source verify his results. Also ive always used API and have never had an issue. Whats your ph at? Id test it at 2 different times. Test it mid day then late at night. Also if your test is showing 0 ammonia and the Lfs verified that. I wouldnt even consider addind amquel or whatever was mentioned. It prob wont do a single thing and may add to the problem.

Yeah I took my water to two different lfs and both had exact same results as me. I will test pH again today twice. Btw my second clown died this morning. The clean up crew is doing an amazing job. It appears they only work 3rd shift lol. My yellow tail blue damsel is looking as healthy and happy as day one. The anemone decided to move down since last night.