Hello Everyone, (New to saltwater)

[Cambycis]

Hello everyone, and thank you for having me. I have a 75 gallon saltwater tank that we switched over from fresh water back in november. I loved the fish you could have with a saltwater tank and always wanted to try it, so i went ahead and took the plunge. We started out with two clowns after the tank had cycled just to make sure the water and the tank was ready, which is what the LFS had told us to do. Added a few hermit crabs a week later and everything going good. Started seeing plant life grow from the live rock so I went ahead and added the T5 lighting. Everything was going great until lately. We picked up a beautiful red sailfin but he died within the week. So of course my two year old daughter freaked out and we had to explain to her that he was sleeping. I go to the LFS that i purchased it from and had them test the water to make sure everything was ok, since this is my first saltwater tank. Everything came out good. We waited a few days and purchased a copper band and lost him as well. Purchased a blue hippo tank and a diamond back goby and lost them both as well. The clowns are doing fine. Looking on the net brought me to this wonderful forum and hope to get advice as to what might be going on since my LFS doesn’t seem to know what is happening. Water test showed my ammonia was at .5 but was told this was because of the overfeeding that i was doing to get the copperband to eat as well as the recent death of the fish. I have done the water changes and the ammonia is coming back down. The only other thing they saw on the water test was that my pH was at 7.4 which they said is common when using RO water. They explained to me that this is not whats killing my fish and are unsure. I have the blue hippo replacement coming in today and i’m scared to put him in the tank. I added two firefish yesterday to see if they would stay alive. I also have the replacement copperband and a long nose tank sitting at the LFS waiting to come home. Any advice is welcome. Thank you again for having me. I hoping to get help as well as learn from this forum. Thanks.

 

[andreahp]

Welcome the forum - I am new to fish keeping in general myself. Although I have a fw tank, I've also read a lot about saltwater because a friend of mine has a tank at home. Just wondering whether you have been putting your new fish in a quarantine tank to observe it before adding it to your maintank because I read it's really important to do that when you are dealing with saltwater fish.

 

[melosu58]

Welcome aboard.

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

Welcome, You may have to question the LFS where you are buying the fish from. Are you buying all the fish from the same store. I would not add anymore until your ammonia is just about gone and your PH comes up a little. How often are you doing water changes and how much. Make sure you ask your LFS how long they have had the fish and how are they eating.

Oh and after re-reading your post about all the fish you have on hold make sure you don't add all of them at once. I also recommend putting them in a quarantine tank like andreahp said. How are you acclimating your fish, as that is also very important.

 

[Cambycis]

I do a water change every 4 weeks and usually do about 20%. I am buying all this fish from the same LFS but do not have a quarantine tank. I try to get as much information as i can before bring the new fish home and being new it seems like I learn something new everyday, which is good. The blue tang that was coming in yesterday didn't make it do to the weather here. The two they have at my LFS have only been there a lil over a week and are eating good. Everything on my tank tested good yesterday. Everything seems to be doing fine including the firefish i brought home the other day. Think i should still wait to bring one of the fish they have on hold home? What size is recommended for a quarintine tank? Thanks for the help.

 

[Just.A.Bit.Salty]

The quarantine tank doesn't have to be to big unless the fish are huge since they will only be in there for a short amount of time, 20 gallon if that. Glad your water is doing better. Unless I missed it in your post, how are you acclimating your fish into the new tank? I would also suggest bigger water changes or more frequent water changes at smaller amounts.