Nikonographer
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- Apr 7, 2009
- Messages
- 9
Hello everyone. I'm trying to help my son with his reef tank but the net has provided me information overload. I'm hoping someone here can just give me straight answers so I can follow that step by step.
Here's the situation:
His 75 gallon tank was built in haste. He bought the tank, a canister type of filter with media inside, a power head, turbo skimmer, then he loaded it with sand (looks like dead corals to me), live rocks, and then he bought the fish. I believe he bought the same water where the fish actually came from - some breeder's / exporter's shop - so he didn't have to do that cycling thing. When he asked me how it looked, I said it looks too plain and needed more landscaping. The next day he bought about 40lbs. of live rocks and corals, stuffed them all in there and showed off again.
His morning reading of ammonia read .25 and after he installed everything else he purchased, the ammonia level went over the chart. He was already crying so I did what I could - nothing!
I changed less than 25% of the tank water with the remaining water he had previously purchased and seeing that all its inhabitants would surely die, I decided to top it off with tap water - just so the tank won't stain. I dropped in a whole bottle of "cycle" which is supposedly used to jumpstart new tanks and tried to comfort him.
Here's the question:
How do we start over? Some fish are still alive and some corals to, although they seem to be in trouble and beyond help. Should I get rid of all the water and start over? How? Thanks and hoping for your step by step. The net is a sure source of information overload so I hope this forum can narrow things down.
Here's the situation:
His 75 gallon tank was built in haste. He bought the tank, a canister type of filter with media inside, a power head, turbo skimmer, then he loaded it with sand (looks like dead corals to me), live rocks, and then he bought the fish. I believe he bought the same water where the fish actually came from - some breeder's / exporter's shop - so he didn't have to do that cycling thing. When he asked me how it looked, I said it looks too plain and needed more landscaping. The next day he bought about 40lbs. of live rocks and corals, stuffed them all in there and showed off again.
His morning reading of ammonia read .25 and after he installed everything else he purchased, the ammonia level went over the chart. He was already crying so I did what I could - nothing!
I changed less than 25% of the tank water with the remaining water he had previously purchased and seeing that all its inhabitants would surely die, I decided to top it off with tap water - just so the tank won't stain. I dropped in a whole bottle of "cycle" which is supposedly used to jumpstart new tanks and tried to comfort him.
Here's the question:
How do we start over? Some fish are still alive and some corals to, although they seem to be in trouble and beyond help. Should I get rid of all the water and start over? How? Thanks and hoping for your step by step. The net is a sure source of information overload so I hope this forum can narrow things down.