inverts die quickly such as hermit crabs, snails, shrimp, urchin.

[99jeepin]

food was added during the six month period with live rock and 45 pounds of live sand

 

[cabezon]

a 300 gallon with that much ammonia? is there a dead fish in there somewhere?

 

[Magma]

300gal tank with only 40lbs of sand?

How much rock is in the tank?

 

[cmor1701d]

Were all the fish and inverts added at the same time, or over several months?

How did you cycle the tank 8 months ago?

What are you using for filtration?

100 pounds if LR is not enough for biological filtration. You should have 1-2 pounds of porous rock per gallon.

I also think you should dump the lava rock. Too great a chance of it containing heavy metals.

 

[austinsdad]

Chances are it never cycled with just the food added. Never got the ammonia up high enuf I'll bet. I'd empty the lava rock, add some base or combination base and live rock and do a fishless cycle. Study our articles senction on cycling a SW tank with shrimp and start over. That's what I'd consider at this point.

If it never cycled, prolly the first thing you added caused ammonia I"m guessing.