HELP!!! My fish keep dying

[Froggerb]

I have had my 110 saltwater tank set up since Jan and I have place 3 new sets of fish in my tank and all three have died. For some strange reason a week or two after I put fish in my tank my PH and Ammonia start jump up and down therefor killing all of my fish. Can anyone help me figure out what is going wrong. I hate all my losing fish.
Victor[/b]

 

[Gauge]

You need to cycle your tank. Go to the grocery store, buy some shrimp, throw them in the tank, and watch your ammonia/nitrite/nitrate levels. When your ammonia and nitrites both go up and drop back down to zero, do a water change and then add a single fish.

 

[Froggerb]

I cycled my tank after each time my fish have died off for 3 weeks at a time. There was never a jump at all after my cycle...only until I put the 4rth of 5th fish in. ut I put fish in a week apart from each other. Maiking sure not to over do it at once. Any other Ideas

 

[Hara]

Your tank does not act like it has been sufficiently cycled. Start again with a cocktail shrimp and go through the whole cycling process (which averages about a month in time). Then add the fish slowly, not all at once.

 

[zacdl]

Maybe even 2-3 shrimp.

 

[Phyl]

I think that putting in 1 fish a week over 5 weeks is probably more bioload than your system is capable of handling all at once. Try waiting 4-6 weeks between additions and see what happens. With a 110 I'd think you could add 2 fish and then wait a month to six weeks. Then add one more (maybe two depending on the size, type and feeding habbits of the fish) and wait at least another month to six weeks. With 110g even an improperly cycled tank shouldn't show much ammonia if the fish aren't big/messy eaters and are added slowly enough. Five fish in five weeks is entirely another matter.

If you start to see any ammonia spike then begin daily water changes to counter act it. With only 2 fish in there you should be able to keep the parms in check.

Let us know how this works for you!

 

[malkore]

A properly cycled tank should be able to handle a fish every week or two. Thus, I don't think the tank is fully cycled...or something is destroying the cycle.

Can you tell us more? 110gallons....live rock? (how many pounds) skimmer? deep sand bed? how many powerheads/filters/pumps for circulation? Sump?
pH? alkalinity? salinity? (and how do you acclimate these fish?) what's the warmest and coolest the tank gets on an average day?
What are your nitrates at after your 3week cycle (which seems kind of short for such a large tank...but not unheard of)

Also, when you lose all your fish, are you doing any special cleaning of the tank?

 

[zacdl]

A properly cycled tank should be able to handle a fish every week or two.

I agree.

 

[lando]

Yup, too many fish too quickly. Livestock needs to be added SLOWLY, especially in a very young tank. It is liekly you over-whelmed the biological filtration of the tank with a huge bioload all at once. Slow and steady.
Welcome to AquariumAdvice.com!!!

 

[Phyl]

I'd be interested in hearing which fish you added in what order. There's probably something in there that would cinch the too many fish too fast theory.