My New Tank
- Thread starter Brough5754
- Start date
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glad everyone else is ok!! Are you gonna get any coral or anems for your clown?
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Brough5754
Aquarium Advice Freak
I've got a green bubble but he's hiding in the rocks but I can't get corals my foxface would eat them
thincat
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2008
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The reason your two fish died is they became the ammonia source by you adding to many fish to fast and because you did not cycle your tank. They died of ammonia poisoning. It is much to early for you to have an anemone. it will more then likely die too. How big is your tank and how many fish are in there.
PS...welcome to AA.
PS...welcome to AA.
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Brough5754
Aquarium Advice Freak
I have a lionfish, an ocsilaria clown, a foxface, a blue damsel, a chocolate chip starfish, a bunch of crabs and snals, and a blood red fire shrimp .
Ok, that looks like a 35 gallon hexagon tank in the picture. That is way too small for a lion fish. Also, the lion fish is predatory and will eat anything that can fit in its mouth. it is also way too small for a foxface. Your lfs shouldn't have sold you any of these fish, especially if he knew you hadn't yet cycled the tank.
You say you didn't cycle, EVERY tank cycles, what you mean is you didn't cycle properly. Your fish initiated your cycle, as mentioned above they fell victim to ammonia. Are you testing your water at all? You need to know the levels in the water, test strips don't count here. They are inaccurate at best. The nem needs to go back to your lfs immediately, he will not survive in there at this time. Same with the lionfish and foxface.
What kind of filter are you using? What kind of lighting do you have? How much live rock and was it cured? You need to make sure moving forward you research any animal you want to keep before you buy them. Sorry to sound harsh, but you are starting in this hobby the wrong way.
You say you didn't cycle, EVERY tank cycles, what you mean is you didn't cycle properly. Your fish initiated your cycle, as mentioned above they fell victim to ammonia. Are you testing your water at all? You need to know the levels in the water, test strips don't count here. They are inaccurate at best. The nem needs to go back to your lfs immediately, he will not survive in there at this time. Same with the lionfish and foxface.
What kind of filter are you using? What kind of lighting do you have? How much live rock and was it cured? You need to make sure moving forward you research any animal you want to keep before you buy them. Sorry to sound harsh, but you are starting in this hobby the wrong way.
XxVooDooxX
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Yeah that seems like a lot for no cycle and a two week old tank. My tank is also two weeks old and I only have 1 purcula clow, a feather duster and 3 blue leg hermits
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Brough5754
Aquarium Advice Freak
Well I bought everything pre made so I didn't have to wait is what they said
iDream
Aquarium Advice Addict
they fooled you, dont buy from them anymore. Every tank needs to be cycled
Unfortunately you were lied to, pre-made water does not have anything to do with your nitrogen cycle. There has to be bacteria to eliminate ammonia in your tank. There are many ways to cycle a tank without fish. Right now you need to take back your livestock and start fresh. Is that a 35 gallon hexagon tank? Did your LFS know what your setup was? They should never have sold you the fish you have, they will not survive, let alone thrive in your tank. Anemones do not do well in those tanks, the tanks are deep and hard to get sufficient light too given the limited sizes you can use. I just got rid of my 35 gallon hexagon, so I know them well. It is not a good set up for saltwater. That is your problem, now for the solution.
Get rid of you livestock, all of it. Fish dying means it is not safe right now. You need about 30lbs of liverock (cured). This will cycle your tank, just test your water daily until the nitrite and ammonia are zero. It could take a week, or a few weeks. You will never know for sure how long, it varies from tank to tank. Then you can figure out what kind of livestock. Clowns, Basslets, a few others you can chose from and keep safely. Let us know what kind of lighting you have and what kind of filtration you are using. Water parameters would be good too. Then you can start figuring out where to go from there.
Research is key here, make sure you really study what all is involved with properly caring for a tank. Study the livestock you want, make sure this is something you are really prepared to do. It is not always an easy hobby. To properly maintain a tank takes patience, and a lot of it. It is very rewarding though, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. All the cliches are true in the hobby, that is another thing to heed. I am by no means an expert, I have been doing this 1.5 years but I will help you any way I can.
Get rid of you livestock, all of it. Fish dying means it is not safe right now. You need about 30lbs of liverock (cured). This will cycle your tank, just test your water daily until the nitrite and ammonia are zero. It could take a week, or a few weeks. You will never know for sure how long, it varies from tank to tank. Then you can figure out what kind of livestock. Clowns, Basslets, a few others you can chose from and keep safely. Let us know what kind of lighting you have and what kind of filtration you are using. Water parameters would be good too. Then you can start figuring out where to go from there.
Research is key here, make sure you really study what all is involved with properly caring for a tank. Study the livestock you want, make sure this is something you are really prepared to do. It is not always an easy hobby. To properly maintain a tank takes patience, and a lot of it. It is very rewarding though, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. All the cliches are true in the hobby, that is another thing to heed. I am by no means an expert, I have been doing this 1.5 years but I will help you any way I can.
OP
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Brough5754
Aquarium Advice Freak
Just got the test results and no trace of nitrates, phosphates, or ammonia. Gravity is 1.021. And I have 20lbs in the tank
It is possible then that your tank has completed it's cycle. I would get another 10-15lbs of live rock. Since the levels are safe now I would keep the clown. The lion and foxface have to go, they are way to big for your tank. I would dump the damsel just because they can be a pain to deal with as they mature. The anemone doesn't have a good chance of survival, they need a well established tank, and I still don't know what kind of filter and lighting you have.
OP
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Brough5754
Aquarium Advice Freak
That is a decent light a filter setup, the only problem is canister filters can cause nitrate issues. You really need a sump, I learned this the hard way as well. My 35 hex was a pain to upkeep because of it, its not impossible though. You just need to monitor your water conditions and do water changes as needed. Like I was saying, your anemone needs a tank that has been established atleast a year. The clown should be fine in there now that the levels are safe. Have you taken back the lion and foxface?
The only other thing I would say is just watch your fish, my clowns used to fight in my 35 hex, since they went to my 65 gallon they haven't nipped at each other once. Let us know how things are progressing, post some pictures of the setup.
The only other thing I would say is just watch your fish, my clowns used to fight in my 35 hex, since they went to my 65 gallon they haven't nipped at each other once. Let us know how things are progressing, post some pictures of the setup.
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Brough5754
Aquarium Advice Freak
It's a dwarf lionfish so would he be ok to stay. I really don't want to get rid of him or my foxface. Could I get rid of the others?
Unfortunately he is still going to be much too large for your system. The dwarf lion and foxface both need atleast a 75 gallon tank to be happy. Even if the lion was the only fish you had it wouldn't matter. I too like the lionfish and foxface, but I don't have a large enough tank either, its just 65 gallons. If I was you I would keep your hex tank for now and upkeep it for one year with a pair of clowns and a few inverts. If you decide that you still like the hobby then upgrade to a bigger tank. I don't regret having my hex tank for a year and a half, it taught me a lot about properly maintaining a tank. It's still fun and it gets you some valuable experience. Plus if you slip up with your setup you aren't out a whole lot of money.
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Brough5754
Aquarium Advice Freak
He seems happy now he's got plenty of space to swim and hide. I've been feeding him damsels
Flake
Aquarium Advice Addict
I completely agree with that. After having several nanos and slowly working my way up, I feel I've learned more than I would have with a big tank. I lost a LOT of small fish due to any number of reasons from plain ignorance to diseases. By the time I had a tank large enough to be buying expensive fish, I did not have a single casualty. Working on the smaller tanks is much harder than a big one, By the time you upgrade in a year, you will a) have a beautiful little tank, but you will have a wealth of knowledge and an easier time with that big tank.
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