mini cycle?

[MCluett]

okay i switch my 30g into my 55g tank a little over a week ago and now i am starting to see some fatalities. I am unsure if it is that my tank is going through a minicycle or if it is something else. i used the same rock from my 30g, was out of water for maybe 10 seconds and then right into the new tank. the sand i got was from colinpopcorns tank wasnt out of water for any extend period of time there was even some snails still alive in it. i took the filter right off my other tank as well. i have been trying to figure this out for the last 2 days and am going nuts. i have had one fish die and now i have two other fish that seem to be fading as well, but i still have both of my shrimp alive and my crabs and snails seem fine. i even have a peice of frogspawn in there that seems to be doing okay. another thing all my aptasias are dead and it wasnt because of my shrimps. how bad does the water need to be for apatasias to want to die. Any ideas our opinions will be greatly appreciated, i am really trying to keep these other two fish alive.


thanks
matt

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Wow... aiptasia is dieing. That's not a good thing. (Well... it is, but not for your fish.)

What are your ammonia and nitrite levels? Please post numbers.

Most likely, using old sand released a bunch of nasties into the water column and you're experiencing another cycle. Frequent water changes are about the only thing you can do at this point. 30% every day maybe?

 

[melosu58]

I think it was the sand. That`s why I always suggest new sand when you change tanks as the old sand carries over trash that will foul up your tank. As Kurt said some frequent PWC`s will be needed now. I agree also we need ammonia and nitrite readings.

 

[MCluett]

i am on my way to the LFS to pick up some more tests i will hopefully be able to get the numbers for you tonight

 

[MCluett]

okay nitrates seem in order they are around 5 and as ammonia it looks to be right on zero. is it possible that as fast as the cycle came it is gone? fish still seem odd and will not eat.

 

[Kurt_Nelson]

Are nitrAtes at 5... or nitrItes?

If both your ammonia and nitrites are at zero, then yeah... you could've just had a day or two blip of ammonia/nitrites. With fully cured rock that came out of an established tank, that could've happened easily. Could've been a sudden pH shift too, from all the biological activity going on. But I wouldn't expect that to kill off aiptasia.

 

[Copepod]

I go for the sand as being the culprit also...only because I did it once. I had a huge piece of LR in my 35 Hex that grew so big it was taking up almost the total bottom of the tank...sooooo...I took it out and traded it back to the LFS...not realizing that under that rock was some really, really nasty stuff...about 6 years of stuff..I lost everything except my 4 little hermits. Talk about guilt..

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Curly

 

[MCluett]

yes both nitrate and ammonia are now reading zero and the fish seem to be going back to there usual routines. The aptasias even seem to be coming back to life ( crap!) so i am really thinking it was just a day or two spike i will keep checking daily but i am hoping it is over with. thanks all for the fast response.

matt