New setup - dead fish

[tekrat]

I'm not sure whats going on but both my clown fish died within a span of 12 hours.

I have a new setup - Nano Cube 28g HQI for about two weeks now. I added two Clown fish after 3 days as recommended by my local store. Both fishes were doing fine yesterday. Very playful. Nothing else in my tank except live rock.

Data:
- Nitrate:0
- Phosphate 0
- Carbonate Hardness: 7dkh
- Temperature: Fluctuates from 76 (night light) to 82 (when HQI is on)
- Have not done a water change yet (was planning to in the next day or so)
- No visible spot or any sign of disease on the Clown
- Water was supplied by my local store
- Fed fishes brine brine shrimp a couple of time and flakes. Feeding once a day.

The only thing I noticed is some weird furry stuff sticking to the tank, sand, and rocks (see picture).

Any idea whats going on?

 

[mr_X]

I would think you had an ammonia spike that killed the fish. You need to cycle the tank before adding livestock. Your local store gave you bad advice. You need to build a bacteria colony that can sustain livestock, before adding it.

 

[tekrat]

Fish did fine for almost two weeks. Ammonia was at zero before I put the fish in.

Any idea what the "furry" stuff is in my tank?

 

[mr_X]

Ammonia level when the fish died?
Of course the ammonia was zero before you put the fish in- you had no ammonia source.

 

[tekrat]

Ammonia level after fish died was 0 as well.

 

[tekrat]

Is my temp too high? With HQI on it gets to 82.

 

[mr_X]

Thats high, but not high enough to kill the fish. Don't run the halide. You don't have corals in the tank yet, do you?

Then your test kit is faulty. There is no way you can not have ammonia in a un-cycled tank with fish in it.

 

[carey]

Agreed with Mr X. Fish in an uncycled tanks means ammonia without a doubt. They were pooping in the water and you have no bacteria to break it down so it has to result in ammonia. If the tank was cycled the ammonia would turn to nitrites which then would be turned to nitrates. The nitrates are what we export out with water changes. If you had the tank cycled it would mean you'd have some nitrate readings as well.

 

[tekrat]

Any idea what the furry stuff sticking to my tank, sand, and rocks is?

 

[scottayy]

kinda looks like hair algae

 

[kjboer7]

Carey..... That was the easiest way I've ever heard of a cycle being explained.... I LIKED IT!!!!