All Fish Dying!!!

[Anonymous]

About a week ago, one of my yellow tail damsels dissappeared. I couldn't find it anywhere. Well about 3 days later my yellow tang started to get ick and died. A couple days after that, my lawnmower blennie died and today my clown died.

Could that have been from the disappearing damsel? When it died the amonia spike killing all my fish.

I am taking my tank down and starting all over. I have no other choice. In addition, the cyano has taken over my tank. No matter how many water changes, vacuuming, etc. Was doing water changes 25% every 3 days. It won't go away.


30ga
double wheel carbon filter
red sea prism skimmer
92w daylight, 92w actinic light
RO water used
red sea salt

Any advice from anyone.

 

[Anonymous]

Lets see.

Is that carbon filter a penguin HOB type. If so ditch the bio wheels. From what I hear the prisim skimmer are not that good. I have not used one so no first hand experience. You might need to consider replacing it. What types of light is that? VHO, PC, T-5, NO? RO water is good. The salt should not be a problem. If you we not exactlly matching the water temp and SG the frequent water changes could have been an issue. My first take is that you need more circulation. Look at getting a couple maxi-jets. It should help some with the cyano. How long was you tank been set up?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, my filter is a HOB type. Will ditch it and the stupid skimmer. My water changes were with the same SG level, made sure of that. The temp may have changed 1-2 degrees with changes. 78d - 76d. My light is an Odysea Jebo light 36". Probably not good either since it seams that all my equipment is not good, which was all advised by my LFS. They make it seem that reefkeeping is a breeze AND IT'S NOT!

I didn't know by increasing the flow that it would cure the cyano problem.

My tank has been set up for 6 months and was doing just fine until that damn damsel disappeared.

Getting very depressed and discouraged.

 

[Anonymous]

Do not ditch the skimmer or filter until you get a better one and the power heads. Some skimming is better than none. Not sure about the lighting, but it should not have effected your fish. Can you give more info on the lights? Reefkeeping is not that bad once you get your system figured out and what you need to do to keep it stable. Have you been testing your tank water for the basics? The increase flow will not cure the cyano problem but it will help. I doubt the damsel death is the cause.

 

[Anonymous]

double post

 

[Anonymous]

Description

Item Specifics - Item Condition
Condition: New










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This is for one Brand new Odyssea 2006 36" Power Compact lighting system.

The NEW Features of the Odyssea 36"



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that's what i bought, just looked up the specs on ebay. exact specs just bought from LFS 210.00 for the light. saw on ebay for 100.00.

 

[Anonymous]

sorry for all that other stuff, just copied and pasted and it took everything from the sight.

I have tested for amonia levels and they are a little high but not unbearable. that's why i was doing the heavy water changes.

 

[Anonymous]

That light should be fine as long as you are not trying to keep SPS (small polyp stonies).

 

[Anonymous]

Not trying to keep SPS. would like some leathers and maybe anemones eventually (long from now). lol.

 

[Anonymous]

Lights are fine then.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks wazzel for all your help and a little encouragement. this can be really nauseating when your fish start dying.

 

[Anonymous]

Wazz,

I have another question, the brackets on my light would not fit my tank. Should I have it suspended from the ceiling or blocks. I have it sitting on a piece of glass on my tank.

Let me know.

Thanks,
Crissy

 

[Meloco14]

Hi Crissy, sorry to hear about your loss. It is hard to tell the exact reasons behind all of the deaths, but it could be related to ammonia levels, stress caused by frequent water changes, or the ick that you mentioned. You havent mentioned much about testing your water; if you dont have these already I would recommend getting a good test kit for ammonia, nitrite and nitrate, and pH and alkalinity. Those are all essential to keeping your tank healthy. For the cyano bloom, or any other algae, you might want a phosphate kit as well. The cyano is a result of high nutrients and low flow usually, but that should not have had much to do with the loss of your fish. For the next try i would recommend a better skimmer. The prizm was my first skimmer, and it was nothing compared to the remora I replaced it with. You dont need the HOB filter, but you can use it to run carbon, phosphate remover, etc. from time to time. But I would get rid of the bio wheels. I would also try a smaller stocking list. You mentioned having multiple damsels, a yellow tang, blenny, and clown. That is on the heavier side of what a 30g can comfortably handle, especially when the tank is young and if you are a beginner. You probably have heard this before but 30 gallons is pretty small for a yellow tang too. I think maybe this heavy bioload with the poor skimming and possible nitrate buildup on the bio wheels may have contributed to your loss. Anyway, I hope this helps, and I am sure your next try will be much more successful. Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Wazz,

I have another question, the brackets on my light would not fit my tank. Should I have it suspended from the ceiling or blocks. I have it sitting on a piece of glass on my tank.

Let me know.

Thanks,
Crissy

I would have them on something more secure. They do not need to be to high. As far as height they are ok where they are.

 

[waymack97]

i agree with meloco, the fish load for the 30 gallon might have been high. also the bio wheels, when i started i had a filter with bio wheels, and i had problems too. they cause high nitrates. or at least they did for me. once i replaced the filter and added more flow my tank came around. don't give up. it gets easier.
_________________
Honda Pacific Coast

 

[jdeets]

If you've got ammonia in the tank--that is probably what is killing your fish. Reefs are all about biofiltration--having sufficient bacteria in the tank to process wastes as they are produced. In a tank with sufficient filtration you shouldn't have any ammonia at all--because as soon as it is produced, it is converted into nitrite, and then nitrate, so quickly that the ammonia and nitrite is undetectable in standard reef water tests.

It sounds like you have too much in the tank to keep up with the available filtration, and that's why you have ammonia. Of course, as fish die, that adds to the problem.

I wouldn't tear it completely down, but test the water daily; don't add anything else until the ammonia and nitrite are undetectable.

After it's stable, you want to keep your fish load at no more than 1 inch per 5 gallons (for FO systems), and 7.5 gallons per inch (some advocate 10 gallons per inch) for reefs. (That means, divide the gallons by 7.5--add up the lengths of all your fish--and keep the "fish inches" below the gallons/7.5 number.)

With a 30 gallon tank, reef, you should probably keep your fish to 3-4 inches total.

As far as filtration goes--the bacteria you are looking for live in live rock, substrate (like sand), and in filter materials. A good skimmer also removes a lot of waste before it becomes ammonia.

Good luck, hope this helps.

 

[Anonymous]

THANKS TO ALL OF YOU FOR THE ADVICE AND VALUABLE INFORMATION TO HELP ME KEEP A HEALTHY TANK!!!!

YOU GUYS ARE GREAT!

 

[Anonymous]

"After it's stable, you want to keep your fish load at no more than 1 inch per 5 gallons (for FO systems), and 7.5 gallons per inch (some advocate 10 gallons per inch) for reefs. (That means, divide the gallons by 7.5--add up the lengths of all your fish--and keep the "fish inches" below the gallons/7.5 number.)

With a 30 gallon tank, reef, you should probably keep your fish to 3-4 inches total."

What about hermits, snails, & shrimp? Do they too need to figure into this equation? LET ME KNOW!

I definately went over to bioload for my 30 ga. Figuring it out right now.

 

[jdeets]

Inverts don't necessarily figure into the equation, assuming they are not requiring targeted feeding. For example, if your inverts are surviving on what they are able to find as a cleanup crew--then you don't need to take them into account. On the other hand, if you had a tank with 30 shrimp in it and you were having to feed them, then they would need to be taken into account.

As long as they're just functioning as a cleanup crew, then no, you shouldn't need to figure them into the equation.

 

[Anonymous]

Ok,

I have 4 peppermints 3/4", 2 emerald crab (very little) 1/4", 10 snails 1/2", 8 hermits 1/2"

Oh yea, I have star- brittle.

The only fish left in my tank is one yellow tail damsel and a neon damsel. I gave away my manderin and my coral banded and my orange linkia star.



Thanks for the fast response jdeets!