Fish dying

Discussion in 'ASAP' started by hitman35, Apr 24, 2007.

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  1. djnzlab1

    djnzlab1 Aiptasia Anemone

    Joined:
    Dec 15, 2006
    Messages:
    567
    Location:
    Va Beach, Va
    Sorry for your loss.

    HI,
    Here's a possiable guess. WHen we cycle new systems they can become saturated with waste if there isn't enough filtration, sand , and critters and skimmers to clean up. The more I keep saltwater its seems a healthy tank is one where there's a balance of waste removal
    Your system reached a point at seven months where it was saturated with waste and dissolved NOX .
    I would start with a good cleaning crew that has a mixture of many types of critters snails, worms and some emerald crabs and small hermits I like the blues. If you mix some of the hermits they can kill each other off.
    I like skunk shrimp and peppermint shrimp as cleaners too.
    Your fish should wait till everything settles back to zero nitrates no NH3 and so on. If your inverts are ok the tank is ok..
    If your feeding alot of flake its going to mum up the tank rather quickly.
    Many of start with freshwater tanks and they are very forgiving, it seems salt water tanks are a balancing act of supersaturated salts and a soup of waste that is difficult to keep inbalance.
    Maybe feed every three days instead of daily cut way back on food amounts..
    Doug
     
    Last edited: May 6, 2007
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  3. hitman35

    hitman35 Purple Spiny Lobster

    Joined:
    Dec 12, 2006
    Messages:
    453
    Location:
    oakley,ca
    thank you guys for all the inputs I have let me tank kinda sit and rebuild itself as far as bacteria wize.All my inverts are doing fine with the exception of losing a emrald I am assuming he wasnt gettin food.The only thing new to the tank is a diamond goby the red slime I had growing is going away and not growing back.Which I am assuming means the bio is growing back.As for all my water levels the only thing off is the salinity its a little low.To answer the question of topping off I have recently topping off with salt R/O to gradualy bring my salinity back up.But I do normal changes with regular R/O.
     
  4. njdevilsfan

    njdevilsfan Flamingo Tongue

    Joined:
    Feb 23, 2007
    Messages:
    107
    not trying to be funny just asking when cleaning and doing water changes did you have any hand moisterizer or perfume on your skin that could have gotten in the tank
     
  5. hitman35

    hitman35 Purple Spiny Lobster

    Joined:
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    453
    Location:
    oakley,ca
    i usually wash my hand before I go digging in the tank but I am pretty no.