Hermits dying off

My tank is not very old, set up in April,the tank appeared to cycle so I added a CUC ( snails, 4 tiger conch and 3 astrea) and some fish (2 clowns, 1 goby). All my tests appear normal with the exception of nitrites. My filter (new aquaclear 70) hasn't even been in operation for 3 weeks now. I am using the redsea marine lab and the color appeared to be either .05 or .1 if I remember correctly.

I had 3 blue leg hermits, one of which has died and the other two appear to just sit there as the 1st one did, prior to dying. I just don't see how I have a nitrite problem and no out of the ordinary ammonia reading. Nevertheless, I will perform water changes to bring the nitrites down and inspect the filter to see if it is causing a problem. Any other actions advisable?

One note: the tiger conch appear to be burying themselves in the sand, they were not doing this until recently. My tank is a 16 gallon with a 2.5" sandbed. Is my CUC running out of food? Is my tank balancing out? or is it nitrite poisoning?

 

Well, if you have nitrites, it basically means the tank is still cycling. This could be because it didn't cycle properly to begin with, or because you went from fresh to fully stocked so quickly and shocked the system.
The filter shouldn't be what is causing it. Without proper maintenance it will cause nitrates, but not nitrites.
What are your nitrate readings? Are you running a grounding probe? Did you buy the tank new or used? How much rock do you have? Are you using RO/DI or tap?
I would suggest stopping with the water changes, they are only going to prolong the problem. The tank needs time to catch up with itself and re-establish its balance.

 

The filter shouldn't be what is causing it. Without proper maintenance it will cause nitrates, but not nitrites.


That is what I thought, just was going by the redsea suggestion for high nitrites.


What are your nitrate readings?

Nitrates read 0


Are you running a grounding probe?

No

Did you buy the tank new or used?

Tank was used, had sand from prior system setup and I added 2 bags of store bought live sand.

How much rock do you have? I have two decent sized rocks. Not sure how much they weight as I am in Japan and they didn't sell them by the pound.

Are you using RO/DI or tap?

Distilled at the moment.


I would suggest stopping with the water changes. they are only going to prolong the problem. The tank needs time to catch up with itself and re-establish its balance.

I haven't done any water changes as of yet

 

Are you using RO/DI or tap?

Distilled at the moment.



if distilled by using copper tubing, could contain trace elements of copper which is bad.
other than that, just ride it out and let the natural nitrification process catch up with the tank's bio load

 

when i seen he was using distilled water copper is what came to my mind to.
but that wouldn't raise the nitrates, but copper shore would knock off the clean up crew.

????? dos any one know if it would kill the good bacteria that might be the reason for a nitrite spike.

 

Copper wont effect the Bacteria, unless the dose is ridiculously high. But it would kill everything in the tank long before it effects the bacteria.

 

Have you done a water test on the water you are using? It could be possible the water itself is containing the nitrites.

 

I think the problem, as touched on, is that you weren't finished cycling and then you stocked this tank heavy quickly. At only 16 gallons, you are pushing it w/three fish, IMO, even if it was fully established. I think that's what is causing this. I would just stop, sit back, and wait a few weeks for the tank to catchup. I would try to get rid of the goby - might not make it.

Probably too many conch's for a 16 gallon... too many for such a young tank anyway. But I don't think they are the problem. Them burrowing is normal.

You need a good amount of live rock. Two good sized rocks doesn't really mean anything. You'll need at least 20 pounds of LR in that sized tank... more the better. The LR are your primary means of breaking nitrites down to nitrates.

 

No, I will be ordering an RO/DI system shortly though

 

I had thought there maybe too many conchs as well. I had posted earlier about my bioload and everyone agreed that the goby might not make it. He appears to be the least stressed in the tank though, the two clowns are showing more signs of stress than he does. I am pulling for the underdog!