breathing heavy

Did you cycle your tank? or did you just assume everything was fine cause it came from an established tank?

 

is your Am levels and No3 levels high?

 

well i took all the 50 pounds of live rock and 60 pounds of sand and all the water, and just like re set it up in my room, i tested the waters everyday for a week or 2 and nothing changed in that time and it read if i can remember 0 amonia 0 nitrites and 10 nitrates............sooo i assumed it did not cycle so i added a damsel which was in their by its self for a week or 2, and the water params staed the same. so i stocked it there on out.

 

ammonia is at .25 right now......nitrites are at 0....and nitrates are really high.....which means i am over feedings.....unfortunatly i had like 2 soft ball sized balls of cheato but the tangs ate it : /

 

its possible the Am could be posioning the fish thus the breathing hard. because you said you had plenty O2 in the tank right, the top of the water is moving? do you have a canister filter? really i would do a good size water change with ro/di and wait. is this the same tank as the other thread?

 

yes. it is the same tank........water is def. moving on top alot......i jsut added 2 bubbler things that bubble air into the tank and a pretty fast rate acctually....no canister filter.....i have a protein skimmer and a just like a hang on filter rated for a 125.....i hav done like 5 gallon water changes twice a week for the past 2 weeks or so...and it really hasnt helped or done anything to lower the ammonia at all, it just stays at .25.......i have another skimmer in the garage rated for a 250......should i hook that up?

 

ok i have an overflow return pump, and the large skimmer in my garge.....would this help at all if i added those things.???

 

They do make test kits to determine if you have sufficient amount of oxygen, however, labored breathing is a pretty good indicator!
Try placing a powerhead strategically at the top of your water to aid in phosphate being removed into the atmosphere as well as to bring about a significant amount of carbon dioxide and oxygen transfer!

 

there is not more then what 5 fish in the tank? i dont think you have an O2 problem. IMO it is something more serious then that. i wouldnt feed for a couple of days, and when you do probly only a quarter of what you were feeding. also check the water that you are using, did you switch locations from where you get your water, or do you have a purifer with used filter media?

 

i get my water from my house, i ahve an ro unit attached to it, its only a single stage, but where i live the water quality is reef safe, so its just an extra precaution......i just put it in my front yard hose and it works cause hte piping is not copper.



i used to get my water from the store (like safe way or bel air or savemart) out of those machines, but not any more.