Clown, Iodine Dip ?

I have a 55 gal tank, 2 clowns and a Firetail goby..?
Alot of liverock, some corals..Leathers, mushrooms, etc.. Tank is around
5 months old..
All I can test for...
PH is around 8.2
Nitrite.. 0

Nitrate is around 10 to 20..???
I know I have to get more test kits.....

I have a filter with alot of charcoal, I'm getting it ready to run.. Maybe that will help lower the nitrates..??
I think some way I kicked in a 2nd mini cycle..?
My problem....
We had some really cold nights.. my heater went 1/2 way out.. The water dropped to 70 deg, for 24 hours, I replaced the heater..

I think my small clown, got stressed.. doesn't look right..
the lady at the LFS said it was a small case of ick from stress..??
I got food with garlic, She said just do as I was doing and he'll be OK..
I have not even seen my goby for 2 days..?
But he had started hideing under liverock, etc.. I don't know if he's alive or not..??

Do you think I should start thinking about an Iodine dip for my clown.
If he doesn't get better ..?? Or keep a real close eye on him, for right now.... He is eating, etc..
His skin doesn't look right, but no big spots or anything..
Just not like it should..

My camera want take good pictures of my tank....

The bigger clown is OK, I have had them around 3 months..

I may take some water to my LFS and get them to test it..
Do you think it was the stress from the cold that started it..??

Thanks for ANY info.... Larry


.

 

Its really hard to say. How long ago did the drop happen? The temp drop may very well have caused it, but at the same time I had almost the exact same thing happen to me with a temp drop and everything was fine. Honestly the first thing I would do is get test kits. Reef tanks are way to big of an investment to blow over $50 dollars in testing supplies

 

I agree with the test kits..
I just noticed 2 small spots of ick on him.. I don't to wait till he gets weak..
Should I dip him, I guess iodine will get rid of ick.. ??
The woman I got him from LFS.. Said to just keep my temp, etc right and he'll be OK.. ? I did put my lights on a timer.. 260 watts
I had just been turning them on when I got up, and off whenever..
Now I run them 8 hours.. Would that stress a fish into ick..
I did buy that goby about a week ago.. And like I said I never see him..??
I'll keep an eye on him tonight and any changes for the worst..
I may go buy some dip just for Ick..??

Thanks, Larry

 

If it's ich you will notice white spots on the fish's body, similar to salt.

 

Thanks, I slowed down.. done some checking and reading..
And see I'm going in the wrong direction for ick.....

Thanks for all the info, Larry

 

Well I lost him.. !! The first fish I had to die....
My goby may be dead, I never see him, at feeding time, etc..
I have so much live rock, caves.. That I can't even look for him..
The other bigger clown seems OK..
Man, I've got to regroup, Start to use all the info that I've read here..
No more fish, till I get things perfect ..!!
First is a QT tank, secont is to get all the equp. setup and running..
Can one fish dieing, make you feel like you let your whole system down..??
I know, stuff will happen, things will die..
I thought I was doing so good, all by the book, etc..
Well life go's on..
Time for me to find out what my problem is and correct it..!!

Thanks, Larry