New Member from WA

Hello Everyone!

Just popping in to say hello and express my new affection with my salt water tank!

A little about myself: I am 25, been married for 5 years. I have twins on the way (first set of kids for both of us), I have 2 Dogs. I have been in the Navy for over 7 years now as a Gas Turbine Mechanic. I am currently on shore duty and will be seperating in 2012.

I have a 55 Gallon tank we bought a couple years ago. I am slowly learing the tricks of the trade and finer details of fish keeping. I currently plan on purchasing a larger 90+ Gallon tank and have both tanks together.

My 55 Gallon consists of Live Sand (2 x 20lbs bags), 65lbs live rock & 25lbs of rock. I have a Sea Clone Protein Skimmer (I know.... it was cheap but I plan on getting a better one). Also I have an External Canister Filter that I recently found out that I don't need to run 24/7. I do have 2 airstones buried in the sand on the edges of the tank. I have a Submersible Heater that can hold up to 75G but is almost maxxed out to maintain atleast 74F-78F being monitored by a Digital thermo that is reading for the sand (lowest point in the tank because heat rises.)

My current fish are: Blue Damsel, Black & White Clownfish, Picasso "Huma-Huma" Triggerfish, and a Clown Triggerfish.

One problem that I have had alot of is buying fish from a LFS and having them die within 30 minutes to 3 days later. Although all of my other fish that I currently have are alive and well. I know how to acclimate the fish so thats not the problem. I want to say that it is related to the LFS but can not say 100%. I have lost a Weedy Scorpion Fish, Volital Lionfish, and a Marine Betta Fish.

I am not sure if I am doing something wrong... The Marine Betta hid the whole time and never came out to eat. The Scorpionfish sat on the bottom of the tank and looked fine until the 3rd morning he was dead. The Volital Lionfish was gasping for air like crazy and died within 20 minutes. I know for a fact that the Marine Betta and Lion were in a copper cure tank in the store. The scorpion wasn't. Is it my tank?

My current readings have been the same for a while. The tank has been setup for over 3 months. Here are my readings:

Ph: 8.0-8.2
Nitrite: 0 mg/L
Nitrate: 20-40 mg/L
Ammonia: 0 mg/L
Phosphate: 0.5-1.0 mg/L (I recently discovered this test)

I have done over 5 partial water changes so far and have cleaned my filter media 4 times atleast. The carbon media is replaced every 2 weeks. I have some Chemical Phosphate Removal stuff that I have almost used all of and it won't make the Phosphate go below 0.5 mg/L. I am out looking for a Phosphate Reactor right now. Is this a good idea? Also I have been experimenting withusing the live rock only to take care of the tank without the canister filter.

So there is my long intro... feel free to comment!

 

Hello, and, welcome! Well the first thing that jumps out for me is the two triggers. The clown would be particularly intimidating. The Betta literally got scared to death probably. The lion and scorpion more than likely got bullied. Most of this probably happened at night, that is when territorial disputes happen. If you wish to have a predator tank (I had one for years) there only limited combos and then some don't work out. To be honest, I am surprised the damsels haven't been lunch yet (excuse the bluntness).

 

welcome fellow washingtonian!

 

the best piece of advice you'll get around here as a saltwater newbie is 3Reef's slogan
"Go slow, let it grow."
good luck and post pics soon

couple of questions:
what was the specific gravity of the water at the LFS? same for your tank?
what type of media do you have in that canister filter?
How many of those fish did you introduce all at once to what sounds like a young tank at only 3 months old?

 

Thanks for the info UncleJed. I should have mentioned that I didn't have the Clown Trigger when I had the Betta. I would like suggestions as for what I can do to allow these types of fish to live together. The Damsel has lived with both Triggers for about a month or so now. Only my B&W clownfish messes witg it.

 

welcome to 2 reef 07focusst

concur with above thinking. thats a lot of fish in a 3 month old 55 IMO
possible New Tank Syndrome . in that the tank is not yet fully cycled and everytime you add a new fish you get a secondary or third peak on ammonia ,nitrite etc and the new fish dont do well

additionally there are only so many fish a 55 can support - oxygen depletion may also account for the deaths of some of the later additions whats your water movement, surface aggitation like?

Steve

 

Telgar. I am at 1.022 right now. Not sure about the LFS, to me they seem like they don't get much business. Wonder why? Maybe cause all their fish keep dying on customers?

I have 2 white filtering sponge stuff. Then there is the carbon, the Bio media then some small cylinder media to reduce ammonia. I only introduce one fish a week.

 

Welcome fellow Washingtonian!!! We are starting our own little population here on 3reef. Glad to have you here!

 

2 airstones, protien skimmer for surface. I was told be LFS that I won't need a powerhead till I get corals

 

if it where my tank 07 FocusST

I would want to get an oxygen test kit or have my water tested at LFS for oxygen levels before adding any fish to replace the ones you have lost

also be aware that airstones in SW tanks can create some issues
the bubbles pop and leave salt deposits on light canopies etc and also salt creep running down sides of tank is bubbles pop close to edges

Steve