NanoGeek's JBJ RL 45!

[NanoGeek]

I'd recommend not adding any 'fuel' or such products until you're stable. Could've overdosed as well. How'd the corals look in his store? You dipped them as you say right? Yea i'm not sure. Usually when something like this happens, ammonia/nitrite is present. Keep up with the changes, and test again

The corals looked good in the store. Even the one that hasnt opened up. I think its a goner and time for it to come out. Yes I did dip them as per the directions and watched a couple youtube videos for coralRX beforehand also. The fuel stuff he gave me and told me to add it right away. I added the amount for 30 gallons so I wouldnt think it was an overdose. Maybe though if I didnt have enough livestock in there to use it all up.

 

From now on I will NEVER listen to anything anyone at a lfs says. As much as I would like to keep some of my business local, they just proved to me today they are worthless and have no knowledge at all. They know me now and know that I purchased all my livestock from them and couldn't give a shit that it died. No motivation to help me figure out why. Here is a link to the fuel stuff

 

http://www.aquavitro.com/products/fuel.html

[Wretched]

I guess it all depends on your LFS and your relationship with them. LFS around here get out beat by Marine Depot, so they eventually go out of business. So they're looking to pay rents and that's about it. When I moved my tank from my apartment to my house, it went very bad so I needed water from the LFS and I was smart enough to test it... his salinity was 1.031. Same salt, but wow. Sometimes these forums are the best bet and just looking up online what you should do. I don't believe it was the addition to the corals really... But it's hard to say with not much speculation.

[HarryPotter]

The corals looked good in the store. Even the one that hasnt opened up. I think its a goner and time for it to come out. Yes I did dip them as per the directions and watched a couple youtube videos for coralRX beforehand also. The fuel stuff he gave me and told me to add it right away. I added the amount for 30 gallons so I wouldnt think it was an overdose. Maybe though if I didnt have enough livestock in there to use it all up.

 

From now on I will NEVER listen to anything anyone at a lfs says. As much as I would like to keep some of my business local, they just proved to me today they are worthless and have no knowledge at all. They know me now and know that I purchased all my livestock from them and couldn't give a shit that it died. No motivation to help me figure out why. Here is a link to the fuel stuff

 

http://www.aquavitro.com/products/fuel.html

 

Yep... LFS are just trying to push their product.

 

The last straw for me with the LFS was when they told me that I was testing wrong and that my water was fine. I used Salifert and API at home and knew that the water was terrible (This was a long time ago), but they wouldn't even check again. Done

 

For now I would say don't add anything at all. Just do water changes with good water- making sure phosphate is 0 and that the TDS of your (Or the LFS) RODI water is 0.

[Wretched]

^

[NanoGeek]

I guess it all depends on your LFS and your relationship with them. LFS around here get out beat by Marine Depot, so they eventually go out of business. So they're looking to pay rents and that's about it. When I moved my tank from my apartment to my house, it went very bad so I needed water from the LFS and I was smart enough to test it... his salinity was 1.031. Same salt, but wow. Sometimes these forums are the best bet and just looking up online what you should do. I don't believe it was the addition to the corals really... But it's hard to say with not much speculation.

I get way better information here than I have ever got at a lfs. Its always new employees also every time I go in. I just dont trust them. I dont think the corals did it, but something definitely happened since I added them. Maybe it was the fuel stuff. Maybe I didnt rinse the dip off the corals well enough. Maybe the coral food they gave me was bad. Maybe electric current came out of one of my powerheads. I have so many maybes and dont know how to narrow it down besides going back to square one and starting all over.

 

I wish we had a marine depot here, we used to have big als aquarium super store, but they went out of business.

 

Yep... LFS are just trying to push their product.

 

The last straw for me with the LFS was when they told me that I was testing wrong and that my water was fine. I used Salifert and API at home and knew that the water was terrible (This was a long time ago), but they wouldn't even check again. Done

 

For now I would say don't add anything at all. Just do water changes with good water- making sure phosphate is 0 and that the TDS of your (Or the LFS) RODI water is 0.

I have a spectrapure rodi unit now and 2 tds meters. (Found one after I bought one) so thats one thing I do know for sure is my water is good.

 

Like I said I was using api test kits, and so were they. Funny thing is my test showed some ammonia and nitrate, theirs showed 0. But neither one of them took the time to shake the bottles and the test tubes for the amount of time the directions said.

[HarryPotter]

I get way better information here than I have ever got at a lfs. Its always new employees also every time I go in. I just dont trust them. I dont think the corals did it, but something definitely happened since I added them. Maybe it was the fuel stuff. Maybe I didnt rinse the dip off the corals well enough. Maybe the coral food they gave me was bad. Maybe electric current came out of one of my powerheads. I have so many maybes and dont know how to narrow it down besides going back to square one and starting all over.

 

I wish we had a marine depot here, we used to have big als aquarium super store, but they went out of business.

 

Don't feel so hopeless though. You have a great tank and stand. Just eliminate possible points of error one by one. Your lighting wouldn't effect fish, so "Check". InTank baskets? "Check". Marco Rocks? "Check".

 

Things to double check:

 

• Refractometer
• Pumps
• Water Parameters/quality
• Procedure- ex. did you remember to wash Chemi-Pure blue packets?
• Test kits- age, testing procedure, quality, etc.

[blkhwkz]

I have some fuel sitting here that I won at an LFS raffle. Haven't used it in my existing tank (my JBJ 45 is still cycling.) The only thing I have read about it is to start with low doses or some people had a massive algae outbreak from the extra nutrients. It is just trace elements so should not have caused any fish death. I've used another Seachem trace elements product in my current tank since I started stocking it. Aquavitro is owned by Seachem and the stuff is supposed to be basically the same.

[NanoGeek]

I have some fuel sitting here that I won at an LFS raffle. Haven't used it in my existing tank (my JBJ 45 is still cycling.) The only thing I have read about it is to start with low doses or some people had a massive algae outbreak from the extra nutrients. It is just trace elements so should not have caused any fish death. I've used another Seachem trace elements product in my current tank since I started stocking it. Aquavitro is owned by Seachem and the stuff is supposed to be basically the same.

Thats probably where I got my massive algea outbreak. He acted like if was more of a food source than anything though. Well thats strike 4 for the lfs. Thanks for the info

[HarryPotter]

Thats probably where I got my massive algea outbreak. He acted like if was more of a food source than anything though. Well thats strike 4 for the lfs. Thanks for the info

 

Yeah... .Fuel is like for SPS colors I think. Not for fish or Zoas

[Wretched]

I keep it simple, B-Ionic part A+B, and magnesium. That's it. No dosing other than calc/alk/mag. I do feed a ton of different foods. Mixed seafood, flake, pellet, brine shrimp, mysis, and i also use Selcon, which is AMAZING. Probably the best vitamin for fish.

[HarryPotter]

I keep it simple, B-Ionic part A+B, and magnesium. That's it. No dosing other than calc/alk/mag. I do feed a ton of different foods. Mixed seafood, flake, pellet, brine shrimp, mysis, and i also use Selcon, which is AMAZING. Probably the best vitamin for fish.

 

Love it.

 

Same story here, except I don't use Magnesium because water changes can keep up with that in my tank.

 

+1 to the various foods being great for critters- I do the same ones. Mixed seafood, flake, pellets, mysis, etc. Sometimes Ill put some of the Kent Concentrated Garlic in as well just because Ive read its very good for a fish's immune system

[NanoGeek]

I keep it simple, B-Ionic part A+B, and magnesium. That's it. No dosing other than calc/alk/mag. I do feed a ton of different foods. Mixed seafood, flake, pellet, brine shrimp, mysis, and i also use Selcon, which is AMAZING. Probably the best vitamin for fish.

Im just not going to dose anything. Hopefully with everything I have now and for a while in the future, Im hoping weekly water changes will keep my cal, alk, and mag in check. Nothing to really look at in my tank right now besides my rw4 making some pretty sweet tornados

 

 

And I found this little critter in there. No clue what it is, hopefully its not the parasite that killed my fish. Any ideas? Should I take it out?

 

 

[Wretched]

Looks like some type of nudibranch to me. Killed your fish? No. But i'm not sure which nudi, when in doubt...take it out.

[NanoGeek]

Looks like some type of nudibranch to me. Killed your fish? No. But i'm not sure which nudi, when in doubt...take it out.

I did. Was ugly anyways and I didnt want it lol. Didnt need it to multiply

[NanoGeek]

I did find a lfs today, a little out of my way, but I went by to look. Wow they had hundreds and hundreds of awesome frags. The colors were amazing. Was so hard to make myself leave empty-handed. The guys working were super helpful and was in no way trying to sell me anything. I talked to them about my fish deaths, they still had no clue. They did say if it was a water chemistry issue my monti would definitely be showing signs. My monti looks great so I still dont know. One thing they did mention is I might want to consider keeping a fish in my tank to keep the cycle going, but again he didn't try to sell me one of his. Overall first experience was great there.

 

I would have never known of the place, but read a thread here on NR from an unhappy customer telling everyone to avoid it. I thought they were very nice and knowledgeable so I will most definitely return for frags. The prices were good too, way better than where I had been going. He had montis and torches double the size of mine for the same price! Among all the other stuff they had. I spotted a 15-20 head zoa I want, an awesome blue shroom, and a riccordia frag I really want. Gonna hold off at least through the week though.

[Wretched]

Well, when I first started I introduced damsels to my tank just to see if I had the ability to keep them alive, very hardy fish... and they stayed alive for 3 years. Very aggressive fish though, so in the long run I screwed myself because I was limited on what to put into the tank. Just take this week of strictly water changes. Your monti won't necessarily show signs. Last week, you saw(I think) my two corals die and one lose a head... due to a KH spike, but my monti is still A-ok along with everything else. But yet, the most hardy thing in my tank died... Xenia. So it's hard to say. I still think water chemistry, I have a feeling ammonia was present, or too much of a temperature change, something isn't grounded shocking your tank, could be a multitude of things.

[NanoGeek]

Well, when I first started I introduced damsels to my tank just to see if I had the ability to keep them alive, very hardy fish... and they stayed alive for 3 years. Very aggressive fish though, so in the long run I screwed myself because I was limited on what to put into the tank. Just take this week of strictly water changes. Your monti won't necessarily show signs. Last week, you saw(I think) my two corals die and one lose a head... due to a KH spike, but my monti is still A-ok along with everything else. But yet, the most hardy thing in my tank died... Xenia. So it's hard to say. I still think water chemistry, I have a feeling ammonia was present, or too much of a temperature change, something isn't grounded shocking your tank, could be a multitude of things.

I had 2 damsels in my 65 gallon years ago. They lived for 5 years until I had to give them away. I couldnt add any fish to the tank without them attacking. So, yea no more damsels for me lol. The only ammonia I would have had was from the dead goby which I never found. I did check for ammonia spikes after he dissappeared, but never seen a spike. Honestly I am more on the lines of stray voltage in the tank. I cant remember if we had a storm saturday night, but my wife says she notices surging during the day when I am not home. It usually rains and storms here everyday after 2pm until early evening during the rainy season. When I get home the storms are clearing up, but only some of my equipment has grounding pins on the plugs. I am going to bring home my multimeter from work tomorrow and check for voltage in my water and order a grounding probe in the meantime. Maybe something happened saturday night and sent a voltage spike through my tank.

 

I would almost guarantee these rw4s are spiking voltage in my tank as cheap as they are.

[Hammerstone]

I did find a lfs today, a little out of my way, but I went by to look. Wow they had hundreds and hundreds of awesome frags. The colors were amazing. Was so hard to make myself leave empty-handed. The guys working were super helpful and was in no way trying to sell me anything. I talked to them about my fish deaths, they still had no clue. They did say if it was a water chemistry issue my monti would definitely be showing signs. My monti looks great so I still dont know. One thing they did mention is I might want to consider keeping a fish in my tank to keep the cycle going, but again he didn't try to sell me one of his. Overall first experience was great there.

 

I would have never known of the place, but read a thread here on NR from an unhappy customer telling everyone to avoid it. I thought they were very nice and knowledgeable so I will most definitely return for frags. The prices were good too, way better than where I had been going. He had montis and torches double the size of mine for the same price! Among all the other stuff they had. I spotted a 15-20 head zoa I want, an awesome blue shroom, and a riccordia frag I really want. Gonna hold off at least through the week though.

do you like to torture yourself? :-) going to a LFS when you can't bring anything home? :-) I'd do it too. You have good self restraint!! :-)

[NanoGeek]

do you like to torture yourself? :-) going to a LFS when you can't bring anything home? :-) I'd do it too. You have good self restraint!! :-)

Lol, I almost did bring home some frags. I even called my wife and asked her how the tank was looking to make sure nothing else was dead. But I decided against it and drove home.

[HarryPotter]

Lol, I almost did bring home some frags. I even called my wife and asked her how the tank was looking to make sure nothing else was dead. But I decided against it and drove home.

 

Good for you... But get a Zoa or two next time

 

("Hyper" to the MAX lol)

[NanoGeek]

 

Good for you... But get a Zoa or two next time

 

("Hyper" to the MAX lol)

Lol, I almost went that way after work today, but held off again. They had a bunch I liked.

[NanoGeek]

So today I brought home my multimeter and found out my tank has 35 volts of stray voltage in the water! I unplugged the rw4s and my reactor and it dropped to 24 so the powerheads isnt making as much voltage in the water as I thought they would be. The rest has to be coming from my skimmer and return pumps. Maybe this spiked and thats what killed my fish.

 

Either way I ordered a grounding probe and it should be here Friday.

[HarryPotter]

So today I brought home my multimeter and found out my tank has 35 volts of stray voltage in the water! I unplugged the rw4s and my reactor and it dropped to 24 so the powerheads isnt making as much voltage in the water as I thought they would be. The rest has to be coming from my skimmer and return pumps. Maybe this spiked and thats what killed my fish.

 

Either way I ordered a grounding probe and it should be here Friday.

 

WOW shit!

 

What were the results when you unplugged the returns?

[NanoGeek]

 

WOW shit!

 

What were the results when you unplugged the returns?

I didnt unplug the returns, but those, the skimmer and heater was making 24 volts. I have been reading that stray voltage can kill fish, and some say it cant. So its kind of a toss up if it will or not. A grounding probe wont hurt though either way just to be on the safe side.

[NanoGeek]

So what do you all think, are these zoas on their way out? They wont open at all. I had them on my frag rack, moved them a bit lower for even less light, still not opening. Should I put them in the sand under my overhang and see what happens?