Help needed

[smenkhare]

I think something is wrong with my fish. they are either into the front right corner, trying to force their way into the filter area or just flipping out and darting around everywhere. My water levels seem ok and I just did a 10% water change.

I have recently started using No3:Po4-X. could this be harming my fish? i'm only using about 1ml a day.

Ph Ammonia Nitrate Nitrite

[Newstead]

Do you have a skimmer? The increased bacteria form NOPOx can lower oxygen levels. Just an idea.

[smenkhare]

very short term update.
my firefish and i think one of my clowns are now dead. and the water seems very cloudy. They were all fine last night, what could've happened.?

I have moved my remaining clown and corals to a bucket of fresh saltwater that i've just mixed.

 

[smenkhare]

No I don't have a skimmer

[jimmyree]

Temp? Salinity? With all that algae growth and dosing NOPOx Oxygen levels could certainly be an issue. I don't see any powerheads, hows your circulation?

[HarryPotter]

Return the remaining fish, tank is obviously not ready and wont make it in that tank.

[msparklym13]

very short term update.

my firefish and i think one of my clowns are now dead. and the water seems very cloudy. They were all fine last night, what could've happened.?

I have moved my remaining clown and corals to a bucket of fresh saltwater that i've just mixed.

 

HI! Such a bummer you are dealing with sick fish. Question- do you have a solid CUC? I didn't see any info on it. The algae growth is a bit aggressive and I know my CUC was WAY less than I thought I needed. I have a 29 Bio and thought 3 snails and two crabs would be enough. I now have 3 snails, 1 turbo, 1 Conch(my fave), 8-10 crabs and cleaner shrimp. You didn't mention a tank size and like above mentioned do you have a power head? I have read a lot of articles on algae and have had some issues as well. How often are you doing water changes? How old is your tank? Also what is the temp? Tank by a window? Sorry for all the questions just know these came up for me with regards to algae. Best, Marianne

[smenkhare]

Tank is just over two months old and fish have been in it for 1 month.

temp is 27 degrees and salinity is 1.025 clean up crew is a strombus snail and two peppermint shrimp.

Tank is 35L and no powerhead just the return pump.

 

I called my aquarium shop and they agreed it sounded like oxygen depletion as indicated by low ph.

[Clown79]

Sorry you are having issues. Sounds like a few things could have happened.

 

Overstocking a new tank can lead to high levels of nutrients leading to algae issues. Is the tank 9gallons?

 

A powerhead in the tank would provide more movement which will help with gas exchange, keep detritus and waste within the tank low etc.

 

A good clean up crew will also help.

2 nassarius for the sand bed, 2 trochus/turbo for the glass and rocks, a few hermits.

 

In my 15g i have about 3 nassarius, 4 trochus, a nocturnal snail(can't remember its name), a Halloween hermit, 6 small hermits, and a pom pom crab. I have found this has helped.

 

Don't get too many cuc at once, as food depletes they will starve, die, and add to the issue. Try adding as needed.

 

What are the exact numbers for the following:

 

Ammomia

Nitrite

Nitrates

Ph

Phosphates

 

You can take the rocks out and scrub them in salt water to remove the hair algae, buy a cheap toothbrush.

 

You can also do a good size water change and add a powerhead.

 

Re test after water change

I also wanted to inquire on your maintenance routine.

[jimmyree]

Since you have no corals in there I would go with the recommendation of pulling the rocks out and getting as much of that stuff off by hand as possible. If its being stubborn spray the rocks with peroxide out of tank, then scrub, and rinse them well before returning to tank. If you have living stuff on your rocks I wouldn't go the peroxide route as it may harm them as well. You need some more circulation. I am hesitant to recommend it but if the GHA keeps coming back you may have a phosphate issue, a small amount of GFO in a bag in your filtration might help starve it out. Just do the research on GFO and start at like 1/2 recommended dosage, and be aware that if your gonna have any non-sps type corals in the future a completely phosphate free tank will kill them so you will have to wean off of it. First and foremost though you need some more circulation!

 

Also if your surviving fish are in a bucket without a powerhead they will die soon also, get some circulation in there and monitor parameters closely as you have no filtration. Or, as harry said above return them until such time as your tank is in better shape to sustain them well.