MyLiquidBlue29BC Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 ^this. Plus you might want to have your water tested at your LFS just to confirm your test kits accuracy. I don't think it's disease. Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 After doing a lot of reading I guess it might be possible that my tank has not fully cycled... Even if this is the case should the snails keep dying when the water levels are fine except the ammonia... I will also recheck ammonia later today... Link to comment
MyLiquidBlue29BC Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Ammonia is very harmful to fish and snails. Did you read the link I posted? It is very helpful and explains all the important things we test for in reef aquariums. Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Ammonia is very harmful to fish and snails. Did you read the link I posted? It is very helpful and explains all the important things we test for in reef aquariums. Yes I read a lot of it still need to finish reading it... But the amonia level was ok after the water change I did last week. I will try to get my LFS to test the water. Could calcium be a factor as well? I realized I did not do the calcium test after looking at the picture of the test tubes... It seems like it is never a easy process when it comes to salt water thanks...but I have not given up yet! Still dreaming of the day when I have some beautiful coral and fish in my tank ^___^ Link to comment
xiaoxiy Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 Yes I read a lot of it still need to finish reading it... But the amonia level was ok after the water change I did last week. I will try to get my LFS to test the water. Could calcium be a factor as well? I realized I did not do the calcium test after looking at the picture of the test tubes... It seems like it is never a easy process when it comes to salt water thanks...but I have not given up yet! Still dreaming of the day when I have some beautiful coral and fish in my tank ^___^ If you're doing weekly water changes with decently quality salt water, I doubt calcium will me too much of an issue. But there's no harm in testing it. With a only a few hermit crabs to produce ammonia, you may have just been water changing away any excess ammonia and not allowing your nitrifying bacteria to grow to a sizeable amount . In other words, with a super low bioload and weekly water changes, you may have delayed your cycle. Were you testing your water parameters (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) during the cycle by any chance? You'll get this sorted out soon and will be well on your way to stocking the tank! Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 If you're doing weekly water changes with decently quality salt water, I doubt calcium will me too much of an issue. But there's no harm in testing it. With a only a few hermit crabs to produce ammonia, you may have just been water changing away any excess ammonia and not allowing your nitrifying bacteria to grow to a sizeable amount . In other words, with a super low bioload and weekly water changes, you may have delayed your cycle. Were you testing your water parameters (Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) during the cycle by any chance? You'll get this sorted out soon and will be well on your way to stocking the tank! Ahh ic... well I didnt test the water until my first water change. I did the first water change after two weeks. and then I have been doing it like every week and half or so. I got my water already mixed from my LFS it was like a dollar a gallon so I thought it was the safest way to go before I start mixing my own. I have about 3 gallons left so I was going to use it for my next water change. I do feed my hermits with pellets and I know that is suppose to help move along the cycling process... maybe I should just let the water sit there longer before I do my next water change. I was planning to do one in a day or two... Should I try using Nutri-seawater? after that I think I will just wait like a month more before I try to add anymore livestock makes me sad everything is dying in my tank... Link to comment
xiaoxiy Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 What did your water params look like when you were cycling? Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 What did your water params look like when you were cycling? After the first water change I did calcium, nitrate, ammonia, and phosphate test. I was missing nitrite and ph test kits. after the second water change I tested everything and all was good. My ammonia was lower as well. Now I just retested again for the third time. It has been about 4-5 days since the second test and you can see the ammonia is a little higher. I think it might be caused by the dead chromis. also last night I found that one of my bigger hermit crabs killed a small blue hermit and my scarlet hermit has died as well... I still have the margarita snail in the tank but it still has failed to move at all... Link to comment
MyLiquidBlue29BC Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 After the first water change I did calcium, nitrate, ammonia, and phosphate test. I was missing nitrite and ph test kits. after the second water change I tested everything and all was good. My ammonia was lower as well. Now I just retested again for the third time. It has been about 4-5 days since the second test and you can see the ammonia is a little higher. I think it might be caused by the dead chromis. also last night I found that one of my bigger hermit crabs killed a small blue hermit and my scarlet hermit has died as well... I still have the margarita snail in the tank but it still has failed to move at all... What does good mean? What You want to see when you cycle the tank is some ammonia show up, then some nitrite, then nitrates should show up and ammonia and nitrite go to 0. Have you ever seen nitrate in your tank? Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 So I feel really dumb but none of hermits are dead. I just recounted and they are all here. I just realized the hermits just moulted... Feeling very silly right now. Link to comment
xiaoxiy Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 The lower ammonia levels may have been a result of your water change instead of your cycle. I suspect that your tank hasn't fully cycled yet. What does your ammonia test read at today? Is it lower than yesterdays (and you didn't perform a water change did you)? After the first water change I did calcium, nitrate, ammonia, and phosphate test. I was missing nitrite and ph test kits. after the second water change I tested everything and all was good. My ammonia was lower as well. Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 What does good mean? What You want to see when you cycle the tank is some ammonia show up, then some nitrite, then nitrates should show up and ammonia and nitrite go to 0. Have you ever seen nitrate in your tank? I mean that it was lower like the readings were all low. But I understand I dont think I tested the water as frequently as I should have... The lower ammonia levels may have been a result of your water change instead of your cycle. I suspect that your tank hasn't fully cycled yet. What does your ammonia test read at today? Is it lower than yesterdays (and you didn't perform a water change did you)? I have not had a chance to do the ammonia test today... I will after work and I have not changed the water since the test from yesterday. Link to comment
xiaoxiy Posted January 7, 2014 Share Posted January 7, 2014 It's easier for us to help if you report the numbers instead of saying low or high (i.e 0ppm instead of low) I mean that it was lower like the readings were all low. Sweet sweet. Hopefully it'll be 0 ppm I have not had a chance to do the ammonia test today... I will after work and I have not changed the water since the test from yesterday. Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 7, 2014 Author Share Posted January 7, 2014 Good news: the ammonia is back to 0 Bad news: still have no idea what is wrong... Link to comment
MyLiquidBlue29BC Posted January 8, 2014 Share Posted January 8, 2014 What are your nitrites and nitrates? Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 8, 2014 Author Share Posted January 8, 2014 What are your nitrites and nitrates? I just tested the Nitrite and Nitrate during my lunch break. Both of them read at 0. Nitrite is the light blue color and the Nitrate is light yellow... I really wish something was just wrong so I can fix it instead of everything coming back as normal lol Link to comment
xiaoxiy Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 Well, it probably isn't a cycling issue! You may just be getting unlucky with unhealthy snails and fish. Link to comment
RollaJase Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I'd check your salinity again. I way using a crappy hydrometer to test my salinity and it was out by a lot (was reading 1.025 when it really was 1.038). When my tank was like this pretty much all my snails died and my fish weren't happy at all. When I added new Trochus snails they just sat on the sand and died, never moved. I would have your salinity checked at the LFS to be safe, they should use a refractometer, not a hydrometer for a better reading. Link to comment
Arkayology Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 I'd check your salinity again. I way using a crappy hydrometer to test my salinity and it was out by a lot (was reading 1.025 when it really was 1.038). When my tank was like this pretty much all my snails died and my fish weren't happy at all. When I added new Trochus snails they just sat on the sand and died, never moved. I would have your salinity checked at the LFS to be safe, they should use a refractometer, not a hydrometer for a better reading. My thoughts exactly. Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 9, 2014 Author Share Posted January 9, 2014 The salinity reading says 1.025-1.026 but I am just going to take some water to my LFS and have them test it like it was suggested earlier. Will follow up with the results after the weekend. Thanks for all the help so far, everyone has been great! I knew I liked this forum for a reason. Link to comment
Nocturnal Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 So I feel really dumb but none of hermits are dead. I just recounted and they are all here. I just realized the hermits just moulted... Feeling very silly right now. It happens to a lot of us. Don't sweat it. Sounds like you had high ammonia and/or the snails were in bad shape already. Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Great news my LFS checked my water and there is nothing wrong with it they said. My gf was nice enough to take a sample of my tank water over while I was at work. The guy at the store sold her a Marineland Maxi-jet 400 saying I needed better water circulation. But I am having trouble figuring out how to place it in my tank. It is a lot bigger than I expected... It is blowing sand everywhere.... Link to comment
Tamberav Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 If it is too powerful or you don't like the size. Return it and purchase a Koralia 425 instead (they do cost a bit more, around 20-25 bucks online). If the size doesn't bother you, you could try slightly aiming it upward or trying to block some of the flow by the rock. Link to comment
malawian Posted January 11, 2014 Share Posted January 11, 2014 as for snails dying, depending on species (and a lot of other factors) some snails may require a very long acclimation time. I drip acclimate snails for a full 10 hours. Thats on the extreme end but some snails can be pricey and I would rather not waste money when I can very easily avoid it. Many snails (like most Turbo snails for example) have very delicate kidneys and changes in water parameters can cause the vessels in their kidneys to rupture which makes them die anywhere from a few hours to a couple weeks later. Differences in pH and salinity are the most difficult for them to handle. Moral of the story, snails are (sometimes) more delicate than you think and may need a long drip acclimation. Its easy to do, google it if you dont know what Im talking about. Link to comment
SeriousRX Posted January 11, 2014 Author Share Posted January 11, 2014 Yeah I think I will need to down grade to the smaller one. I have tried everything with this thing. Aiming at a rock. Upward. Sideways. Directly across. This thing is just too big. Also the auctions cups keeping coming loose... Thanks for the advice Malawian. Yeah I know what drip acclimating is I just don't have the tube... It's funny bc the owner of the LFS said margarita snails are "virtually bullet proof" and I should not acclimate more than 20 min... Bought another one to test the water after they tested my water and said everything was ok... The snail has not moved yet... Link to comment
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