20g high keeps crashing. HELP!

[Novicereefer]

Ok, so I've been in the hobby for a short time. I made the switch from Fresh to Saltwater back in July. Had a 40 breeder. Chose to downgrade to 20g high because it'll offer more space, got a (assumed to be) contaminated coral from a Petco and I was only running 1 AI Prime and didn't want to shell out the money for another. So almost everything in my tank died. I started the 20g 2 weeks ago with live sand, man made dry rock, instant Ocean biospira, dosed seachem stability every day for 7 days, and kept the filter media from the 40 and put it in the new filter for the 20g (I washed in for a little though. It was disgusting). No sump(no space), no protein skimmer , and I had 3 Mollies who survived the crash. I moved them to the 20g. Everyone was happy and they ate and pooped all the time. I was telling a guy at a LFS that I am not sure when this new tank is cycled and he said it should be cycled because of everything I just listed ‍. I didn't want to keep the Mollies because I wanted to have a pair of clowns and coral tank. I found them new homes and got the 2 clowns. Everything was fine, a week later I did a water change and things went downhill. They died within a day. Found them dead at the bottom. I thought maybe it was the store so I got 2 more clowns. 1 died within 20 min...erratic swimming and the second one started to show same signs of stress. I have practically every dosing additive you can think of so I used Amguard thinking it's ammonia. I went out and got a little bucket (and 2 more clowns (bad move). The 2nd clown from the 2nd pair was still alive and eating like a happy first so that was good. I added the 2 new ones. All 3 were eating. I think it was ammonia. Hrs later 1 of the new clowns started that same erratic swimming and hanging at the top then laying on the side at the bottom so I made a batch of new saltwater and threw a heater in there and left them in there while I did a 90% water change. I put them all back in once everything was settled. They ate. They were moving normal. Then 2 days ago, all 3 at the same time started to show that same behavior and ultimately died. I attached the pictures from the most recent rest. I'm lost. I'm currently running an empty tank. Is my tank not cycled? Why are things dying? Should I stop using tap water (I use seachem prime) and just go to the LFS for the 1$/gallon RO/DI water? What's the deal?! This is getting expensive and I hate to see fish die especially those slow gasping for air at the top then dropping to the bottom on its side them swimming crashing into things in the tank type of deaths . Please help

 

[ReefSlice]

Definitely stop using tap water, RO/DI is necessary in a reef tank. Got any pictures of any of the clowns? Brooklynella is pretty common on them and can kill quickly, and by adding new fish they will just contract it from your tank if you have any diseases in there.

 

[Novicereefer]

Definitely stop using tap water, RO/DI is necessary in a reef tank. Got any pictures of any of the clowns? Brooklynella is pretty common on them and can kill quickly, and by adding new fish they will just contract it from your tank if you have any diseases in there.

Oh ok got it! I was told I can use tap and just condition it with prime but I see your point since tap still has other things in it. No i don't have pictures of the fish. The tank is just running empty right now. I haven't changed the water or anything since the last pair died. I did however look at them before i took them out. No marking or coating or spots on them of any kind. They all seem to have gone the same way; laying on their side looking lifeless and weak. All showed the same signs. Erratic swimming into the glass and darting to the top of the tank trying to get out then heavy breathing at the bottom.

I want my next move to be my best move so I didn't touch the tank after taking them out. So you say first step is get RO/DI water. Would you suggest doing a deep clean with the filter too?

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

tall tanks are more challenging for oxygenating the system. A skimmer will help, or else need some heavy agitation at the surface, or perhaps an airstone

 

[ReefSlice]

Oh ok got it! I was told I can use tap and just condition it with prime but I see your point since tap still has other things in it. No i don't have pictures of the fish. The tank is just running empty right now. I haven't changed the water or anything since the last pair died. I did however look at them before i took them out. No marking or coating or spots on them of any kind. They all seem to have gone the same way; laying on their side looking lifeless and weak. All showed the same signs. Erratic swimming into the glass and darting to the top of the tank trying to get out then heavy breathing at the bottom.

I want my next move to be my best move so I didn't touch the tank after taking them out. So you say first step is get RO/DI water. Would you suggest doing a deep clean with the filter too?

I would get RO/DI water, do a basically 100% water change with it mixed to the correct salinity, and then let it settle for a week before trying to add anything else. Make sure you have plenty of surface agitation with a powerhead as well to provide aeration. The tank is also unlikely to be fully cycled 2 weeks into starting it, after that week of waiting, add a liquid ammonia source and test 24 hours later to see if it has fallen back to 0. What kind of filter are you using?

 

[Novicereefer]

Definitely stop using tap water, RO/DI is necessary in a reef tank. Got any pictures of any of the clowns? Brooklynella is pretty common on them and can kill quickly, and by adding new fish they will just contract it from your tank if you have any diseases in

tall tanks are more challenging for oxygenating the system. A skimmer will help, or else need some heavy agitation at the surface, or perhaps an airstone

Hmm perhaps a hang on back one since I'm limited on space. Just to provide more of a visual, this is the tank and space I'm working with. Oh yea, I have 2 power heads and I'm running a tidal 35

 

[Novicereefer]

tall tanks are more challenging for oxygenating the system. A skimmer will help, or else need some heavy agitation at the surface, or perhaps an airstone

Also, what type of skimmer do you suggest?

 

[MaxTremors]

Tank looks cloudy, which makes me think you have a bacterial bloom going, which isn’t in itself dangerous, but it will massively deplete the amount of oxygen in the water, so without a skimmer, air stone, or good surface agitation, the fish likely asphyxiated. It will go away on its own, but I wouldn’t add any more fish until the water clears up (also add a skimmer, airstone, or point a powerhead towards the surface - you want the surface to be rippling).

 

[Novicereefer]

Tank looks cloudy, which makes me think you have a bacterial bloom going, which isn’t in itself dangerous, but it will massively deplete the amount of oxygen in the water, so without a skimmer, air stone, or good surface agitation, the fish likely asphyxiated. It will go away on its own, but I wouldn’t add any more fish until the water clears up (also add a skimmer, airstone, or point a powerhead towards the surface - you want the surface to be rippling).

Ok thank you! What are some good ones for a tank with my depth and size? I saw some at w big box store like petco but wasn't sure

 

[Novicereefer]

I would get RO/DI water, do a basically 100% water change with it mixed to the correct salinity, and then let it settle for a week before trying to add anything else. Make sure you have plenty of surface agitation with a powerhead as well to provide aeration. The tank is also unlikely to be fully cycled 2 weeks into starting it, after that week of waiting, add a liquid ammonia source and test 24 hours later to see if it has fallen back to 0. What kind of filter are you using?

Ok got it! I'll get the ro/di water tomorrow and do the water change. I'm using a Seachem Tidal 35 filter.