I am about to give up on my reef tank. Let me try to make this long story short. Ever since I was 10 and got my first fresh water aquarium I have wanted a saltwater reef tank. Finally 2 years ago I got it. I got a 38 gallon tank with all the stuff I needed to start my reef tank dream. Shortly after my tank cycling, I got two damsels to try and see if I could do this. They did great for about 2 months so I decided to get a pair of clown fish. They were doing great. Then I made the biggest mistake ever. I went to Petco and got a strawberry Pseudo. It brought this nightmare Crypto (Ich) into my life. I battled it for a year and half. Finally I read every book, forum and website available to me. I left my tank with nothing in it but some snails and a cleaner shrimp for 90 days, more time than anyone said Crypto can survive without a host. I then went and got another pair of clown fish, a diamond goby and a royal gramma. I left them in quaratine for 5 weeks with coopper. They were all eating well and were healthy. I moved them to my dt in November. They were all doing great. So in December I finally decided to jump into some corals. I got some nice starter corals and they have been doing great since January. So here is my problem. I got 2 new corals at the swap and I dipped them with coral RX and put them in my tank. That is the first thing I have added since January. Now my royal gramma has crypto. I have no idea what to do. I did everything right this time. I am just so frustrated. My dream has turned into a nightmare. I am not even sure if I am worthy to ask for help. I am willing to pay if someone wants to come help me with my tank. Apparently I need some experienced advice. I can't get it right. Sorry to rant, I am just really frustrated and needed to vent. My parameters are PH 8.3- 8.4, Nitrite and Ammonia 0, Nitrate 10, Temp 78, S.G. 1.024. On a positive note the 4 coral frags are doing great.
At The Edge And About To Give In
- Thread starter duke594
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FlowerhornNYC
Active Member
First of all where do you buy your fishes at? What do you feeding them with? Any pix of your tank so can we can all help you?
pickupman66
5000 Club Member
PH is a touch on the high side for me,and your salinity is low. should be 1.025-1.026 or right at 35ppt. but neither are in any point that truly worries me. any temp swings?
Usually healthy fish will kick ich on there own and it is believed they become immune to it after a while too. Ich can come in on anything. Fish only get ich when stressed, Something is stressing them. Bullying, temp swings, poor water quality, poor nutrition etc.
All of my fish came from aquatticritter in Nashville. I feed my fish New Life Spectrum pellets, instanst ocean pellets and gel food for omnivores, frozen brine shrimp, live brine shrimp and frozen mysis. Temp usually stays within a degree of 78, sometimes it is 77 early in the morning before the lights come on. I dose the frozen food with garlic ever other feeding. The only thing I could think of that is stressing the fish out is the new corals. That is all that I have changed in the tank since January. I will try to attach some pics later today.
pickupman66
5000 Club Member
FWIW, not that it helps the current situation, but that Gel food is Loaded with phosphates. I would avoid it if at all possible as you have plenty of variety in the rest of your selection.
andywe
Well-Known Member
You can add some Herbtana from Microbe-lift to help your immediate situation. It has worked for me in the past, does not have copper, and does not harm your tank or any of it's inhabitants.
Reefer5060
Active Member
That gel stuff is probably a culprit , I used it when I first set up my old tank (good deal) but mysteriously I'd have fish die and come up with ich . I started a thread on how nasty the stuff is a while ago. Go with frozen and soak it it garlic guard , might cure your problem .
I have some Herbtana that I bought last time. Do I need to remove the carbon from my filter first? Also will it hurt my corals? I have a blue Xenia, a pulsing Xenia, a starry polyp and a nepthea. I will stop using the gel asap. Thanks for the help so far everyone.
FlowerhornNYC
Active Member
It's better to run carbon 24/7 you don't want to take any change
Dowtish
5000 Club Member
Ich by far is the most frustrating issue that I have ever experienced in this hobby. I have been frustrated to the point of not wanting to have anything to do with fish again. I went through the same thing you have. I had 80% of my fish die, broke down the tank to remove the rest. Went fishless for 9 weeks, and QT'd my new fish for 4 weeks before adding them. And yes, I still have ich problems in my tank. so don't feel bad man, I'm right there with you. I can totally relate, but I promise you, that this won't make stop doing what I love. I will try to stop by this Sunday, if that's cool. i'll bring the Gift Cert. too.
coraljunkie1
Community Member
i had a term of bad luck with my fish getting sick. started using brightwells garlic power and all my fish are now doing amazing!!
All of them ate last night. I gave them Mysis with garlic gaurd. The royal gramma didn't seem to have any spots on it this morning, but I know that can be misleading. Also I started using Herbtana last night as well. The corals didn't seem to like it at first but after about 15 mins they all opened back up. I will update again this afternoon when I get home from class.
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