Defs need some guidance...

[newby01]

Hey all. Hoping you may be able to assist.

I have recently set up a 55 gallon fish only marine tank. I set it up the right way with live rock and live sand, and have introduced fish slowly as recommended.

I am using an under gravel filter system with two powerheads on either side of the tank. I don’t have any corals or inverts so didn’t feel the need for skimmers.

Over the past 5 days, I have lost 4 fish. Two clowns, an angel, and a cleaner wrasse. After conducting a water test, it seems my calcium and phosphates are perfect, salt level is good, water temp is good, but my KH and Nitrates are where they shouldn’t be. KH is too low and Nitrates are FAR too high. I have placed some Algone into a isolation chamber but that seems to have done nothing.

What would you suggest? If I can get away with not doing a water change, that would be ideal. Will the Nitrates settle in a few days? Or is this something that needs serious attention. (Attached photo of Nitrate levels.)

Thanks.

 

[Cell]

Low alk and high nitrate did not kill your fish. How long has the tank been set up? When did you add fish? Symptoms of death? What's your salinity? Temp? Ammonia level? Did you add fish recently with no QT?

 

[newby01]

Tank has been setup for 8 weeks now.

Basically they have been found at the bottom of the tank lifeless. The angel was still breathing but very easy to catch, was obviously struggling.

The two clowns this morning had lost some of their colour, found them dead. None of the dead fish had signs of being attacked.

 

[Cell]

This should be moved to disease forum imo. Maybe @Jay Hemdal or @vetteguy53081 can help.

 

[newby01]

This should be moved to disease forum imo. Maybe @Jay Hemdal or @vetteguy53081 can help.

Any assistance is appreciated.

 

[vetteguy53081]

First recourse would be water change. I also noticed you are using api test kit.
Lets do a process of elimination:
- were the fish eating at the LFS ?
- how did you acclimate the fish?
- your tank ..... are you using RO water or tap water from faucet ?
- what filtration are you utilizing?
- what is age of tank and how long cycled?

thereafter, we can determine and will answer a few thoughts while Jay also has a chance to chime in

 

[newby01]

First recourse would be water change. I also noticed you are using api test kit.
Lets do a process of elimination:
- were the fish eating at the LFS ?
- how did you acclimate the fish?
- your tank ..... are you using RO water or tap water from faucet ?
- what filtration are you utilizing?
- what is age of tank and how long cycled?

thereafter, we can determine and will answer a few thoughts while Jay also has a chance to chime in

Thanks for your speedy response on this.

The fish have all been eating since leaving the fish store. (I was perhaps over feeding?)

Put the baggies in the top of the tank to let the water get to the same temp, added some of my water into their baggie, then added the fish to my tank, while trying to let as little of the fish stores water in.

Using water out of the faucet however used prime before adding fish. Salinity is at .022

Tank is 8 weeks old, added a total of 14 small fish over a 8 week span. Started with two chromis, two clowns and two damsels. Then added other fish as we went.

Filtration is my own product, an under gravel filter made from 1/2 inch pvc piping with two powerheads, one on each side of the tank.

 

[Cell]

Faucet water is bad, I don't think just adding Prime is enough either. Too many fish too quickly. Could also be disease with that many unquarantined fish, but unless you see some other symptoms, who knows.

 

[newby01]

Is there anything I can do to amend the negative traits of faucet water? Other than prime?

also, temp is at 79 degrees

 

[vetteguy53081]

Please take this to heart-
This tank was not meant to support angel and at 8 weeks, there likely were frequent spikes or chemical changes.
Salinity is quite liw at 1.022
Acclimate was inadequate. For future... float bag as you did and empty contents into clean pail. Add a cup of tank water every 15 minutes at least 6x and test salinity in bucket to assure it matches tank. Use same cup to catch fish and release into display
Under gravel filter did not help. It may have released diatoms into the tank and not allowed bacteria to fully establish leading to oxygen deficiency.
Tap water especially as weather get colder has certain minerals, sediment and even chloramines and even with prime can be problematic.

salinity. 1.024-1.025
Ph. 8.1-8.3
Temp 76-79

 

[vetteguy53081]

Is there anything I can do to amend the negative traits of faucet water? Other than prime?

also, temp is at 79 degrees

Ro water ir even water refill at Walmart

 

[Cell]

Hmmm, I guess Prime removes chlorine and chloramines, not just binds ammonia. So in theory I guess it should work?

 

[newby01]

Please take this to heart-
This tank was not meant to support angel and at 8 weeks, there likely were frequent spikes or chemical changes.
Salinity is quite liw at 1.022
Acclimate was inadequate. For future... float bag as you did and empty contents into clean pail. Add a cup of tank water every 15 minutes at least 6x and test salinity in bucket to assure it matches tank. Use same cup to catch fish and release into display
Under gravel filter did not help. It may have released diatoms into the tank and not allowed bacteria to fully establish leading to oxygen deficiency.
Tap water especially as weather get colder has certain minerals, sediment and even chloramines and even with prime can be problematic.

salinity. 1.024-1.025
Ph. 8.1-8.3
Temp 76-79

Will the undergravel filter be sufficient for a fish only setup?

I guess I should just have waited before sticking that many fish in.

Is this a ‘just wait it out situation?’

 

[newby01]

@Cell

yes, did you have any other ideas?

 

[Cell]

Not a ton, sorry. I have no experience using tap. I know some people do, with varying degrees of success, so I won't say it can't be done, but I just have little insight on it. I won't say an undergravel filter will doom you to failure either, as Paul B has shown.

Your best bet is to slow down now, stop adding livestock and try to keep what you currently have alive.

 

[jeffchapok]

Will the undergravel filter be sufficient for a fish only setup?

I guess I should just have waited before sticking that many fish in.

Is this a ‘just wait it out situation?’

It depends upon how much surface agitation they provide. The oxygen exchange occurs at the water surface, not through bubbles like many people think. If the surface of your water is not being sufficiently moved, it's likely that your fish suffocated.

The good news is that if this is indeed what happened, it's a cheap and easy fix. For a fish only system, you can get one or two cheap power heads on Amazon for around $15. Point them so that they stir up the surface of the water and the problem is solved. Again, assuming that's what happened.