Frustration now !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Phishman1 · Nov 2, 2020

First of all, I know, I know, patience, patience, I'm trying but its difficult. Shoestring budget fish only. 46 Gallon bowfront. Had it up for 9 days if you count today. Live Rock, live sand etc. Its the water parameters I cannot seem to get a handle on, I understand the cycle process, I've read everything I can read, I've used this Forum and thank you all so far, my LFS owner and I have known each other for years so that's a good thing there. Yesterday, I tested water as usual daily for now and everything was fine with exception of ammonia, .025. PH 8.2, Nitrate and Nitrite zero.

He said the ammonia not too bad try a yellow tail damsel, give it a week, bring it back and we'll go from there, your tank should be good to go.

Got it home, acclimated it, it hid which is understandable, and 6 hours later it was dead???

So frustrate as to what happened?

Just tested the water as I'm typing this and ammonia, nitrate and nitrite are perfect at zero, but again its the PH, I keep getting fluctuations there, one day its 8 ish next it low 7 again, today around 7.4 to 7.6????

I am thinking that it what happened to the Damsel or the ammonia was too high then but ok now?

Probably most of you will say keep monitoring it and yes its new, but what is causing the PH changes?

Thanks to all for helping, reading it all and doing the right things are so frustrating when it doesn't work out, but I trust you've all been there too.

I had a nice salt reef rank years ago, 2004 and honestly don't remember it being this much trouble, lol, maybe it was...

Phishman1 · Nov 2, 2020

Bit hasty on the post, after a bit more time went by the ammonia does seem just a bit high still, not zero, but not .25, but close to it.

Should I just relax and let it take its course? I thought the damsel and the subsequent feeding would speed up and stabilize...

Brian Coulter · Nov 2, 2020

Just relax and walk away from it for a couple of months and please don't murder any more damsels.

Redfoxtang · Nov 2, 2020

If your using API test kit that .25 ammonia is more than likely inaccurate. I would add some more bacteria and a ammonia source and wait a couple more days then you should be good to go. Tanks now cycle a lot faster with how good bottled bacteria has came along.

face · Nov 2, 2020

It’s ammonia. Tank still cycling.

CCauthers · Nov 2, 2020

How's the surface agitation?

brandon429 · Nov 2, 2020

If you post a pic, we can tell you if you are cycled, not from your test reads.

give it a try, lets see if you imported already live rock, it will be apparent in pic details if so

if you did, then you can rule out cycling issues and rule in disease issues or other causes. pic of tank/rock
(telltale signs of already cycled rock are it comes from an aquarium or holding vat of water, marked live at the pet store, and in the vat are shells and fanworms that fell off and pods and mini starts waving all around. the live rock has pigmentation, vs being bone white, and if it has coralline in patches then that's confirmation gold. Mainly we're looking for varying pigments, attached animals, and coming from water at the pet store. this brings in all needed bac into a system vs dry rocks, which import none and are bone white and not already colonized)

an ammonia event typically has very cloudy water, can't wait to see pics.

did you know there was one thread that started as ammonia caused and turned out to be he repaired his sump with non aquarium silicone, instantly killing added fish

without him telling us that little recent repair we would have never caught the real cause, it never was ammonia. he reported .25 as well, most do using api.

your pH test is no where near accurate, we should not be adjusting it. API being notorious for ammonia misreads doesn't score any better on the pH portion, don't mind pH now it wont affect potential cycling.

pics r all we need. It’s rare for an lfs to sell you fish for an all dry system. It’s common for them to sell fish when the system is skipping the cycle, by using live rock or by bottled bacteria.

imchuco · Nov 2, 2020

could be the tank is still cycling, for the ph do you open windows in the house or anything?

Jib · Nov 2, 2020

Phishman1 said:
Live Rock, live sand etc.

When you say this is this sand and "Life" rock from Caribsea? Or did you get real live rock from somewhere?

r20crazy · Nov 2, 2020

make sure you are testing ph at the same time every day, as it fluctuates during the day a noticeable amount. usually lower when lights 1st come on, higher toward end. dont worry about numbers so much atm as stated. I wait a month minimum with new setups, even with additives or live rock/sand. dont be in a rush, and I would setup a fish QT, or you will be posting about having sick fish and a tank full of ich next and give-up.