New aquarium owner advice needed

[Itd59]

Hi
I am new to becoming a marine aquarium owner.
I paid for the tank to be set up professionally but now dont seem to be getting alot of support advice.
This is where I am at tank set up 5 weeks ago cycle is complete I added 2 weeks ago 2 hermits and 2 shrimps.
A week ago i added 3 fish 1 which was a six line wrasse all was ok and he was out and about 4 days really looked settled then next day no where to be found!!
Today i have done another water change and all my tests am just seeking advice on test results as in are they good or are any of them not right
PH 7.8 temp 26 - on chart this equals 3.7 amonia
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Amonia 0.1
Salinity 1.025
Kh took 11 drops and after converting was a result of dkh 5.5
Would appreciate any guidance on these results please.

 

[Billdogg]

What test kits? A reading of any ammonia at all would indicate that your tank isn't as cycled as you think it is. What size is your tank? The sixline WILL become a holy terror sooner or later. It's what they do.

 

[PanchoG]

Those readings are not good, kH and ammonia especially. Ammonia must be zero and kH ideally above 8. I agree the six lines wrasses grow and become jerks, I would avoid them.

 

[Itd59]

What test kits? A reading of any ammonia at all would indicate that your tank isn't as cycled as you think it is. What size is your tank? The sixline WILL become a holy terror sooner or later. It's what they do.

Hi
Thanks for your reply we are using the red sea test kits. The tank is 240 litres.
Sorry what did you mean with the six line? It has totally vanished.

 

[Itd59]

Those readings are not good, kH and ammonia especially. Ammonia must be zero and kH ideally above 8. I agree the six lines wrasses grow and become jerks, I would avoid them.

Hi
Thank you for your reply what would you advise us to do with ammonia and kh please sorry this is all very unsure for us

 

[Jekyl]

Hi
Thank you for your reply what would you advise us to do with ammonia and kh please sorry this is all very unsure for us

Water change for immediate relief. Get some bottled bacteria to help the cycle along.

 

[Jekyl]

Cycling an Aquarium

Cycling a new aquarium. One of the earliest topics a new aquarium hobbyist needs to learn is how to properly cycle their aquarium. There is a ton of information on this process and many different methods on how to accomplish it. There are many different chemical and biological cycles our tank...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[Rmckoy]

I have bought 2 six line wrasses and they both disappear a few days after having them .
I have gave up wanting one as they are not as everyone says .
they hide under a rock and come out once per week ,
If that ...

I haven’t seen mine in months .

 

[Itd59]

Water change for immediate relief. Get some bottled bacteria to help the cycle along.

Thank you we done a water change after test results. So that was a good move we will look at getting bottled bacteria asap do you recomend any specific make we had the attached when tank was first set up and the expert told us to add each day and once finished bottle not to continue

 

[Jekyl]

Thank you we done a water change after test results. So that was a good move we will look at getting bottled bacteria asap do you recomend any specific make we had the attached when tank was first set up and the expert told us to add each day and once finished bottle not to continue

Dr. Tims one and only, fritz turbo start, microbacter 7. Any of those are well liked.

 

[Jekyl]

I'd guess by the time you get one the ammonia may be gone from your bacteria already in there though. Nice to have one on hand for emergencies though. I do find it odd that you have ammonia present without nitrate. Makes it seem like the cycle wasn't completed.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Too many fish too soon. Its a sign of both rushing and impulse. As much as we want a fully stocked tank as soon as possible. . . in saltwater Quickly = Disaster.
You are now faced with frequent water changes and water testing as you will have ammonia and nitrate spikes without even knowing they are occurring.
Zero readings on a new setup is possible ,but not probable. I assume you are using API test kits which are notorious for false readings/results.
While bacteria will assist you in upholding crazy numbers, it is not a cure. Bacter 7 is my favorite and should be added at 1ml per 10 gallons daily.
Discipline is key in starting out and you must tell yourself- NO fish or coral for the next 7-8 weeks. Youre going to experience many changes with chemistry, biological and organic over the next few weeks yet. Be patient and again Monitor this tank closely and even daily. I have a 135g tank in my den and it has 4 fish over 9 months to give you an idea of going slow and monitoring progress.

 

[Born2beblack]

Time and patience
Your bio load cant handle the stocking
Id start with smaller amount or wait a bit more to build up a good amount of bacteria.
When a tank cycles and people say do 3 months its because of this.
You need to build a good amount of bacteria to counter the mess your fish are gonna create.
Patience my friend nothing on the reef happens fast... nothing good anyways

 

[vetteguy53081]

I'd guess by the time you get one the ammonia may be gone from your bacteria already in there though. Nice to have one on hand for emergencies though. I do find it odd that you have ammonia present without nitrate. Makes it seem like the cycle wasn't completed.

Adding bacteria in a bottle (like Fritz 900 or Dr. Tim's) will NOT raise or alter your ammonia level. There is no holding mechanism for free ammonia in reef aquaria. Of course the more bacteria you have, the better stability to reduce waste or keep it in check. Using bacteria to convert this highly toxic ammonia into safer nitrite and nitrate as well as the final stage of nitrogen gas where it can leave the tank for good. Ammonia is the result of fish and other organisms in the tank consuming large volumes of nitrogen that they really don't need for biological function and excreting it in the form of ammonia. Most organisms in the tank are going to excrete ammonia into the water but the largest source is what’s released by the fish’s gills. The gills act like a membrane which allow the high levels of free ammonia within the gills to pass through into the tank water via osmosis which has very little ammonia. This is also precisely the reason why ammonia in the tank is so toxic to the fish; with high levels of ammonia in the tank it can pass through the gills back into the fish and reach toxic levels.
Over time the nitrate will accumulate in the tank and will either serve as a nutrient that feeds algae growth or at higher levels will irritate fish and corals. Removing nitrate and other undesirable nutrients is the primary reason why most reefers do water changes. One CAN be present without the other.

 

[pseudorand]

Get seachem Ammoalert. Don't add living things big enough to see without a microscope until it's completely yellow and you have a nitrate test that shows non-zero. Then add fish slowly (not too many at once).

I had all sorts of problems cycling quarantine tanks and adding too many fish to fast and learning that most other ammonium tests are hit or miss (ammonia vs ammonium, etc.).

 

[Itd59]

Adding bacteria in a bottle (like Fritz 900 or Dr. Tim's) will NOT raise or alter your ammonia level. There is no holding mechanism for free ammonia in reef aquaria. Of course the more bacteria you have, the better stability to reduce waste or keep it in check. Using bacteria to convert this highly toxic ammonia into safer nitrite and nitrate as well as the final stage of nitrogen gas where it can leave the tank for good. Ammonia is the result of fish and other organisms in the tank consuming large volumes of nitrogen that they really don't need for biological function and excreting it in the form of ammonia. Most organisms in the tank are going to excrete ammonia into the water but the largest source is what’s released by the fish’s gills. The gills act like a membrane which allow the high levels of free ammonia within the gills to pass through into the tank water via osmosis which has very little ammonia. This is also precisely the reason why ammonia in the tank is so toxic to the fish; with high levels of ammonia in the tank it can pass through the gills back into the fish and reach toxic levels.
Over time the nitrate will accumulate in the tank and will either serve as a nutrient that feeds algae growth or at higher levels will irritate fish and corals. Removing nitrate and other undesirable nutrients is the primary reason why most reefers do water changes. One CAN be present without the other.

Hi
Thank you for your reply what would you advise us to do with ammonia and kh please sorry this is all very unsure for us

Thank you to all who replied and helped us yesterday your advice and experience is really appreciated
Unfortunately my wife read the kh test wrong and it was actual perfectly ok
Ammonia today is at 0 small is good panic over
Again many thanks for help and advice