New to saltwater; help desperately needed, input appreciated!

[Fish Think Pink]

Guess the problem is that there is living things in there, and Ive watched the ammonia to to nitrite and nitrate a couple times now... It has seemed to keep coming back even once I hit 0-0-40ish.
Have not used anything but the premixed RO salt mix from the store for changes since initial fill. Just when readings got good again and they said come back in 3 days if still good take the clown home... They get ammonia reading again.

Test your containers with the store premixed water before you even use it. Not comfortable with your LFS but online and above post #12 good.

While the clown (and any addition) always cause a little mini cycle increase, I agree with others your tank never had a chance to cycle. Water changes should target 1x weekly with 10% change. Give you tank a chance to rest.

 

[Screwgunner]

Stop take a breath 5 gallon water change every week . That's it feed your fish . Protein skimmer!!!!!!

 

[Manny’s Reef]

Hello and welcome to R2R.

 

[vetteguy53081]

 

[Magic City Reefer]

Welcome to R2R!

The only other recommendation that I don't think I've seen in this tread is the use of biofilter media. I think you mentioned that you were using dry rock and a canister filter. Dry rock takes much longer for bacteria to settle onto. So if you can fill up a portion of that canister filter with biofilter media balls (I like to use Marine Pure), you would be giving a whole lot more surface area for that nitrifying bacteria that you've been adding from a bottle to colonize.

 

[Ladyluna]

Welcome to R2R!

The only other recommendation that I don't think I've seen in this tread is the use of biofilter media. I think you mentioned that you were using dry rock and a canister filter. Dry rock takes much longer for bacteria to settle onto. So if you can fill up a portion of that canister filter with biofilter media balls (I like to use Marine Pure), you would be giving a whole lot more surface area for that nitrifying bacteria that you've been adding from a bottle to colonize.

Thanks. I did finally solve the problem after testing the store water, getting high ammonia readings, store tested and got 0. I switched containers and added another round of bottle bac (biospira) and it stabilized with our 2 little mollies in there. We since slowly added our clowns, a firefish, blenny and lastly a tang... Which carried in ich. We weren't aware they are so susceptible Treated with Reef Medic, the only thing available... Everyone got covered and died within a week except the firefish who seems to have escaped unscathed.
We are now just going to try to keep the firefish and corals alive for an indefinite amount of time I guess.