Ammonia is at zero. High Range PH 8.2. Nitrate NO2 is at 0.25 and NO3 is at 5.0.
He had it in his tank than took it outside and left it outside for a couple weeks about 3 to a month then he washed it and gave it to me. no i didnt stir the sand up.
The fact that you still have detectable nitrites would indicate that the rock had significant die off left inside it, decomposing sponges, bacteria, snails, etc. that weren’t cleaned out thoroughly. When you added it to the tank the decomposing material caused an ammonia spike that hurt the fish, they may have been able to hang on for a few days after the damage was done so by the time you tested the water the nitrogen cycle had already processed the ammonia out.
so what should i do?
Keep an eye on your levels and do a water change if nitrite gets any higher. Because of the die off your tank is going through another cycle, with ammonia at zero the worst of it is over, nitrites can be just a deadly to fish so if they continue to climb you’ll want to dilute them with water changes.
ok thanks alot :
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If it is ich while it sucks. But if it kills all fish I would keep it empty from fish a while until the ich is gone completely then when new fish are added quarantine them and treat for ich. I think most fish have ich it’s weather they show it or not depending on their health. Most fish if healthy can survive ich. May be the cycle weakened them enough for ich to finish them off too?
One of the best things I’ve learned on my own with reef tanks is you gotta be careful on what you add to your tank those are some expensive fish you lost there I allways quaritine my fish especially tangs That are prone to ick.
Yes rosti. While a large system can handle a rock added a small one can be effected. I have never quarantined just dipped new stuff. I’ve been lucky so far, but want to set a quarantine tank up soon
how would i set up a quarantine tank up i mean i got a 10 gallon. could i use that?
Yea fill it with sw throw a cheap light on it a hob filter you are good I personally would add a little bit of rock to it too to help things feel at home. You can treat sick fish check new corals clams and even snails as long as its fresh water with no medicine. I need one I have a 29 but the tetras in it won’t die had two fish for 12 years.
STOP!!!
There is a HUGE difference between a Quarantine Tank and a Hospital Tank.
A QT is a tank used to observe new animals (fish, corals, inverts, etc.) prior to adding to your display tank. a QT should NEVER be medicated. If you putt a fish in a QT and medicate for ich (i.e add copper) the copper will leach in to the silicone in the tank, the rock, and filter media used and will render the tank unusable for inverts ever again.
A hospital tank is used when an animal is showing signs of sickness or disease and needs to be medicated.
The 2 are not interchangeable but often are confused in conversation.
While most people recommend QTing animals there is another school of thought that thinks putting a fish through the QT process often increases stress and thus is more likely to cause problems instead of preventing them.
I don’t know I’d use a 10g tank as either, especially for fish such as tangs. They require too much swimming room to even keep in a small tank for a short period of time.
Great now I’ll need two tanks. So when you have a quarantine tank and notice a problem with what’s in there, a fish with ich now move it to a hospital tank. When it clears it goes to the main. Would a good idea be to have two tanks one fish only one for inverts. Afew of my fish will show signs of ich sometimes. A Tang and an old fish. There’s no way to catch them if I did they would likely die from stress. Corals can be exposed to things inverts can’t so I guess the least sensitive thing is fish then corals then inverts. I just want to know the best way to prevent and treat problems that could occur.
Good info Craig :: By the pics it looks like the tank is still in its early stages. I looked for a "start date " in your threads but didn’t see it. But it sounds like what was already said, some mini cycles going on. How long has it been running? and did the nitrites ever get to 0? IME healthy fish, in a healthy tank usually don’t get too many problems. Just make sure you take it slow stocking that tank, the good bacteria need time to adjust and build up, to consume more of a bio load. And “live rock” can die quick out of water, at least have a good bit of stuff die. If ever in doubt it’s easy enough to “cure” its just lethal to your levels if you do it “in tank”
Not to interupt the QT and Hospital portion of this thread but fish do not die overnight from ICH and will show stress from ammonia as you stated. One other way I have heard that sounds similar to the way they died is from chlorine. I have a question about how your friend “cleaned” the rock that had sat for a month. Did he use soap? Bleach? tap water? All of these are bad in similar ways. If this is the case pull the rock, run carbon and do a large water change.
If the rock was cleaned in saltwater or ro water it is most likely ammonia from dieoff. If the system is small you could still see more dieoff that will case more spikes.