Cycling question (dead fish)

[Parrotfish100]

I'm currently cycling my 120g tank and am about 2 1/2 weeks into it. At the moment I have about 58 lbs of fully cured live rock (has coralline on it as well, getting more soon) and 120 lbs of "live" sand (I read the article and it looks like I bought the 'fake' live sand lol). About a week ago I brought my water in to get tested, after everything checked out the guy told me to put a few fish in there to keep up the bio load. So I bought 5 damsels for temp purposes. They all are doing great except for one. It died randomly without reason or warning. When I fed them they were all eating happily and 3 hours later I go to go to sleep and see one floating upside down.

Water parameters (these are the tests I have at the moment, need to get PH and Ammonia tests asap):

Calcium: 480
Kh: 10 (179ppm)
Phosphate: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Salinity: 1.026

I never really got a full explanation of the cycling process from the guys at the LFS. Is this a normal? It was a little unnerving seeing as there was no warning

thanks


RIP damsel!

[Tony78]

Originally Posted by Parrotfish100

I'm currently cycling my 120g tank and am about 2 1/2 weeks into it. At the moment I have about 58 lbs of fully cured live rock (has coralline on it as well, getting more soon) and 120 lbs of "live" sand (I read the article and it looks like I bought the 'fake' live sand lol). About a week ago I brought my water in to get tested, after everything checked out the guy told me to put a few fish in there to keep up the bio load. So I bought 5 damsels for temp purposes. They all are doing great except for one. It died randomly without reason or warning. When I fed them they were all eating happily and 3 hours later I go to go to sleep and see one floating upside down.

Water parameters (these are the tests I have at the moment, need to get PH and Ammonia tests asap):

Calcium: 480
Kh: 10 (179ppm)
Phosphate: 0ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm
Salinity: 1.026

I never really got a full explanation of the cycling process from the guys at the LFS. Is this a normal? It was a little unnerving seeing as there was no warning

thanks


RIP damsel!

First off... you should never get a damsel or any fish for "temp purposes". Putting fish through the cycle is very stressful and cruel to them.

At 2.5 weeks, your cycle probably isn't complete yet. There are TONS of posts and docs on this site and others about the nitrogen cycle.

The FIRST three tests you need are Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate. When those three parameters return to 0 and stay there for a while... is when your cycle is complete.

Adding more Live Rock will probably kick off a second cycle. Heads up.

Don't worry about the sand. Your live rock will seed the sand. If you want to kickstart the process, get a scoop or two of sand from a well established healthy tank and put it in with yours.

You'll get many different suggestions on this forum, but I'd do this:
1. get the damsels out of the tank and return them to the LFS.
2. buy any more live rock you want to add now and put it in if it's fully cured
3. buy ammonia, nitrate, nitrite test kits... most "reef" kits have these tests. DO NOT buy any dip strip type of tests. Use the liquid drops
4. find a local reef club or ask at the LFS for a scoop of their sand...add it to yours
5.. Add a piece of shrimp from your local grocery to produce ammonia for the tank and get the cycle going
6. Monitor the ammonia on a regular basis and keep notes. when it reads 0... start monitoring ammonia AND nitrite / nitrate
7. after the cycle completes.... wait at least a week. Make sure the parameters stay at 0.
8. slowly add your clean up crew... start with a few snails maybe a few hermit crabs... etc.
9. Once the CUC has been in for a while and is doing well, THEN you can think about adding A fish. Start with 1. Go slow... you need to give the bacteria and natural biological filtration in the tank time to balance between livestock additions.

Good luck!!

[jeff@zina.com]

What Tony78 said.

Jeff

[bnumair]

+1 Tony

[julie180]

+2 what Tony said.

Get a better source for information. Your LFS did you a disservice by selling you 5 fish for a 2.5 week old tank. They either don't have a clue, or are doing thing the "old" way.

[Raimond42]

To sell you 5 fish and not a test kit suggests they are looking to keep you returning to the store for water testing every few days. While you are waiting for the results you will most likely buy more stuff. When your fish die during the cycle you will buy more.
Follow the directions above and find a new store to shop at. The time proven information you receive here is not making a dime for anyone, unlike the advice you are getting from your LFS.

[rcoughtrey]

The shrimp trick works very well. The guy in marsh looked very odd at me when I said can i buy one shrimp

gold star for Tony - perfect steps

[KeMo]

+1
Why would they sell you fish and not a test kit. Any good LFS will tell you too pick up a test kit before you add anything. Even before you got your LR so that you can monitor your cycle for yourself.
I would take this fish back and find a new store. Someyone who is set on helping and not just selling you crap . So if you do run into problems you can get some help from a LFS and not just told to buy something that will take care of whatever problem you have.

[Parrotfish100]

Ok, thanks guys. I was a little shocked myself when he told me to add fish.

They give me free water tests but I tend to be a little too trusting, sometimes I forget its all about the money for them.

Looks like I'll be coming here for the help, and there for the stuff

I did read about that shrimp trick, I will be doing that soon and returning the fish, I don't want to see any more die.

Oh yeah, another funny little thing.. I was picking out my testing supplies and grabbed the reef kit that I have now AND a saltwater kit that had Ammonia, pH, Nitrite and Nitrate. The guy at the fish store says no you don't need all that, you just need this one... >_> I love being lied to!

[Tony78]

Originally Posted by rcoughtrey

The shrimp trick works very well. The guy in marsh looked very odd at me when I said can i buy one shrimp

You should have told him you weren't all that hungry. :-)

Originally Posted by Parrotfish100

I did read about that shrimp trick, I will be doing that soon and returning the fish, I don't want to see any more die.

A tip: buy one of those very cheap media bags designed to hold carbon or whatever. Put your shrimp in the media bag. That will make it much easier to remove the stinky decomposing shrimp when you need to.