Fish going fast

iprint · 06/03/2009, 07:35 PM

I'm loosing fish...all of the levels seem ok, I've cleaned algae blooms from rocks and changed a lot of water lately, but don't know what's doing them in.....my mixing tank seems to have developed a slime.....might this be the reason?

becact · 06/03/2009, 07:37 PM

Levels and test kit used? Do they have any change of behavior or appearance? Diet? We need way more details to help!

saltjohnswharf · 06/03/2009, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by iprint
I'm loosing fish...all of the levels seem ok, I've cleaned algae blooms from rocks and changed a lot of water lately, but don't know what's doing them in.....my mixing tank seems to have developed a slime.....might this be the reason?

Definitely need all the info you can give. Pictures or anything else. How old is the tank? What parameters are you testing? Dose anything? Think of everything you have done and post again.

iprint · 06/04/2009, 07:07 AM

Tested ph, alk, nitrates, etc. all are ok....I'm getting a smell from my mixing tank, and think that might be the culprit.....I've changed a lot of water thinking that might do the trick, and maybe that's the problem...I'll clean it with a little chlorox to see if that takes away the smell.
The tank was started 4 months ago with new and old rock from my old 29 gallon tank....the clown that died was from that tank, the gold rimmed tang, flame angel, and chromis were new.

texreefer · 06/04/2009, 07:30 AM

you didn't mention amonia or nitrites or salinity.. ETC tells us nothing.. also actual #s would help , were fish breathing heavy before they died? i'm guessing you are going through a cycle but with no more info to go on its just a guess

saltjohnswharf · 06/04/2009, 07:40 AM

Is new tank a recycled tank? That's important too. Previous user could have kept reptiles in it previously and just washed it before selling it.

Saying everything tested fine is no help. Things can be out of balance. Alkalinty that is super high can keep PH around 8.2 but then shoot it up when you are not looking. Low calcium and high PH sounds a bell too. Obviously people want to help you. Help us help you.

iprint · 06/04/2009, 03:16 PM

Thanks for all the replies ....I'm kinda new to a large tank..I bought the tank new, Oceanic 150 gallon, ESS 600XR skimmer, 100 gallon sump, 29 gallon refug. I think I got some bad advice after we had the system set up; it is plumbed into the basement....the skimmer started off taking a lot of gunk out of the system and then kind of leveled off to about nothing. I asked my mentor about it and he said not to worry, there is nothing left to skim off. After 3 months of conditioning the rocks I added fish, and still not much out of the skimmer. Then I started loosing the fish. I called the skimmer manufacturer today, and he advised replacing the bio balls and checking the pump. Upon checking the pump, I found that 3 of the 4 inlet openings were plugged with debris. After fixing that and redoing the bio balls, I observed a much higher rate of flow in the skimmer.....I'm thinking this was the problem, but will let ya'll know if it isn't.
This is a great forum with great advice....I should have asked sooner.

VacavilleFC3S · 06/04/2009, 03:19 PM

i don't think the skimmer is your problem theres many people who don't use them at all

saltjohnswharf · 06/04/2009, 05:43 PM

I agree that it may not be the skimmer. However it could have been a lack of flow. Setting up flow is one of the hardest things to do. The entire surface should be moving all the time. Keep tinkering. There's an answer somewhere.

sikpupy · 06/04/2009, 07:04 PM

Where did you get the rock? Did you QT the new fish for a few months? Not much in equipment to kill fish. Either the equipment has some residue on it or your not getting enough oxygen into the tank, off the top of my head.

iprint · 06/04/2009, 07:51 PM

Thanks guys,
After 3 hours the amount of "tea " in my bucket has increased from 1/4 inch per week to 3 inches in just 3 hours. The corals have perked up, nothing has died, and the brown stuff on the glass has really diminished. I'm not a rocket scientist but I am a newbe; things just seem better just from me opening up the inlet in my pump...I'm thinking a $600 skimmer should do more than 1/4 inch per week

06/03/2009, 07:35 PM	#1
iprint Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 18	Fish going fast I'm loosing fish...all of the levels seem ok, I've cleaned algae blooms from rocks and changed a lot of water lately, but don't know what's doing them in.....my mixing tank seems to have developed a slime.....might this be the reason?

06/04/2009, 07:30 AM	#5
texreefer Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: San Antonio Texas Posts: 331	you didn't mention amonia or nitrites or salinity.. ETC tells us nothing.. also actual #s would help , were fish breathing heavy before they died? i'm guessing you are going through a cycle but with no more info to go on its just a guess __________________ Coral?.. What new Coral?.. That's an old one that just grew bigger!!! Current Tank Info: full blown sps

06/04/2009, 07:40 AM	#6
saltjohnswharf Conscientious Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Carmichael, CA Posts: 524 Blog Entries: 1	Is new tank a recycled tank? That's important too. Previous user could have kept reptiles in it previously and just washed it before selling it. Saying everything tested fine is no help. Things can be out of balance. Alkalinty that is super high can keep PH around 8.2 but then shoot it up when you are not looking. Low calcium and high PH sounds a bell too. Obviously people want to help you. Help us help you. __________________ If you had to live the rest of your life in an aquarium what would your minimum tank size be? Think before you buy Current Tank Info: 27 gallon Dying Reef Biotope

06/04/2009, 05:43 PM	#9
saltjohnswharf Conscientious Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Carmichael, CA Posts: 524 Blog Entries: 1	I agree that it may not be the skimmer. However it could have been a lack of flow. Setting up flow is one of the hardest things to do. The entire surface should be moving all the time. Keep tinkering. There's an answer somewhere. __________________ If you had to live the rest of your life in an aquarium what would your minimum tank size be? Think before you buy Current Tank Info: 27 gallon Dying Reef Biotope

06/03/2009, 07:37 PM	#2
becact Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: South Dakota Posts: 550	Levels and test kit used? Do they have any change of behavior or appearance? Diet? We need way more details to help!

06/04/2009, 07:07 AM	#4
iprint Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 18	Tested ph, alk, nitrates, etc. all are ok....I'm getting a smell from my mixing tank, and think that might be the culprit.....I've changed a lot of water thinking that might do the trick, and maybe that's the problem...I'll clean it with a little chlorox to see if that takes away the smell. The tank was started 4 months ago with new and old rock from my old 29 gallon tank....the clown that died was from that tank, the gold rimmed tang, flame angel, and chromis were new.

06/04/2009, 03:16 PM	#7
iprint Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 18	Thanks for all the replies ....I'm kinda new to a large tank..I bought the tank new, Oceanic 150 gallon, ESS 600XR skimmer, 100 gallon sump, 29 gallon refug. I think I got some bad advice after we had the system set up; it is plumbed into the basement....the skimmer started off taking a lot of gunk out of the system and then kind of leveled off to about nothing. I asked my mentor about it and he said not to worry, there is nothing left to skim off. After 3 months of conditioning the rocks I added fish, and still not much out of the skimmer. Then I started loosing the fish. I called the skimmer manufacturer today, and he advised replacing the bio balls and checking the pump. Upon checking the pump, I found that 3 of the 4 inlet openings were plugged with debris. After fixing that and redoing the bio balls, I observed a much higher rate of flow in the skimmer.....I'm thinking this was the problem, but will let ya'll know if it isn't. This is a great forum with great advice....I should have asked sooner.

06/04/2009, 03:19 PM	#8
VacavilleFC3S Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Vacaville California Posts: 2,613	i don't think the skimmer is your problem theres many people who don't use them at all

06/04/2009, 07:04 PM	#10
sikpupy Moved On Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 1,431	Where did you get the rock? Did you QT the new fish for a few months? Not much in equipment to kill fish. Either the equipment has some residue on it or your not getting enough oxygen into the tank, off the top of my head.

06/04/2009, 07:51 PM	#11
iprint Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Williamsport, PA Posts: 18	Thanks guys, After 3 hours the amount of "tea " in my bucket has increased from 1/4 inch per week to 3 inches in just 3 hours. The corals have perked up, nothing has died, and the brown stuff on the glass has really diminished. I'm not a rocket scientist but I am a newbe; things just seem better just from me opening up the inlet in my pump...I'm thinking a $600 skimmer should do more than 1/4 inch per week