Pretty New and need resources

[CJPA]

Hey Everyone,

Got into this hobby about 18 months ago with a 10gal SW with a few fish only and have taken a friends advice almost exclusively. This included 2 attempts at regal tangs in this tank as well as several other fish I burned through. About a year ago I upgraded to a 30gal and got a T5HO and started with some hearty corals as well as other fish, about 30-35 fish later I have upgraded to a 55gal. We definitely moved the fish to the new tank too soon and the following morning I had a dead regal tang and Fox Face.

I guess what i'm looking for is a better place for information which is how I ended up here!

I am now running:

55 Gallon Tank
ML C-220 canister filter
AquaC Remora / MaxiJet skimmer (Still Breaking in)
2 x T5 HO
55lbs of Live Rock

I'm hoping I will stop going through so many fish. What tests should I be doing? (Currently PH, Nitrites, Nitrates & Ammonia)
Also how bad is tap water for water changes and top ups?

Currently in my tank there is:

6 line wrasse
Ocel Clown
silver and black striped Damsel
a purple and orange lobster
sea urchin
3 or 4 hermit crabs
5 turbo snails
sand star fish

Also picked up "The New Encyclopedia of the Saltwater Aquarium" seems to be pretty good.

Any advice or input that you all have would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

[tebstan]

You'll want to add calcium and alkalinity to your test list if you plan on doing corals. Eventually you won't need to test for ammonia and nitrites. Of course, monitor your salinity.

Welcome to RC, you're getting back on the right path.

What are your current parameters? If you think you moved fish too quickly, just don't add anything for a while. Patience is key.

[CJPA]

I'm using an API "Master Test Kit"

Nitrites, Ammonia & PH look perfect

Nitrates are up over 100ppm (That's as high as the test will read)

Added Bacter boost as recommended by LFS

[tebstan]

They didn't recommend a water change?! That's the easiest way to reduce nitrates... but bacteria boosters are a good idea too. I add microbacter once in a while, when I remember, to keep my bio varied.

100 is a bit high when fish are present, but still normal for a cycling tank. That's why people are so adamant about not adding fish until the whole cycle is done.

API tests aren't very accurate, but they work just fine when the tank is new or you don't need a pristine tank. Eventually you might want to get a higher quality nitrate test like Salifert or Elos. Even though I keep my tank a bit dirty for the filter feeders, I still like the Salifert test because its easier to read the color variations.

At the LFS, ask the employee if they have a tank. Then, ask them if they have pics. If they whip out their phone to brag, that's the person to talk to.

[Ron Reefman]

CJPA, don't take this the wrong way, but you need to do some serious reading, asking questions here on RC to get some 'semi-educated' answers (at least better than your LFS or your friend), look here for a local reef club:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=80
or ask about one at any and all LFS in your area.

You've killed 30-35 fish in 18 months! At what point did you begin to suspect that you were doing something wrong? Fish that were too big for any tank you've owned so far and nitrates that are thru the roof even for a fish only system. Using tap water for a fish only system can work, but you need to be careful about what's in it to start with (well or city water, clorine added by city, etc.) and what you do with it before you use it. Given that you have been running small tanks (10 &30g) you could have used distilled water from the grocery store. You could still do that even with a 55g tank.

OK, enough rant... in fact, I apologize. It's not that I want you to feel bad or drive you away. In fact I want to do the opposite, get you to read stuff here on RC and ask questions when you don't understand. There are a bunch of people here with experience (some only a little, some with way more than enough) who offer their time to answer questions of new people getting into the hobby. I started 7 years ago and just read books from the library until a local club started up about 4 years ago and then (thru somebody in the club) I found RC. Learning this hobby on your own can really be intimidating. So forgive my rant and ask questions. So here are my questions to you:

That are your SG, pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate parameters?
Do you have sand and/or Live Rock in your tank? If so, how much (just a ball park idea is good)?
Not that it matters much, but what kind of salt are you using?
You haven't been doing water changes? Then you need to start ASAP. If your parameters are out of wack, you may need to do more and bigger changes (like 10-15g/week) until things get back in line. Then change 10-25% of your tank per month. I'd start out doing weekly changes of 3-5g and when you are sure things are working properly, in a couple of months, you could reduce it to 5g every 2 weeks or even 10-15g once a month. But I think smaller tanks do better with smaller and more frequent water changes.

[CJPA]

Everyone said saltwater is expensive so i thought new fish were par for the course...Only after a bit of reading did I start to realize new fish every 3-4 weeks wasn't right. Not offended by your rant by any means, kind of the kick in the *** I've been looking for.

Level Just tested at:
NO2 = 0ppm
Ammonia = 0ppm
pH = 8.3
Salinity = 1.024
Nitrates = 80ppm

I have sand (20lb bag dry) and about 50lbs of live rock also using Reef Crystal for salt. Also the new tank has been going now for about a week (which is when i started doing my own reading ect...)

Also for water changes will distilled water from wal mart still be fine?

Thanks for all the input!

[tebstan]

How much of that sand and rock was in the previous tank?

The nitrates went from 100 to 80, did you do a water change, or just re-test? They're still too high, but be careful of frequent water changes. Smaller frequent changes are better than big ones. Make sure salinity and temp match on the new mix water.

You could probably use a cheaper salt until you're adding corals. I like Reef Crystals, but it's more than what's necessary in the early stages.

[CJPA]

The sand was new from the store and about 35lbs of the LR was from the old tank. I got 2x 5 gallon pales of reef crystals on sale during boxing day sales i just retested after the Bact boost has been in for 2 days. Skimmer still isn't producing and skim yet hopefully soon!

[CJPA]

The good news is, everything is still alive and seems happy now. Going to pick up some new tests after work, thanks for the help thus far!