Justed started New tank 3 days ago killed 3 striped damselfish

Doesn't sound like it could be ammonia toxicity, because it's too soon. How's your temperature? Salinity? pH?

Well you can't just rush in and put fish in :idea2: . Your tank probably didn't even make it through the first stage of the cycle process. The ammonia probably what got them killed.Fjpod, I agree it could of been anything. Next time let your tank cycle with cocktail shrimp or CYCLE (can be found at your lfs in a bottle). Your filtration plans sound great!

Read up on cycling fish tanks and skip the damsels unless you want a tank full of damsels. They are next to impossible to remove later on and they get aggressive. Plus it is rather cruel to cycle with fish when there are better options.

The Cycle in a bottle product isn't really a great option though. Marine Bio-Spira is a good choice if you can find it.

First off, never use chemicals in cycling. The only thing chemicals or biospira does is speed up cycling...unnaturally. Just throw your liverock in there and let it cycle itself. Liverock creates enough ammonia on its own to cycle a tank. Pieces of shrimp is not a bad idea, its a natural way to speed up cycling a bit. Patience is key. Let the tank settle itself. The rock will go through cycle and your levels with stablize. Then, once ammonia hits zero, throw your fish in.

Well actually Bio-Spira is not chemicals at all but a prepared selection of the bacteria that is meant to cycle the tank. There is no reason to avoid it if you want.

Liverock is good but make sure you know whether it is fully cured or uncured.

TKOS, please notice the "or" in between chemicals and bio spira.

I agree. It is extremely important to know whether the LR has been cured or not. Many places, like Drs. Foster and Smith, say that their rock is "pre-cured" but that doesn't mean it's cured. When you ship rock, die-off happens and a curing process is vital.

fastbackgly said:

First off, never use chemicals in cycling. The only thing chemicals or biospira does is speed up cycling...unnaturally. Just throw your liverock in there and let it cycle itself. Liverock creates enough ammonia on its own to cycle a tank. Pieces of shrimp is not a bad idea, .

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you are confusing

you might want to say that in a point bases not as one jumbled up statment

you shouldnt use chemicals in cycleing but biospira is a biological agent that helps cycling naturaly

a fishless cycle is best and most fish friendly way to cycle
if you feel the need to help it along a dead piece of shrimp in the tank will decay and help

but if your going to use lr cured or un-cured, there is always some die off when its removed from a tank so the die off will help the cycling process

i my self would not place livestock in a tank to ride out the spiking thats going to happen

craignshari, good luck on your tank its a lot of work

If you get good cured live rock and you get it into the tank quickly the die off is minimal at best and the cycle is not as high or long and can be done fairly quickly. If you add about 2lbs/gallon of cured live rock you will virtually instantly cycle your tank. Though you should still let everything settle and do your water changes to ensure that your parameters remain stable.