Hey all, I have kept freshwater tanks for about 5 years now, and started to set up my first saltwater tank about 3-4 weeks ago. It is a 36 bowfront with an SEIO 620 powerhead, 200 watt heater, and Bak Pak 2r protein skimmer and bio filter.
I started the cycle a couple days before christmas, on the 22nd, by adding Damsels. My LFS told me that if I used anything else, the cycle would take a long time, and using damsels is more natural, and they would probably not pose any problems and are so hardy, that I could bring them back when the cycle ended. But i would probably have kept them.
The damsels were put into the tank on the 22nd, with nothing in the tank at all but sand, so they hid in corners and around the filter. I couldn't find anything to put in the tank for them to graze around.
They remained hiding in the tank, barely eating, if it all, and were mouthing their mouths and gills quickly, like they were breathing heavily.
I added a bubble maker, i took it out of the 3 gallon freshwater, cleaned it with a paper towel, and put it in the SW tank, figuring there was little oxygen.
Today and last night, the two yellowtail damsels did not make it. The one started falling to his side, breathing fast, and turning white in the center of his body, it wasn't ick, I could tell, like the scales turned white or something.
I showed it to my LFS, they said the one probably got beat up by the other, and could not make out a disease. My LFS has experienced people, and they have helped me alot.
The next morning I found my other damsel doing the exact same thing. When the one damsel was dying, the other remained fined, hiding under the bubble maker. Until today it looked the same as the other, with its mouth and gills open, and white in the center of the body. When i say the center of the body, i mean it was white coloring all over, not like the body turned completely white, but the tail and top and bottom fins were blue still. Hard to explain but hopefully it explains something.
They did start the cycle. I added bio spira to help it out and see what it does.
My tank was very warm when they were added, and salt was decently high, about 1.026-1.025, and i tried to lower it. Ph was about 8.4, and some ammonia and nitrite was present.
Currently, salt is about 1.024, temp 80, ph 8.4, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10
If anyone can help me out it would be great, but Im just trying to get to the bottom of things before LR and fish are added.
I was in a rush typing this, sorry for errors or mistakes, but any more questions I will answer quickly, I am active. Thanks.
I started the cycle a couple days before christmas, on the 22nd, by adding Damsels. My LFS told me that if I used anything else, the cycle would take a long time, and using damsels is more natural, and they would probably not pose any problems and are so hardy, that I could bring them back when the cycle ended. But i would probably have kept them.
The damsels were put into the tank on the 22nd, with nothing in the tank at all but sand, so they hid in corners and around the filter. I couldn't find anything to put in the tank for them to graze around.
They remained hiding in the tank, barely eating, if it all, and were mouthing their mouths and gills quickly, like they were breathing heavily.
I added a bubble maker, i took it out of the 3 gallon freshwater, cleaned it with a paper towel, and put it in the SW tank, figuring there was little oxygen.
Today and last night, the two yellowtail damsels did not make it. The one started falling to his side, breathing fast, and turning white in the center of his body, it wasn't ick, I could tell, like the scales turned white or something.
I showed it to my LFS, they said the one probably got beat up by the other, and could not make out a disease. My LFS has experienced people, and they have helped me alot.
The next morning I found my other damsel doing the exact same thing. When the one damsel was dying, the other remained fined, hiding under the bubble maker. Until today it looked the same as the other, with its mouth and gills open, and white in the center of the body. When i say the center of the body, i mean it was white coloring all over, not like the body turned completely white, but the tail and top and bottom fins were blue still. Hard to explain but hopefully it explains something.
They did start the cycle. I added bio spira to help it out and see what it does.
My tank was very warm when they were added, and salt was decently high, about 1.026-1.025, and i tried to lower it. Ph was about 8.4, and some ammonia and nitrite was present.
Currently, salt is about 1.024, temp 80, ph 8.4, ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrate 10
If anyone can help me out it would be great, but Im just trying to get to the bottom of things before LR and fish are added.
I was in a rush typing this, sorry for errors or mistakes, but any more questions I will answer quickly, I am active. Thanks.