problems!!!

[xbambamx]

Well i've had my tank running for about a month and a half or so, and I've had: three damsels, one cleaner shrimp, two peppermint shrimp, three turbo snails, one emerald crab, and one percula clown.

heres the list I have now : one damsel one cleaner shrimp, one peppermint shrimp, three t snails, 1 em crab (the one eating all my corraline algae off my rocks btw) and just today getting home from school my clown has dissapeared.. Idk what to do?! I have this red crap growing all over my tank, and I'm totally lost on what it is, why my fish are dying, and what i can do to make this process go a little smoother..

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l205/imu7899/IMG_0581.jpg
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l205/imu7899/IMG_0580.jpg

[Drewcipher]

First thing, stop putting fish in the tank. If you have test kits, start testing and post water parameters. Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and alkalinity are good for now.

[Travis L. Stevens]

Yes, post water parameters. It looks like you are going through a diatom bloom, it's a normal part of the tank's life span. But, I think you are really pushing your limits right now.

[Drewcipher]

The brown stuff is just a common algae that all tanks will get at the start. It will pass if you have the tank setup well with sufficient flow and a good skimmer and do some water changes.

As I said in my first post though, no more additions until we see full details on your tank. What equipement do you have and water parameters.

[xbambamx]

nitrites- .15 ppm

nitrates- 10 ppm

phosphate- 0.5 ppm

ammonia is zero

ph 8.3

[ttomkat1]

Have you done any water changes, what are you using for filtration?

Don't get too stressed out, it takes quite a while for new tanks to establish properly. Keep reading and posting!

---ttomkat1

[Drewcipher]

Well, you shouldn't put any fish in until nitrites and nitrates are also both zero. You would do well to put more rock in their, although that might start another cycle. You can start doing water changes to help. What kind of lighting, water movement, and skimming do you have?

[xbambamx]

aqua clear 500 filter, skimmer i have no clue.. and some cheap 60 watt lighting..

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l205/imu7899/IMG_0560.jpg

[xbambamx]

another thing i dont get about my skimmer is, my mom has to clean hers weekly, I've never cleaned my not once, it doesnt get dirty, doesnt make the foam or anything..

[Drewcipher]

Does the skimmer pump move water through the skimmer? If so, does it produce bubbles? If not there is something wrong with your skimmer and it needs to be fixed or replaced. The skimmer might just be the most important thing you have for filtration, so it might be a good idea to consider a new one.

That filter will not likely be enough flow for the tank. You should get a maxi jet or 2 to place inside the tank.

[Drewcipher]

I looked closer at the picture and it looks like no bubbles in the skimmer. I see the end of the air tube that should be connected to the skimmer pump. On the end of the air line there is a screw cap. Make sure it isn't tigtly closed as this would prevent it from pulling air.

[xbambamx]

i have it tightly closed.. i thought that makes the most flow.. ? If i loosen it up it sends this micro bubbles into the tank, like millions of them, but a foam does rise into the skimmer..

[theatrus]

Skimmers work by creating foam from air bubbles. Getting bubbles back into the tank is a separate problem with various fixes depending on the skimmer. I'm going to take a stab and say thats a SeaClone skimmer?

I'd try increasing the flow somewhat, and add some snails to help with the algae/diatom consumption. You can also reduce algae by cutting down on how much light the tank is getting.

[Drewcipher]

That is a problem with some skimmers, but in order for the skimmer to be effective, it must be sending those millions of bubbles to the skimmer cup. Try adjusting the amount of bubbles by using different positions of the screw cap. I use a CPR skimmer on my 2 small tanks and they both send a few bubbles in the tank, but not too much. Anyway, make small adjustments and then let the skimmer work for a couple days. You must get the skimmer working if you want to get your water quality up.

[xbambamx]

Okay I just loosened it.. here are pics now..


http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l205/imu7899/IMG_0584.jpg
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l205/imu7899/IMG_0583.jpg
http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l205/imu7899/IMG_0582.jpg

[imtheonlylp]

you'll have to calibrate your skimmer by letting the valve all the way out then screwing it in a couple of turns...it may take a couple of hours until the bubbles stop flowing out into the tank, but if not then readjust...it takes a little while, but after you get it dialed in, its priceless!

[Drewcipher]

I would let it be for a couple days. This hobby is about patience. Get the skimmer working and then look for ways to stop the bubbles from entering the tank. It would be helpful to figure out the type of skimmer it is. Someone mentioned sea clone. Try doing a couple of searches here for sea clone and bubbles in tank or something. You might get some hints. No matter what, you can not close off the bubbles. The skimmer is totally useless without the bubbles.

If you have a problem with search as many do, pay the money for a premium membership. I saved literally over $1000 for my fees by not buying things that were not ideal for my setups.

[imtheonlylp]

i had a seaclone and that is the method i used to get rid of MB's

[Drewcipher]

Beautiful! The voice of experience.

Also, I mentioned earlier, do youplan to have more rock? If so, what is the plan? Once you have livestock in there, you must add rock slowly so that you don't cause another cycle which might kill your stuff.

[McCrary]

I have never been able to get a seaclone to actually skim and not return microbubbles back into the tank. It is something that comes with the skimmer. When you have a good selection of live stock and a good quantity of rock then upgrade to a skimmer that is more powerful and doesn't return microbubbles. But for now it is about keeping stuff alive.