Need help with 6 month old tank

simplytexas · 03/20/2006, 09:54 PM

Hi, I bought a 55 gallon tank off a guy who had it up and running for nine years. I have had the tank now for a few months. Let me start by saying that my water conditions, according to my 4 part test kit, are perfect, and so is the lighting and filtration system. I cannot seem to keep powder blue tangs nor clowns alive. The odd thing is that the most sensitive corals just thrive in my tank. Does anyone have any ideas as to why my fish keep dying? I am doing everything I know to do and can't manage to keep these guys alive. Other fish currently in my tank are damsel, royal gramma, hippo tang, yellow tang and hawk fish. Most all of them have some level of ick and have it most of the time. I have snails, crabs and starfish as well. I maintain a constant temp and salt level. Thanks in advance.

angelsj247 · 03/20/2006, 09:59 PM

what do your test include.. and what are they? need to know..

simplytexas · 03/20/2006, 10:17 PM

We use the Saltwater Master Liquid Test Kit, it includes: High range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. My levels are pH - 8.4, Nitrate- 10, but looking on my records, on the 9th, it spiked to 40, Nitrite- 0, and Ammonia- .25 or less. Thanks.

old salty · 03/20/2006, 10:21 PM

I steered away from Powder Blue Tangs as many folks have stated that they are quite difficult to keep, especially for beginners. Since your fish have ich, this may compound the problem as well.

mg426 · 03/20/2006, 10:23 PM

i am sure that the mention of ick is not helping things. Also three tangs in a 55 is less than ideal.

03/20/2006, 09:54 PM	#1
simplytexas Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Central Texas Posts: 2	Need help with 6 month old tank Hi, I bought a 55 gallon tank off a guy who had it up and running for nine years. I have had the tank now for a few months. Let me start by saying that my water conditions, according to my 4 part test kit, are perfect, and so is the lighting and filtration system. I cannot seem to keep powder blue tangs nor clowns alive. The odd thing is that the most sensitive corals just thrive in my tank. Does anyone have any ideas as to why my fish keep dying? I am doing everything I know to do and can't manage to keep these guys alive. Other fish currently in my tank are damsel, royal gramma, hippo tang, yellow tang and hawk fish. Most all of them have some level of ick and have it most of the time. I have snails, crabs and starfish as well. I maintain a constant temp and salt level. Thanks in advance. __________________ Chad & Belinda Current Tank Info: 55 gallon coral and fish tank

03/20/2006, 09:59 PM	#2
angelsj247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Joliet, IL Posts: 866	what do your test include.. and what are they? need to know.. __________________ 2 perc clownfish, 2 peppermint shrimp, astrea, turbo, & nassarius snails, 20 lbs Live Rock Current Tank Info: 20gal FOWLR

03/20/2006, 10:17 PM	#3
simplytexas Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Central Texas Posts: 2	We use the Saltwater Master Liquid Test Kit, it includes: High range pH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. My levels are pH - 8.4, Nitrate- 10, but looking on my records, on the 9th, it spiked to 40, Nitrite- 0, and Ammonia- .25 or less. Thanks. __________________ Chad & Belinda Current Tank Info: 55 gallon coral and fish tank

03/20/2006, 10:21 PM	#4
old salty Genius Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Island of Misfit Toys Posts: 3,131	I steered away from Powder Blue Tangs as many folks have stated that they are quite difficult to keep, especially for beginners. Since your fish have ich, this may compound the problem as well. __________________ "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: Out of the marine aquarium hobby

03/20/2006, 10:23 PM	#5
mg426 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: maryland Posts: 6,923	i am sure that the mention of ick is not helping things. Also three tangs in a 55 is less than ideal. __________________ I found a way to make a small fortune running a reef tank. Start with a large fortune. Unofficial President of the SEACLONE haters club Current Tank Info: 125 mixed reef 110 lbs LR, 1x250watt XM 20K MH 2x175watt XM 20K MH on Magetics 2X96 watt actinic PC, 220 watt VHO actinic, 30 gallon refugium, closed loop system powered by Sequence Dart MSX 200 skimmer 38 gallon sump, Oceansmotions squirt