Water not agreeing with the fish...

[Freddieg275]

I have 14gal biocube reef set up. Been runnin about a month now with a few pieces of happy coral. I have a hermit crab, some snails, and a cleaner shrimp in there..all happy. But fish...I just cant seem to keep them. I started off with a pair of percula clowns. They lasted about a week before they started hangin out at the top clearly dying. When they died I tried another set of percula clowns. Same thing. Lasted a few days and then started hangin at the top dying. Ive tested everything in the water and its all fine. Ph, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. I dont have a nano skimmer yet because I was told to wait about a month before getting it for a new tank. One thing I thought is maybe oxygen is not getting into the water. The pump from the filter shoots upwards and causes ripples in the water but not actual breaks. I dont really know. But im losing alot of money lol. Someone help =( Thanks.

 

[kyle1284]

I have 14gal biocube reef set up. Been runnin about a month now with a few pieces of happy coral. I have a hermit crab, some snails, and a cleaner shrimp in there..all happy. But fish...I just cant seem to keep them. I started off with a pair of percula clowns. They lasted about a week before they started hangin out at the top clearly dying. When they died I tried another set of percula clowns. Same thing. Lasted a few days and then started hangin at the top dying. Ive tested everything in the water and its all fine. Ph, ammonia, nitrites and nitrates. I dont have a nano skimmer yet because I was told to wait about a month before getting it for a new tank. One thing I thought is maybe oxygen is not getting into the water. The pump from the filter shoots upwards and causes ripples in the water but not actual breaks. I dont really know. But im losing alot of money lol. Someone help =( Thanks.

sorry about your losses... what are the levels of the Ph ammonia and
trates?

 

[DrHank]

Are you using DI water? You might want to run a poly pad and check oxygen.

 

[Dentoid]

What are your acclimation procedures? Did you get the clowns from the same LFS and the same tank?

 

[DrHank]

Also, check for temperature spikes. As temperature rises dissolved oxygen falls. I don't know why you would want to wait to get the skimmer. I'd add it now. It will also increase dissolved oxygen.

 

[Freddieg275]

ph is 8.3 ...temp hangs out between 79 and 81....ammonia nitrite and trate is 0. got the 2 sets of clowns from totally different stores =/. i put in a small airstone a few mins ago to try and get some small air bubbles in there. one of the clowns from my 2nd set hasnt actually died yet but he is lookin not so good. right now he is full of energy swimming but that could be because the air bubbles are occupying the corner he was in ...also i dont know what di water is...mine is all premade bought from the lfs in a container.

 

[Freddieg275]

and as for the acclimation procedures with the first set i let the bag sit in the tank for a while then netted em in...with the 2nd set i put em in a bowl and syphoned water (steady drip by tying a knot in the tube) from the tank for about an hour

 

[DrHank]

DI water is De Ionized. Many of us have RO/DI filters which remove impurities from the water. We use it to make up our saltwater and to add pure water lost to evaporation. Let me ask another couple of questions. When your tank water gets low due to evaporation are you adding more of the prepared water from your LFS? If you are, how many times have you done this over the past month? Have you checked the Specific gravity of the water with a hydrometer or refractometer? What is the specific gravity?

 

[Freddieg275]

i have added from the container i had until it ran out...then i mixed my own for a water change i did yesterday...just kept testing the water til i got the same reading as tank. my tank stays at 1.023

 

[lcstorc]

How did you cycle the tank? What are you using for filtration? Do you have live rock? Where did it come from? The lfs or mail order? Have you had someone double check the tests?
Sorry, but we need to know more about the system before even hazarding a guess.
Other than swimming at the top of the water did they show any symptoms? How long did you have them before they started going downhill?

 

[Kirblit]

How does the surface of the water look, does it look like an oil slick? I had a problem with my 12g Aquapod when I first set it up with PH. There was always proteins at the surface of the water and even with a powerhead aimed at the surface it was still present. I added an 8" air bar and ever since I have had no problems and the surface is clear, and the PH stays up and my two Osc. Clowns are doing great. I think the small cubes just don't have enough water movement to keep the surface clear you may want to try it, you will notice a difference immediatly with the surface.