So bummed. - Page 2

Jess · 03-24-2009, 05:57 PM

Threadjacker alert! Fine, until I get my info for you later, let's switch this to cucumber pics! Yeah baby,yeah!

There's "Chewy" over on the left. He better be there when I get home!

BarbMazz · 03-24-2009, 06:02 PM

I'm having cucumbers with dinner. What'd the book have to say about THAT!

Tell Frank I'll save him some.

Jess, I'm sorry about your trials and tribulations the last few days. It's no fun at all to lose fish.

Had you noticed your clown sitting on the bottom before last night, other times? Like it was normal behavior? Or it was different for him. Likewise the food. Maybe he wasn't feeling good.

I do wonder if there was something different in your change water, or if it was very different from what is in the tank? Did you test the change water against your tank water before using it?

I hope you find good things when you get home.

BarbMazz · 03-24-2009, 06:03 PM

Boy, that is one pretty tank!

Jess · 03-24-2009, 06:13 PM

Thanks Barb!!!

You know I will be totally honest with all of you. This is not my first SW tank but it is the first time I've done it all by myself. Where I live (Ventura, So Cal) most of the people I know get their water from LFS, where they will also test it for you. The water that I used for my last water change was the same water from the same store I always use. I think the lesson I'm learning now (BigAl, Dentoid, I know you'll chime in!) is to have a test kit on hand (duh, I know!) and check the water before I use it. I haven't had to worry about it so I never have. Even the tanks my previous boyfriend and I had (12g Nano & 24g Nano like I have now) we never did that. We just did water changes with LFS water and we never had problems! So, time to buck up and take matters into my own hands! Because now I'm totally freaking out and am expecting the worst when I get home.

BarbMazz · 03-24-2009, 07:24 PM

It may not be the water at all, so don't freak out yet. It's never bad to have some test kits around so you can check and be sure, though.

lcstorc · 03-24-2009, 07:36 PM

Don't freak out but do order the tests.
Chewy is very adorable and Barb is right as usual You have a beautiful tank.
There is every possibility it had nothing to do with the water change. I only asked about that due to the timing.

BigAl07 · 03-24-2009, 08:03 PM

Jess we're not going to REALLY beat you up over this and hopefully you'll get home and find good news. Either way go ahead and get the test kits for NEXT time

Jess · 03-24-2009, 08:38 PM

Well sure enough, I just got home to the exact same scenario, crabs and my fire shrimp munching away on [obviously] the clown's remains. So frickin' weird to me that it's the same time of day with the same amount of tissue, etc that's left. Very disappointing to say the least. Ok so I'm grabbing my dog and a water sample and we're walking to my LFS. I'll get a kit while I'm there!

Thanks guys, it's really so great to have this type of help a couple keystrokes away. And hey, if you never chimed in I'd feel unpoopular!

BarbMazz · 03-24-2009, 08:51 PM

Sorry about your clown.

Jess · 03-24-2009, 11:57 PM

Hmm...out of curiosity, what would be ideal nitrate level for my 24?

Jess · 03-25-2009, 11:42 AM

Ok I got the only test kit they had, and it's reef specific. So here are my results. It did not include a ph test... Something is telling me my nitrates are way off. Although I'm not sure what they are supposed to be? Low I know...

Calcium = 500mg/L
Carbonate hardness = 10 dKH
Phosphate = .20mg/L
Nitrate = 40mg/L

I hope this is helpful, I need to get the other test kit so I can read all levels....

BarbMazz · 03-25-2009, 11:46 AM

Nitrates are definitely high. Calcium is, too. Alkalinity (dkh) is on the high side of normal..."normal" is between 7-11dkh.

Do you know what your salinity is? Do you topoff with freshwater at all to compensate for evaporation?

Jess · 03-25-2009, 11:55 AM

I figured as much with the nitrates. But the alkalinity, according to my test kit, it says should be between 8-12 dKH so I thought I was perfect on that one! Calcium it says between 400-500 so I thought that was ok there too. I don't know what my salinity is, but when I had my water checked last time it was good. That was last week... As with top-off, well my nano seems to evaporate next to nothing and I'm doing water changes at 1 - 1 1/2 weeks so it hasn't been an issue.

lcstorc · 03-25-2009, 11:57 AM

Nitrates are high but not anywhere near fishlife problem.
Unfortunately the test kit doesn't give us the most important numbers which are amonia, nitrite, and of course ph.
There are several things that are confusing to me on this one so maybe we need to start at the beginning.
Is the tank shot above recent? Can you take one today and post it? If your corals etc still look as good as they do in that pic we need to find out what is killing your fish while leaving your corals alone. The only thing I can think of would be a predator or a disease.
Are the fish behaving in any way that is unusual? Even the smallest thing could be a clue. What else is in the tank?

Jess · 03-25-2009, 12:07 PM

Lynn that is what the tank looks like now. I am however noticing my feather duster acting weird since I added the Koralia Nano (that's the only thing different I can think of). He doesn't come out! But yes, tank looks the same. It's just under 3 months old. Also, one of my flower pots, the yellow one, has been struggling for a while now, but in talking with LFS she thinks it's from me moving it a million times trying to find the "perfect" spot. I bet she's right. I need to leave it alone. Other than those two things everything else is great. Sun polyps are good, the big flower pot is good, green candy is great, fire shrimp molts regularly, cuc is great etc. LFS thinks the goby was just sick and there was no hope, and thinks my clown died from Ich. She thinks my last water change on Sunday killed it because I didn't heat my water up first. I never have.

As you can see... NEWB. Now I know to put my heater in first. I'm a little embarrassed! I've been doing weekly-ish water changes that way for 3 months...maybe that's what slowly killed goby?? I need to have LFS do a test for me today while I order the other kit (LFS too expensive!).

03-24-2009, 05:57 PM	#16 (permalink)
Jess Achilles Tang Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 805 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: So bummed. Threadjacker alert! Fine, until I get my info for you later, let's switch this to cucumber pics! Yeah baby,yeah! There's "Chewy" over on the left. He better be there when I get home!

03-24-2009, 06:02 PM	#17 (permalink)
BarbMazz Madame Klanganator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Near Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 4,064 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: So bummed. I'm having cucumbers with dinner. What'd the book have to say about THAT! Tell Frank I'll save him some. Jess, I'm sorry about your trials and tribulations the last few days. It's no fun at all to lose fish. Had you noticed your clown sitting on the bottom before last night, other times? Like it was normal behavior? Or it was different for him. Likewise the food. Maybe he wasn't feeling good. I do wonder if there was something different in your change water, or if it was very different from what is in the tank? Did you test the change water against your tank water before using it? I hope you find good things when you get home. __________________ A Snail's Pace Beginning: an old lady's first reef http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...tml#post366161 ~not knowing how near the truth is we seek it far away~

03-24-2009, 06:03 PM	#18 (permalink)
BarbMazz Madame Klanganator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Near Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 4,064 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: So bummed. Boy, that is one pretty tank! __________________ A Snail's Pace Beginning: an old lady's first reef http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...tml#post366161 ~not knowing how near the truth is we seek it far away~

03-24-2009, 06:13 PM	#19 (permalink)
Jess Achilles Tang Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 805 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: So bummed. Thanks Barb!!! You know I will be totally honest with all of you. This is not my first SW tank but it is the first time I've done it all by myself. Where I live (Ventura, So Cal) most of the people I know get their water from LFS, where they will also test it for you. The water that I used for my last water change was the same water from the same store I always use. I think the lesson I'm learning now (BigAl, Dentoid, I know you'll chime in!) is to have a test kit on hand (duh, I know!) and check the water before I use it. I haven't had to worry about it so I never have. Even the tanks my previous boyfriend and I had (12g Nano & 24g Nano like I have now) we never did that. We just did water changes with LFS water and we never had problems! So, time to buck up and take matters into my own hands! Because now I'm totally freaking out and am expecting the worst when I get home.

03-24-2009, 07:24 PM	#20 (permalink)
BarbMazz Madame Klanganator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Near Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 4,064 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: So bummed. It may not be the water at all, so don't freak out yet. It's never bad to have some test kits around so you can check and be sure, though. __________________ A Snail's Pace Beginning: an old lady's first reef http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...tml#post366161 ~not knowing how near the truth is we seek it far away~

03-24-2009, 07:36 PM	#21 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,482 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: So bummed. Don't freak out but do order the tests. Chewy is very adorable and Barb is right as usual You have a beautiful tank. There is every possibility it had nothing to do with the water change. I only asked about that due to the timing. __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

03-24-2009, 08:03 PM	#22 (permalink)
BigAl07 Reef Nerd :) Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Waynesville, North Carolina Posts: 24,011 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: So bummed. Jess we're not going to REALLY beat you up over this and hopefully you'll get home and find good news. Either way go ahead and get the test kits for NEXT time __________________ > > > >Read ME < < < < when you're in need of answers or help with your tank. *Live Rock Rubble will do the SAME thing as Bio-Balls and is NOT a suitable replacement for BIO-BALLS in a Reef System! It's ALL gotta go!!* Nitrate (NO3) reduction is directly proportional to percentage of Water Change. Ask me about how to increase your REEF budget without going without FOOD!! Big Al's 10g.... BigAl's Slow 90g Tank Chronicle.... Allens OFFICE 12g Nano-Reef.... DIY LED Fixture - Allens OFFICE 12g by chipmunkofdoom2

03-24-2009, 08:38 PM	#23 (permalink)
Jess Achilles Tang Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 805 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: So bummed. Well sure enough, I just got home to the exact same scenario, crabs and my fire shrimp munching away on [obviously] the clown's remains. So frickin' weird to me that it's the same time of day with the same amount of tissue, etc that's left. Very disappointing to say the least. Ok so I'm grabbing my dog and a water sample and we're walking to my LFS. I'll get a kit while I'm there! Thanks guys, it's really so great to have this type of help a couple keystrokes away. And hey, if you never chimed in I'd feel unpoopular!

03-24-2009, 08:51 PM	#24 (permalink)
BarbMazz Madame Klanganator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Near Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 4,064 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: So bummed. Sorry about your clown. __________________ A Snail's Pace Beginning: an old lady's first reef http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...tml#post366161 ~not knowing how near the truth is we seek it far away~

03-24-2009, 11:57 PM	#25 (permalink)
Jess Achilles Tang Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 805 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: So bummed. Hmm...out of curiosity, what would be ideal nitrate level for my 24?

03-25-2009, 11:42 AM	#26 (permalink)
Jess Achilles Tang Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 805 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: So bummed. Ok I got the only test kit they had, and it's reef specific. So here are my results. It did not include a ph test... Something is telling me my nitrates are way off. Although I'm not sure what they are supposed to be? Low I know... Calcium = 500mg/L Carbonate hardness = 10 dKH Phosphate = .20mg/L Nitrate = 40mg/L I hope this is helpful, I need to get the other test kit so I can read all levels....

03-25-2009, 11:46 AM	#27 (permalink)
BarbMazz Madame Klanganator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Near Cleveland, Ohio Posts: 4,064 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: So bummed. Nitrates are definitely high. Calcium is, too. Alkalinity (dkh) is on the high side of normal..."normal" is between 7-11dkh. Do you know what your salinity is? Do you topoff with freshwater at all to compensate for evaporation? __________________ A Snail's Pace Beginning: an old lady's first reef http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/...tml#post366161 ~not knowing how near the truth is we seek it far away~

03-25-2009, 11:55 AM	#28 (permalink)
Jess Achilles Tang Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 805 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: So bummed. I figured as much with the nitrates. But the alkalinity, according to my test kit, it says should be between 8-12 dKH so I thought I was perfect on that one! Calcium it says between 400-500 so I thought that was ok there too. I don't know what my salinity is, but when I had my water checked last time it was good. That was last week... As with top-off, well my nano seems to evaporate next to nothing and I'm doing water changes at 1 - 1 1/2 weeks so it hasn't been an issue.

03-25-2009, 11:57 AM	#29 (permalink)
lcstorc Sunshine Reefer Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Cocoa Fl Posts: 26,482 View Gallery Karma Komment Add yours!	Re: So bummed. Nitrates are high but not anywhere near fishlife problem. Unfortunately the test kit doesn't give us the most important numbers which are amonia, nitrite, and of course ph. There are several things that are confusing to me on this one so maybe we need to start at the beginning. Is the tank shot above recent? Can you take one today and post it? If your corals etc still look as good as they do in that pic we need to find out what is killing your fish while leaving your corals alone. The only thing I can think of would be a predator or a disease. Are the fish behaving in any way that is unusual? Even the smallest thing could be a clue. What else is in the tank? __________________ Peace LYNN Lynn and Franks saltwater adventure Lynn's 20g clown tank Lynn's 90g of sunshine Lynn's frag tank experiment A reef tank is like a race car. The faster you go the harder you crash.

03-25-2009, 12:07 PM	#30 (permalink)
Jess Achilles Tang Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ventura, CA Posts: 805 View Gallery Karma Komment	Re: So bummed. Lynn that is what the tank looks like now. I am however noticing my feather duster acting weird since I added the Koralia Nano (that's the only thing different I can think of). He doesn't come out! But yes, tank looks the same. It's just under 3 months old. Also, one of my flower pots, the yellow one, has been struggling for a while now, but in talking with LFS she thinks it's from me moving it a million times trying to find the "perfect" spot. I bet she's right. I need to leave it alone. Other than those two things everything else is great. Sun polyps are good, the big flower pot is good, green candy is great, fire shrimp molts regularly, cuc is great etc. LFS thinks the goby was just sick and there was no hope, and thinks my clown died from Ich. She thinks my last water change on Sunday killed it because I didn't heat my water up first. I never have. As you can see... NEWB. Now I know to put my heater in first. I'm a little embarrassed! I've been doing weekly-ish water changes that way for 3 months...maybe that's what slowly killed goby?? I need to have LFS do a test for me today while I order the other kit (LFS too expensive!).

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