algae possibly killed fish?

[Tamberav]

Ammonia should be 0, it is toxic to fish even in small amounts

Do you have any dry or live rock in there or just fake rock/decorations?

 

[dandushe]

Should I remove the artificial rock and add real rock?

 

[dandushe]

Ammonia should be 0, it is toxic to fish even in small amounts

Do you have any dry or live rock in there or just decorations?

just decorations

 

[dandushe]

and two small pieces of an econio block which i guess did nothing, and a small bag of activated carbon

 

[Tamberav]

just decorations

This is a potential problem. Bacteria need places to colonize and actual reef rock is a perfect medium to do so. It is very porous. The fake rock is not. The bacteria converts waste/ammonia.

I would not pull it all out at once because the fake decor still harbors some bacteria but yes I would replace it a section at a time.

 

[dandushe]

This is a potential problem. Bacteria need places to colonize and actual reef rock is a perfect medium to do so. It is very porous. The fake rock is not. The bacteria converts waste/ammonia.

I would not pull it all out at once but yes I would replace it a section at a time.

it's one huge piece and why not remove it all at once?

 

[Tamberav]

it's one huge piece and why not remove it all at once?

Ah in that case I guess you have to. All surface area has some bacteria on it so was just trying to keep as much bacteria as possible. You could buy some good seeded rock and keep it in water till you get home, if you don't have access to that or it is out of the budget and you need to use dry rock, I recommend adding some biospira with it (bottled bacteria).

It isn't ideal to make big changes with live fish in the tank but at the same time, it is going to be better in the long run.

Did the fish ever show signs of disease like odd spots or scratching themselves?

 

[dandushe]

Ah in that case I guess you have to. All surface area has some bacteria on it so was just trying to keep as much bacteria as possible. You could buy some good seeded rock and keep it in water till you get home, if you don't have access to that or it is out of the budget and you need to use dry rock, I recommend adding some biospira with it (bottled bacteria).

It isn't ideal to make big changes with live fish in the tank but at the same time, it is going to be better in the long run.

Did the fish ever show signs of disease like odd spots or scratching themselves?

no never any signs

 

[dandushe]

no never any signs

so you're saying add live rock and then a small bottle of bacteria the same as when you first start the tank?

 

[Tamberav]

so you're saying add live rock and then a small bottle of bacteria the same as when you first start the tank?

There is live rock and dry (which is often still called "live rock" even though it is dry). Live will be wet and in a tub at the LFS and dry will.. be dry and on a shelf. The dry stuff needs a bottle of bacteria since it is dry.

Don't buy any live rock that smells nasty or has die off.. the live stuff should just have a normal ocean smell.

How are the snails behaving? Moving around or holding still, falling off of anything?

 

[aquakj]

How long have you had the tank running and what was your cycling process ? I don’t think we can move forward until you provide this information everything else can’t be taken into consideration until you let us know this part of the process please

 

[Dburr1014]

Did you cycle the tank at all?
Sounds like it was set up, filled with plastic decorations and fish.

OP, you have come to the right place here in Reef2Reef. Don't best yourself up yet.

This is what I would do in your situation.
Remove anything plastic from the tank and throw it away or place it on a shelf next to the tank. That where they belong anyway.
Next, go to your LFS, bring a small bucket and ask them for a live rock. One from there sump, about the size of a baseball, maybe a little bigger. They do sell them this way, or a least a good LFS does. Put it in the bucket and bring it home. Put that in your tank.
Take a picture and post it here. Then we can help you out some more.

 

[Tamberav]

Keep the fake decorations for quarantine tanks They provide great hiding spots in that instance when you need to tread for disease.

 

[dandushe]

Did you cycle the tank at all?
Sounds like it was set up, filled with plastic decorations and fish.

OP, you have come to the right place here in Reef2Reef. Don't best yourself up yet.

This is what I would do in your situation.
Remove anything plastic from the tank and throw it away or place it on a shelf next to the tank. That where they belong anyway.
Next, go to your LFS, bring a small bucket and ask them for a live rock. One from there sump, about the size of a baseball, maybe a little bigger. They do sell them this way, or a least a good LFS does. Put it in the bucket and bring it home. Put that in your tank.
Take a picture and post it here. Then we can help you out some more.

Yes, I cycled the tank

Did you cycle the tank at all?
Sounds like it was set up, filled with plastic decorations and fish.

OP, you have come to the right place here in Reef2Reef. Don't best yourself up yet.

This is what I would do in your situation.
Remove anything plastic from the tank and throw it away or place it on a shelf next to the tank. That where they belong anyway.
Next, go to your LFS, bring a small bucket and ask them for a live rock. One from there sump, about the size of a baseball, maybe a little bigger. They do sell them this way, or a least a good LFS does. Put it in the bucket and bring it home. Put that in your tank.
Take a picture and post it here. Then we can help you out some more.

thank you for your help, but what will that do if I take a picture with live rock in the tank?

 

[Dburr1014]

Yes, I cycled the tank

thank you for your help, but what will that do if I take a picture with live rock in the tank?

Sorry, I said that because you claimed you have "fake" rock. I'm saying take that out.
After "real" live rock goes in, I would want to "see" how much real live rock is there in your tank.
1) you need enough for processing ammonia.
2) hiding places for your fish.


Edit: fake rock being plastic??

 

[dandushe]

Sorry, I said that because you claimed you have "fake" rock. I'm saying take that out.
After "real" live rock goes in, I would want to "see" how much real live rock is there in your tank.
1) you need enough for processing ammonia.
2) hiding places for your fish.


Edit: fake rock being plastic??

got it, I want to keep around 5 fish, how many hiding places would you recommend?

 

[Dburr1014]

got it, I want to keep around 5 fish, how many hiding places would you recommend?

8

 

[Dburr1014]

Cracks and crevices, tunnels and caves. Hiding for sleeping and disputes.

 

[dandushe]

ok thank you

 

[dandushe]

so, ya I hope that live rock fixes the issue...this is my set up, and I want to say thank you to everyone who tried to help on this chat you are all very good people, and I appreciate it!