Guidance needed. New marine tank

[expert]

Dear Bros,

I recently started a new tank with no live rocks, 3 packs of coral chips. Bought sea water on 16 sept, run for 4 days after which i bought few big fishes, star fishes, snails. Now one of the fish contacted with ich but the rest still look ok, lion very restless.

Any good advice? Only than i know i shouldn't put so much fish at one go.

[Edmund Koh]

Your coral chips are bought dry right?

I dun think your coral chips would have been ready (biologically) to handle the bio load of that many fishes with only 4 days of running. Without any live rocks, this can be pretty dangerous. Other then coral chips, what other filtration methods are u using?

Also I think having rocks or Big PVC pipes (like at madpetz) will be good as it gives your fishes some place to rest and feel safe.

Just my two cents

[Martian]

Bro.. I don't wanna sound negative but I seriously doubt that your fishes will make it since your tank is not cycled.

You must keep changing water very regularly if you want them to live...

All the best...

[Edmund Koh]

Oh man .. I just realized I sounded like I poured a whole jug of cold water on TS.

Really dun mean to. Peace

[Kakani]

You stock up too fast and never cycle your tank or put bacteria. Did you run skimmer? I ever run my tank cycle for 2 week and start buy fews angel and end up all my angel die or sick even I copper it.

[Snoopyhamburger]

Dear Bros,

I recently started a new tank with no live rocks, 3 packs of coral chips. Bought sea water on 16 sept, run for 4 days after which i bought few big fishes, star fishes, snails. Now one of the fish contacted with ich but the rest still look ok, lion very restless.

Any good advice? Only than i know i shouldn't put so much fish at one go.

What big fishes?

And for the Lion,I believe you should get live rocks for it to hide and feel safe..

[Clement Chen]

Any reason for not wanting to use live rocks?

[Welly]

How big is your tank ?

[DottyClown]

Based on your described scenario, I would seriously plead you to return your fishes back to the LFS for holding. Meanwhile, make sure you have sufficient bio or mechanical filtration, and cycle your tank fully, before you re-introduce back the fishes one-by-one.

Please do the right thing. Don't let the fishes die like this.

[expert]

Thank all bros for the advice. Its a 6ftx2.5x2.5 tank. Lion dead yesterday i did dose bacteria. and yes skimmer is running. live rocks will create a lot of unwanted algae and pest?

[Edmund Koh]

If you are worried about pest, can either go for dead/dry rocks and cycle the tank for 1-2months for the bacteria to built back up.

Also saw how Madpetz used large diameter pvc pipes in all of their tanks.

Algae wise .. There are cleaning fishes that can help u out on this too

[DottyClown]

Its useless worrying about pest in rocks. They could also be introduced when you put new pieces of corals into your tank. Unless you decided never to buy corals.

Check out Pasar Malam site, sometimes reefers will let go their LR and some are confident its pest free. Get these, at least some assurance.

Else like Turtle said, you could go for Dry/Dead rocks and cycle them long enough will become live Rocks.

You dose Bacteria, but without LR the bacteria got no place to hide and multiply. They will just die off very quickly.

Your sand/coral chips may not provide enough shelter to home sufficient bacteria.

As for Algae, proper control of your water parameters will help. Also adding some snails, star fishes, herbivorous fishes will help take care of it.

[SubzeroLT]

If you don't have sufficient live rocks, you could add bio media to increase the surface area for bacteria to adhere to.

Bacteria King, Biohome & Marine Pure are popular brands.

Can put in the sump.

[tang_sohal]

Bro. If you understood the basis behind 'why not to stock too fast'. So as to let your bacteria to multiply to handle the new bioloads. I guess you have to be more patient or else you will just see your fish dying of one by one.

[tang_sohal]

And since your tank is not established and your fish have ick. Do the fish a favor by passing them to reefer with quarantine tank to take care of them while you leave your tank fallow for 4 - 6 weeks. During this time your ick will be gone plus your cycling process will be established. Win win situation

[expert]

Yes i did put in dead rocks. The fish that contacted ich seems to be healing too. is the cycling doing fine? but i realize when i switch the lights off, after sometime all the fishes will have white patches on their body, but will go off once i on the light. should i keep the light running? not planning for any corals, just fishes.

[expert]

and the rate of evaporation seems to be too fast too. normal?

[asg]

if you are using fans, yes, the water will evaporate pretty fast. as for your fish, depends on what fish it is, fish like tangs will fade when light is off. you need to off the light, fish need to sleep too (no pun intended)...

[expert]

All my fishes are wipe out Got to start from zero again..

[expert]

Just did a water change. but i realize my whole tank are filled with small little white dots and it moves around. Can any bros advice wth is all this?

[tofubox]

Could possibly be flatworms or planaria. Cant tell with no pics bro.

[Edmund Koh]

Small little white dots that move around could be pods. Do u happen to have a Sump with a Refugium growing cheato?

Hmm.. Bro.. Do be patient now that you are restarting your tank. Make sure your cycling process is completed before you add in your next batch of lifestock.

[expert]

gotten some advice its cope pods. finally feeling relief its doing well. thanks bros for the good advice!

[A. Quarium]

Really think you should put in at least a few live rocks. They ARE a natural and more-or-less efficient form of biological filtration after all.