Newbie Question

[bert]

Hiz...Anyone can help me? I am really new in keeping marine fish.

recently i bought a custom built tank(h:70:L:66:B:50cm) with no interior filter, i got a eheim pump which is model 2217 using ehiem skimmer and a undergravel filter to keep my water clean.

tis setup was recommend to me by a balestier road aquarium.

I had tis problem which puzzled me as i already setup the tank as told and get it running for almost two weeks but my fishs keep on dieing. I dunno y?

The way I setup the sand and filter is ok to me...I uses salt water which i bought from fish farm. I did not straight away pour the water into my tank when i bought back hme,only did so the next dae and there is no air aeration as i didn't put. Also I put a few pcs of live rock into it too.

the next dae i setup my tank with the water and rocks, i found a odour smell but it isn't very strong and i continue to setup. The second batch of rocks were bought during the same dae of setup. i heard my fren tat if the live rock die, they are very smelly and will hav bubbles form on top of it. is tat so?

I hav my water settle for one weeks then i put my first fish in, nemo, it was very scared to go down near the rock and a few daes later nemo body was cover by a white sort of fungus n die...

I hav my water change 3/4 of it ,went to fish farm to seek advice n bought sea salt for spare. i added bacterias, ph to 8.3 n salt level 1.023.

I start to measure no2, 3 using a second-hand no3 tester brand sera, the result was abit redish colour but after tat i use a new tester by nitrate tester and the result was a yellow colour.

I dunno which tester is correct....???? neverthless, i bought two smaller sizes nemo, they rarely survive for 3 hrs and die.

my tank contains live rocks only, is holding 230litres of water and wat really happen to my tank? water problem or????

I am really frustrated now as i spent over thousand dollars for tis system....sianz...

help me.

[KTLK]

underwater gravel filter? It is a good form of biological filter but I should say, 10-15years ago. There're quite a few ways of modern filtration which you can use imo. I suggest u read up more about tank set-up, cycling of water etc in the sticky thread & don't buy any more equipments & LS for the time being.

Good luck!

[dleecool]

U should cycle ur tank for at least 6 weeks and test water parameter b4 putting in any fish. Else u r killing the fish!!!

[hammy]

go and get reliable test kit like tropic marine or salifert and measure ammonia/ammonium , nitrite and nitrate ...

only when ammonia and nitrite has gone down to zero, then u measure nitrate and bring down the nitrate level to a safe level by performing a water change.

normally for marine , we cycle our tank for at least a month to 6 week depending on the system. 2 weeks are not enough unless ur live rock are fully cured. even then , to cure the rock for at least a month is safer .

get ur test kit bro. dun rush and read through all the thread b4 u start to buy and LS or even equipment.

[mUAr_cHEe]

"why do they come and come and come and come and come.... and they alwasys ask the same question.......

not really to put u off... but when u are here long... ppl come and ask the same question everytime.... its abit fustrating!!!"

this will probably be what i will post.... but since i came into this sub-forum and reply to this post with this mindset; you came in here becuz u are willing to help.

so with this same mind set....

Mr. bert, pls kindly click on the links in my signature. Take this advice; take the time, go through the whole noobie sub-forum if you can... you can learn alot... and maybe a thing or 2 about things you would have never imagined...

[nakazoru]

Forget the test kit and forget everything. Your water is not ready at all.

No fishes will die within 3 hrs if water is below average. The water is hardly ready. I started my marine 5years back with only lead based salanity check and cycle. No test kit. Water cycled for 1 month.

Fishes also dun die in 3hrs.

Leave your tank fishless for 1 month.

[tineng]

i susgest you do some reading if you are going to be in the hobby. Or visit LFS more and kick up some conversation with the bro for advise....fishes dying in less then 3 hours!!!! and 'nemo' somemore....something is very wrong....

[KTLK]

I think since Bert is new to this forum,he is still not familiar to many useful function like search etc

Bert,take your time to browse thru the forum & u will be enriched with lots of info & will greatly help u to understand & hence enjoy this hobby

[jem]

if u may need any help u can reach me via pm or by msn too

[SoTongBall]

Hi Bert,

welcome to this interesting & addictive hobby

There are alot of of information in this forum, but it will take u awhile to piece up the information. It will be easier for you to get a book to guide u along or borrow from library.

I would recommend 2 books which I find it informative:

The New Marine Aquarium - got it from kinokuniya or borders, can't remember liao

The Conscientious Marine Aquarist - can get it from petmart

cheers

[cityofangels]

I did not straight away pour the water into my tank when i bought back hme,only did so the next dae and there is no air aeration as i didn't put. Also I put a few pcs of live rock into it too.

You mentioned that you did not put any form of aeration in the water with the Live rocks. Salt water bought from LFS will have micro-organisms living in the water. Live rocks are LIVE too, with living organisms. You have to provide aeration for them.

the next dae i setup my tank with the water and rocks, i found a odour smell but it isn't very strong and i continue to setup.

The odour smell is caused by the dying organisms in the water or LRs. When you boughtthe LRs from the shop, how long did you leave them out of water? Did you put them in a hot area without water (e.g. leave them in your car boot for hours)? This may have caused some organisms in the LRs to die off during transportation.

I start to measure no2, 3 using a second-hand no3 tester brand sera, the result was abit redish colour but after tat i use a new tester by nitrate tester and the result was a yellow colour.

I dunno which tester is correct....???? neverthless, i bought two smaller sizes nemo, they rarely survive for 3 hrs and die.

The results of your Sera test kit was RED. If I am not mistaken, that is HIGH. You did not state the brand of the other nitrate tester which showed a YELLOW result. Does that colour of Yellow mean zero nitrate? Considering that you did not cycle your tank properly, it is highly unlikely that it's Zero.

For fishes to die within 3 hours is a scary thought. That means.... There's something terribly wrong with your water!

I am really frustrated now as i spent over thousand dollars for tis system....sianz...

help me.

Yes, you have spend thousands of dollars on this hobby. So, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read up before you start putting fishes or any other live stock in your tank. Tanks need to be cycled, for the good bacteria to grow & settle in your tank. So to prevent any more frustration & heartache, please do more reading.

Take things slow... Don't rush the cycling process. Reefing is an enjoyable hobby. So don't stress yourself out.

[mUAr_cHEe]

You mentioned that you did not put any form of aeration in the water with the Live rocks. Salt water bought from LFS will have micro-organisms living in the water. Live rocks are LIVE too, with living organisms. You have to provide aeration for them.

correction: bubbling does not float in marine.....

just causes unnecessary salt spray... some corals also die from too much bubbling...

juz run a power head with decent current/power should be sufficient.

[flying carpet]

Maybe you should also include your tank temperature also.

[bert]

Thks to all members for giving such good and important advice. my mind is now split between rearing a plant tank and marine. I have been a devoted to rainbow fish for many years.

Until now, I realised tat rearing marine cost alot of money of maintainence and bought quite a few bottle of coral supplmental.

I still dunno wat happen to the water, also doubt about the status of the live rocks and the measuring kits result.

Is there any site for selling second-hand fish or items? I tink i need to clear away my fishs, rocks and coral supplmental.

sianz....I unable to see the beauty of marine...

[blueheaven]

You can put your items up for sale at the Pasar Malam forum

[bert]

It's almost one month since i setup tis tank. how to see if the live rock is dead? if i were to wait for the water to be rite, how long would i have to wait? do i need to change water again?

not all the rocks i have is live. i bought some non live... some of the live rock(red) have some sort of white moulds on it which hav been there when i bought it. and the rest was in orginal colour or state which i dun tink is spoilt.

Please advice.

Thank you.

[andysho]

Hi bro

I think you need to go down to the root of the problem of your water condition....

if the condition of your water do not meet the normal standard

even you do a 50 percent of water changes here and then also dun seems

to help at all , and for water changes .. try to match the exact parameter

between the old and new water

I suggest you start with some salt mix before going into NSW at least

you can adjust the water parameter to your own judgement

And make sure that there are always good water movement inside

your tank

Lastly I suggest you draw up a plan of wat to buy and etc

tank

[nakazoru]

Thks to all members for giving such good and important advice. my mind is now split between rearing a plant tank and marine. I have been a devoted to rainbow fish for many years.

Until now, I realised tat rearing marine cost alot of money of maintainence and bought quite a few bottle of coral supplmental.

I still dunno wat happen to the water, also doubt about the status of the live rocks and the measuring kits result.

Is there any site for selling second-hand fish or items? I tink i need to clear away my fishs, rocks and coral supplmental.

sianz....I unable to see the beauty of marine...

Oh mind, just a little set back and you want to give up.

If you think fresh water is easy, you may be in for surprises. It is just that fresh water fishes, we are more familiar with.

With the correct knowledge, reef fishes I felt is easier to keep. It is always we reefers that is complacent that causes the fishes/reef to perish...