Hello everyone! Just started into this hobby due to my kids showing an interest and always having an interest of my own.
I started a week ago after going to a local reef shop, got a 5 gallon reef tank with several corals (2 mushrooms, acro, favia, torch, lobo, Kenya tree, GSP, zoa), an anemone, and 2 clownfish. I basically asked them to set it up for me and this is what he made me. They used cycled water that’s been there for 4 years. He acclimated the fish for 5 days in the tank before I picked it up.
I got Reef Nutrition beta brine to feed the fish, which he recommended 1 drop daily.
I took home 2 gallon jugs, one RODI 0PPM water and other saltwater from the shop.
Did daily top off with freshwater with an ATO.
He advised a 1/3 tank water change weekly.
Fish and corals looked great for a week. Eating well, no signs of stress.
Then didn’t first water change with the cycled saltwater. I didn’t warm the change water. Usually tank is at 80 bit after water change dropped to 76 and climbed back up to 78-79 within an hr.
After this clowns seemed a bit stressed but no unusual behaviors. Following day one clown fish looked more pale and then a few hrs later found it dead within the rock work next to the Kenya tree. Other clown seemed okay at this time. Following day I noticed a white film around second clown, was fast breathing and skimming the surface, he started losing bouyancy and saw I’m swimming to surface but sinking back down. He quickly died after that.
I tested ammonia at 0.25ppm, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, pH 7 or 7.5. Used imagitarium test kit. Took water to reef shop for testing salinity and was told it was “spot on”.
Corals and anemone seem okay but Kenya tree is slumped over now.
Other person at reef shop was shocked I was feeding daily. Also recommended daily 10% water changes for now and retest ammonia in couple of days.
Looking for any advice, insights on what happened.
Thank you!
I started a week ago after going to a local reef shop, got a 5 gallon reef tank with several corals (2 mushrooms, acro, favia, torch, lobo, Kenya tree, GSP, zoa), an anemone, and 2 clownfish. I basically asked them to set it up for me and this is what he made me. They used cycled water that’s been there for 4 years. He acclimated the fish for 5 days in the tank before I picked it up.
I got Reef Nutrition beta brine to feed the fish, which he recommended 1 drop daily.
I took home 2 gallon jugs, one RODI 0PPM water and other saltwater from the shop.
Did daily top off with freshwater with an ATO.
He advised a 1/3 tank water change weekly.
Fish and corals looked great for a week. Eating well, no signs of stress.
Then didn’t first water change with the cycled saltwater. I didn’t warm the change water. Usually tank is at 80 bit after water change dropped to 76 and climbed back up to 78-79 within an hr.
After this clowns seemed a bit stressed but no unusual behaviors. Following day one clown fish looked more pale and then a few hrs later found it dead within the rock work next to the Kenya tree. Other clown seemed okay at this time. Following day I noticed a white film around second clown, was fast breathing and skimming the surface, he started losing bouyancy and saw I’m swimming to surface but sinking back down. He quickly died after that.
I tested ammonia at 0.25ppm, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, pH 7 or 7.5. Used imagitarium test kit. Took water to reef shop for testing salinity and was told it was “spot on”.
Corals and anemone seem okay but Kenya tree is slumped over now.
Other person at reef shop was shocked I was feeding daily. Also recommended daily 10% water changes for now and retest ammonia in couple of days.
Looking for any advice, insights on what happened.
Thank you!