1st casualty of new build

[mmorrison55]

In my 180 overall/150 display tank, Late this afternoon, I found my 1st casualty of my new tank build. One of my banggai cardinals. When I added them to the tank almost a week ago, I added 3 small (~1” in size) cardinals, a tiny yellow goby, and a silver $ pancake sized powder blue. The powder blue was picked on by my magnificent fox face, who’s just barely bigger than the powder blue, for about the 1st 30 minutes, and then since, the powder blue, purple tang, and fox face seem to be inseparable.

Looking back, I know I added too many fish too quickly for one and two, I’m likely over feeding.

My livestock includes 2 small clowns, 2 azure damsels, royal gramma, purple tang, mag fox face, powder blue, 2 banggai (now 2 was 3) cardinals, 1 tiny yellow watchman goby, a blood red shrimp, and handful of hermit crabs.

After the cardinal passed, I tested my parameters and things are elevated. I’m not sure if it’s the cause or the affect.

Salinity 34.4 ppt
Ammonia .07 ppm
Nitrite .096 ppm
Nitrate 11.9 ppm
Phosphate .39 ppm

Alk 7.6
Ca 378
Mg 1181
Ph 7.80
Orp 300


My feedings up to now, have been about 3/4 sheet of sea veggies per day, along with 1/2 cube of mysis and part of a cube of brine, and some small pellets of the tdo chroma boost. I think most of the high phosphate is from the pellets,as about 1/4 ends up in the overflow.

I did a 20% water change to be safe. I emptied my sump, approx 30 gallons and refilled with 35 ppt salinity water. I also added some phosphate-e (20 ml)

I was thinking I probably need to do another sump worths of water change tomorrow to be a 40% change overall, and probably should not feed my fish anything but some Julian sprungs sea veggie green for the next day or two until my phosphates come down.

I’m on the fence if I should add some additional bacteria such as MicroBacter 7. I have zero signs of algae growth, other than my Fiji pink sand bed is slightly tinged darker than original and my rock scape is not as white as day one, but I see almost non existent signs of any algae besides what ends up on the glass and back wall that I clean about every 5-6 days.

I do run UV, a fleece roller, and a skimmer.

I think this gives an up to date of my setup. All recommendations and suggestions are welcome, so Is this a decent approach or would you advise differently?

Thanks,

Mike

I can provide photos of the tank and inhabitants if requested.

 

[BryanM]

How old is the tank?

For fish the numbers don’t look alarming to me, but I’m still learning to.

 

[mmorrison55]

started my cycle in the beginning of Jan 2025. And started adding 1st two clown fish ~3 weeks later


It’s possible the banggai just was not 100% and death in the reef tank happens, but wanted to to be sure I’m not making things worse. And if I could improve on parameters by changing more water or adding more good bacteria, then it’s a small price to pay.

 

[mmorrison55]

After last nights 20% water change my levels are now:

Phosphate .14
Nitrate 8.2
Nitrite .059

I may wait and check tomorrow and see which way they trend, the do another 20% if they are trending up.

 

[vetteguy53081]

In my 180 overall/150 display tank, Late this afternoon, I found my 1st casualty of my new tank build. One of my banggai cardinals. When I added them to the tank almost a week ago, I added 3 small (~1” in size) cardinals, a tiny yellow goby, and a silver $ pancake sized powder blue. The powder blue was picked on by my magnificent fox face, who’s just barely bigger than the powder blue, for about the 1st 30 minutes, and then since, the powder blue, purple tang, and fox face seem to be inseparable.

Looking back, I know I added too many fish too quickly for one and two, I’m likely over feeding.

My livestock includes 2 small clowns, 2 azure damsels, royal gramma, purple tang, mag fox face, powder blue, 2 banggai (now 2 was 3) cardinals, 1 tiny yellow watchman goby, a blood red shrimp, and handful of hermit crabs.

After the cardinal passed, I tested my parameters and things are elevated. I’m not sure if it’s the cause or the affect.

Salinity 34.4 ppt
Ammonia .07 ppm
Nitrite .096 ppm
Nitrate 11.9 ppm
Phosphate .39 ppm

Alk 7.6
Ca 378
Mg 1181
Ph 7.80
Orp 300


My feedings up to now, have been about 3/4 sheet of sea veggies per day, along with 1/2 cube of mysis and part of a cube of brine, and some small pellets of the tdo chroma boost. I think most of the high phosphate is from the pellets,as about 1/4 ends up in the overflow.

I did a 20% water change to be safe. I emptied my sump, approx 30 gallons and refilled with 35 ppt salinity water. I also added some phosphate-e (20 ml)

I was thinking I probably need to do another sump worths of water change tomorrow to be a 40% change overall, and probably should not feed my fish anything but some Julian sprungs sea veggie green for the next day or two until my phosphates come down.

I’m on the fence if I should add some additional bacteria such as MicroBacter 7. I have zero signs of algae growth, other than my Fiji pink sand bed is slightly tinged darker than original and my rock scape is not as white as day one, but I see almost non existent signs of any algae besides what ends up on the glass and back wall that I clean about every 5-6 days.

I do run UV, a fleece roller, and a skimmer.

I think this gives an up to date of my setup. All recommendations and suggestions are welcome, so Is this a decent approach or would you advise differently?

Thanks,

Mike

I can provide photos of the tank and inhabitants if requested.

Ammonia elevated a little and bangaiis in numbers do fight and fight hard and may have been cause. They also ship poorly in some cases and while they look stable at an LFS may be weaker than you see

 

[vetteguy53081]

After last nights 20% water change my levels are now:

Phosphate .14
Nitrate 8.2
Nitrite .059

I may wait and check tomorrow and see which way they trend, the do another 20% if they are trending up.

Looks like you may be using an API test kit and if so, I encourage you to take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at
Also disregard nitrite reading which is freshwater specific

 

[mmorrison55]

Ammonia elevated a little and bangaiis in numbers do fight and fight hard and may have been cause. They also ship poorly in some cases and while they look stable at an LFS may be weaker than you see

Yeah, I think I got a bad batch I’m sorry to say. It looks like another one may be on its way out.

I have two LFS that I mainly use. One is more known for his quality of fish and doing a semi QT before releasing them for sale, and when I happened to be in his stores, he did not have any banggai’s and was saying he’s not seen any good ones for a while. I then happened to stop by my other LFS who helped me install my tank and who is more known for corrals, and he had said that they had found a new dealer who was getting good supplies from Africa and they had a tankful of small < 1 “ juveniles at a decent price so I took my chances as they looked healthy.

I know they don’t swim like a typical fish would anyways, but this current behavior seems off to me, as it’s hanging out at the top of the water line, nose up. I thought maybe it finally got hungry so I dispensed a 1/2 pump of pellet food and it looked like it took a bite, so idk. Here’s a short video of its movement.

Is this normal?

 

[mmorrison55]

Looks like you may be using an API test kit and if so, I encourage you to take a water sample to a store that does NOT use Api kits and have them test your ammonia and nitrates and compare readings- then you'll know where your levels truly are at
Also disregard nitrite reading which is freshwater specific

I’m using Hannah checkers. I’m color blind so any differentiating similar color shades is not something I could rely on doing accurately

 

[JTP424]

Yeah, I think I got a bad batch I’m sorry to say. It looks like another one may be on its way out.

I have two LFS that I mainly use. One is more known for his quality of fish and doing a semi QT before releasing them for sale, and when I happened to be in his stores, he did not have any banggai’s and was saying he’s not seen any good ones for a while. I then happened to stop by my other LFS who helped me install my tank and who is more known for corrals, and he had said that they had found a new dealer who was getting good supplies from Africa and they had a tankful of small < 1 “ juveniles at a decent price so I took my chances as they looked healthy.

I know they don’t swim like a typical fish would anyways, but this current behavior seems off to me, as it’s hanging out at the top of the water line, nose up. I thought maybe it finally got hungry so I dispensed a 1/2 pump of pellet food and it looked like it took a bite, so idk. Here’s a short video of its movement.

Is this normal?

They may need some more oxygen, do any of your wavemakers etc break the surface of the water a little?
*Edit, it does look like it may break the surface on one of the ends, just looks like a calm surface.

*Also very clean tank!

 

[mmorrison55]

They may need some more oxygen, do any of your wavemakers etc break the surface of the water a little?

My returns are directed somewhat close to the water line and I have a good ripple across the entire surface. As for the mp40s, only two of the 4 are operating and are currently set to reef rest mode and max out at 50%.

I turned to two back ones off as they were proving to be too much and was moving the sand on the front glass and exposing the bottom. I need to move them to the side, but thought 2, 1 on each side of a 5ft tank, would provide enough flow for now

 

[vetteguy53081]

My returns are directed somewhat close to the water line and I have a good ripple across the entire surface. As for the mp40s, only two of the 4 are operating and are currently set to reef rest mode and max out at 50%.

I turned to two back ones off as they were proving to be too much and was moving the sand on the front glass and exposing the bottom. I need to move them to the side, but thought 2, 1 on each side of a 5ft tank, would provide enough flow for now

Dont think an oxygen issue as other occupants too would show signs of distress and heavy breathing.

 

[JTP424]

Dont think an oxygen issue as other occupants too would show signs of distress and heavy breathing.

Disregard my thought

 

[mmorrison55]

It’s worth

Disregard my thought

it was worth mentioning.the thought did cross my mind.

 

[mmorrison55]

I think it’s just a bad batch of Banggais. The second little guy just succumbed as well.

I need to call my LFS and see if their stock has been dying off as well. And see about taking my other one back in case he needs to be QT’d or given some kind of treatment