question

kwok · #1 03-19-2012, 04:38 AM

My tank is doing some funny things and i would like some help.

it's a 20 gallon FOWLR and i currently have two small clarkii clowns and a scooter blenny and 6 hermit crabs and 1 snail.

my fish are not moving much and they seem to be breathing heavily. they don't go after the food during feeding time.

my parameters are:

salinity: 1.023
temp: 25 c
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0
nitrate: 0
ph: 7.8-8.0 - i know it's a bit low but it was 8.3 just a few days ago.

i also had a sex line wrasse in it a few days ago and it died last night. all i did the last 2 days was a 20% water change and i added a new powerhead. i use water conditioner for my water changes. i'm not sure what else to test for my tank. any suggestions?

subman · #2 03-19-2012, 04:45 AM

sounds like low o2. point a powerhead up to cause some surface turbulence.

do you run a skimmer?

tim the toolman · #3 03-19-2012, 05:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by subman

sounds like low o2. point a powerhead up to cause some surface turbulence.

do you run a skimmer?

+1 on the oxygen. Are you getting a film on the top of your water?

kwok · #4 03-19-2012, 05:10 AM

Ohhh i never thought of that. I pointed the powerhead more in an angle but how do i know It's getting enough oxygen? I also do not run a skimmer even though i have one. Thanks

tim the toolman · #5 03-19-2012, 05:12 AM

Do you have any type of surface skimming, overflow or canister surface attachment?

subman · #6 03-19-2012, 05:16 AM

if you can hook the skimmer up if not to skim at least for now to get some o2 in.

glass tops?

kwok · #7 03-19-2012, 05:18 AM

i do not have any surface skimming right now so i am really thinking it is low oxygen. should i use my old powerhead (it's really strong) to create more oxygen? i also have a power filter that is not in use. should i use that also?

kwok · #8 03-19-2012, 05:20 AM

no glass top. it's open. i will try to hook up my skimmer. i haven't opened it yet. was going to use it when i get corals.

reefwars · #9 03-19-2012, 04:33 PM

yes but you see you added to much to fast restarting your cycle, 2 clowns, a six line wrasses and a scooter are far too much for a 20g just set up and finished cycling not even 2 weeks ago.

a scooter is not a good choice for a first addition imo.

see when you start testing after set up and you see the amonia drops to zero it means that you can add something small, this is going to add a very small amount of amonia to your tank on a regular basis thus keeping bacteria multiplying, as the bacteria multiplys it is able to handle stronger loads of amonia....this is called a bio load......if you add more amonia to your tank then it can handle.....it creates a "cycle" or "mini cycle" thus having to pretty much start from scratch.........it is very hard on fish.

patience is the key here

kwok · #10 03-19-2012, 04:40 PM

ok that could be the reason and i do blame myself for being a bit too impatient adding too many fish at a time even though i added a new fish about once a week and if i wanted to start over again how should i approach it? if all my fish are going to die and it's starting to look like that do i just wait till they die and then let my tank keep cycling with just hermit crabs and if so when can i add a fish cause my reading's show 0's?