HELP!!! Tank wiped out 15gl Fowlr tank

[vinceprince]

Hi Experts,


I need your advise, about a month ago I started this hobby and failed.


After 2-3 weeks of cycle, when my Ammonia, Nitrate and Nitrite dropped to zero I started adding 2 clowns fish and a baby BT in my tank. After couple of days, I added more and so on..


In total here's what I have within 3 weeks of starting the cycle
2 clown fish
2 watchmen goby
1 MI
1 BT
1 HYT
1 DotyBack
1 Firefish
2 red Shrimp
2 hermit crab


(I know it's too crowded. I got excited)


I have a huge live rock, live sand, mechanical filter and powerhead. I also do 10-30% water change every week and every other day vacuum if a lot of food remains uneaten.


What could be the reason why I failed in my first attempt?


The last thing I saw is BT got ich and the clownfish got some sort of brooklynella(they are like covered with wet tissue paper and hard breathing because they stayed in the top) (all parameters are zero)


Currently, I cleaned my tank removed my water(NSW), removed the live sand and live rock(Cleaned and put it under the sun for 3 days) also, I did not use my tank for 3 days.


I will start tomorrow and start rebuilding my tank so I need your help to avoid having the same mistake that I did. Thanks in advance.


BTW, I have read that successful nano Fowlr tank has protein skimmer, Do I really need this?

 

[spieszak]

This is so bad it reads like you are trolling. I'm going to answer with that in mind, but...
Two clowns is more than enough bio load for a 15 gallon tank.
Do some more research and good luck

 

[1guydude]

+1
I dont even know what the abbreviations are for?
You didnt need to pull it all apart.

Books. Get a book! 2-3 small non open water swimming fish.
Protein skimmer
2 powerheads.
Research sump.
Water changes?
I dont even know what to say.
-d

 

[NanaReefer]

This is so bad it reads like you are trolling. I'm going to answer with that in mind, but...
Two clowns is more than enough bio load for a 15 gallon tank.
Do some more research and good luck

 

[vinceprince]

Well, after reading your reply I felt like your being rude and unhelpful. I am doing a research but I know that experience is better than books that's why I am asking the experts here. If I am not clear in some terms that I used, it would not kill or hurt anyone if you clarify it with me. I am a newbie and I really want this to work so please be kind for those who are like me who is just starting this hobby.

 

[rayjay]

If you ARE for real, then first of all stop buying from the LFS you bought all this from. Either you are a troll, or the store is a rip off.
Find another that won't stick you with something that doesn't belong in that tank, but instead, advise you on how much you can put in it and what can go with what other livestock already there.

 

[vinceprince]

This is one reason why I'm asking for someones opinion here. After what happened before I dont want to trust my LFS. But as I research more, I think I'm getting better with what I am doing. I redo my cycle and all my parameters are now zero. I added a hermit crab then maybe this weekend I will add my first firefish or clown fish.

Do you think its overstock to have 2 small clown fish and 2 firefish in a 15gl tank?

 

[vinceprince]

And why would something think that I am a fake or trolling??? which part from my post is funny or unbelievable to others?

 

[rayjay]

Your post is typical of a troll wanting to stir up sh_t on a forum because you say you have all that stock in such a small tank. In addition to what is spelled out, you list several by just short form letters which many or all of us don't know what they actually are, and if fish, it's even a worse situation.
Also, for a new tank to be so loaded up so soon can overload the new biological filtration as it needs time to ramp up to heavy loading.

As for now adding more, 2 small clowns will NOT stay two small clowns as they will grow quite rapidly, maybe larger even than you expect. Once mature, many clowns will become much more aggressive in nature, especially in small space. They may even turn on each other, but often on anything else in the small tank.
As for the firefish, being jumpers, any aggression from the clowns likely means they end up on the floor, fin damaged, or even outright killed sometimes.
The more fish you put into a system, the heavier the bioload, and if the system is naturally going to only handle a certain level of stocking, then extreme husbandry is going to be needed to be successful with any stock that is more than the system should handle.

JMO

 

[spieszak]

The proper question is why would anyone troll at this site. LOL

I'll repeat.
Two clowns is more than enough bio load for a 15 gallon tank.
Continue researching and good luck

 

[vinceprince]

Thanks for the clarification. I'm just a newbie and started buying fish after another.

I am now able to change things and started a new batch. BTW, I am planning to upgrade maybe after 3-4months of successfully making my new clowfish survive. I am planning for 50 or 75gallon tank. This hobby is expensive and will take a lot of patience.

Your post is typical of a troll wanting to stir up sh_t on a forum because you say you have all that stock in such a small tank. In addition to what is spelled out, you list several by just short form letters which many or all of us don't know what they actually are, and if fish, it's even a worse situation.
Also, for a new tank to be so loaded up so soon can overload the new biological filtration as it needs time to ramp up to heavy loading.

As for now adding more, 2 small clowns will NOT stay two small clowns as they will grow quite rapidly, maybe larger even than you expect. Once mature, many clowns will become much more aggressive in nature, especially in small space. They may even turn on each other, but often on anything else in the small tank.
As for the firefish, being jumpers, any aggression from the clowns likely means they end up on the floor, fin damaged, or even outright killed sometimes.
The more fish you put into a system, the heavier the bioload, and if the system is naturally going to only handle a certain level of stocking, then extreme husbandry is going to be needed to be successful with any stock that is more than the system should handle.

JMO

 

[vinceprince]

I didn't know that someone will troll at this site as well but anyways, Thanks for clearing things up. Im not trolling, I'm just a newbie..

The proper question is why would anyone troll at this site. LOL

I'll repeat.
Two clowns is more than enough bio load for a 15 gallon tank.
Continue researching and good luck

 

[vinceprince]

Hi just an update with my nano tank.

It has succeeded its 1st month with fish. I brought a small 6 line wrasse, hermit crab and 2 camel shrimp.

All are looking healthy and happy.

I'm planning to upgrade in the first quarter next year to a 50 or 75g and use my 15g as QT tank.

Thanks everyone for your help

 

[NanaReefer]

Congratulations! The upgrade bug will definitely get you. I started with an 8g, then upped that to a 26g and now I'm up to a 40B/20L sump. My next and last will be a 75g.....I think-lol.

 

[vinceprince]

Congratulations! The upgrade bug will definitely get you. I started with an 8g, then upped that to a 26g and now I'm up to a 40B/20L sump. My next and last will be a 75g.....I think-lol.

Thanks I have doubts with 75g if I can sustain the expenses haha.. But as what I've read, the bigger the better.

 

[NanaReefer]

Most of the equipment I run now on my 40 will fit well on a 75. I planned it this way knowing what I know about the reefing bug-lol.

 

[Katchupoy]

Or what you can do is start with 20G long, or 40 breeder. Small display tank, but plumb it to a bigger water tank storage. It can be a brute container, or another tank that just hold water. See, the expensive part is the lighting, but if you are only putting a light on a small display tank, then it is not a problem.... you just need to compensate on the heating side, since you are going to heat more volume of water.

And yes, the bigger the better. But that means, the bigger the volume of water the better. It does not mean the bigger the display tank. Volume is important because of dilution.

Watch out for the Petco, dollar per gallon sale.

Good luck...

And yes I agree with your tank being full. The smallest fish needs at least 10 gallons of space to roam around. So that leaves you 1, and two fishes are pushing it.

 

[vinceprince]

Or what you can do is start with 20G long, or 40 breeder. Small display tank, but plumb it to a bigger water tank storage. It can be a brute container, or another tank that just hold water. See, the expensive part is the lighting, but if you are only putting a light on a small display tank, then it is not a problem.... you just need to compensate on the heating side, since you are going to heat more volume of water.

And yes, the bigger the better. But that means, the bigger the volume of water the better. It does not mean the bigger the display tank. Volume is important because of dilution.

Watch out for the Petco, dollar per gallon sale.

Good luck...

And yes I agree with your tank being full. The smallest fish needs at least 10 gallons of space to roam around. So that leaves you 1, and two fishes are pushing it.

Thanks for your input. I just brought a cheap 20G aquarium as my QT. Sadly, my wrasse died yesterday. I added 3 Pajama Cardinal about 3-4 days ago then it started with missing Camel Shrimp then my wrasse died (no ich or any signs of sickness) the pajama cardinals are aggressive when I feed them could that be the problem? all parameters are good. im currently in Hyposalinity(treating my tank) temp is also normal.

 

[spieszak]

Why on earth would you add new fish when you were doing hypo on the tank?

 

[rayjay]

Why on earth would you add new fish when you were doing hypo on the tank?

I would say that probably because he is just learning. Nothing to be ashamed about. Learning process can be complex, and many of us I think tend to forget how little we knew at one time.
It can take some time to know what questions need asking before tasking, and sometimes errors happen even though intent to circumnavigate a process is not there.
While I can only remember a few of the missteps I took decades ago when I switched to salt, I'd bet there were at least 10 times as many that I don't remember.
Also, he may have been given misinformation from an LFS or even another hobbyist.
My concerns right now would be for the shrimp during the hypo treatment. Proper hypo treatment of sufficiently lowered pH would seriously put the inverts at risk I would think.
I have always done hypo treatments in a hospital tank myself, and not a display tank, just because of the corals and inverts that would be negatively affected.
Indeed, he may be doing so because he did buy a tank in order to "Q"
VP, can you change the filtration etc. over to the 20g tank and use the 15g for the hospital/q-tank? That would at least get you moving to larger volume when you are ready to proceed ahead. (but no more fish until you have solved your problems, and then no more if sufficient have survived for the size tank you will use.)
What do you actually have left right now?