My fish are dying

[Winston]

I started my first salt water reef tank at the end of April of this year. It's a 32 gallon tank to which I added
30 pounds of Arononite Substrate
15 pounds of live sand
about 25 pounds of live rock

150 Watt submersble Auariun heater
Skilter 250 ( this filters and skims protien)
1 Aquaclear 20 powerhead

On Sept. 5th all tests showed the water was good, bought 3 green chromis and one bluefin damsel
over the next few weeks a total of 8 chromis joined the group and none survived.
Oct. 1 only the bluefin survived
bought two clownfish - one only lasted a day.
Did a water change(about 6 gallons) using prepared salt water
Oct. 3 added a mushroom coral and more live rock
started adding phytoplankton

All tests show water good - PH 7.8 and started adding Pro Buffer dKH
Now it is 8 +

bought a Turbo Snail
bought a cleaner shrimp

This month I was given a sailfin tang who survived about 10 days, since it was a gift, and I thought that his demise was caused by bullying by the bluefin, I disposed of the bluefin and replaced it with a second sailfin tang.

Tang was in trouble in about two days. I isolated him in a breeder tank and did another water change.

Today: Mushroom coral, snail, and shrimp are thriving.
Only one clownfish survives.

What can be the problem. Help! Suggestions.

[aquaboy]

Did you cycle the tank? The sailfin tangs are way to big for that tank, and the skilter isnt the best filter there is. The smallest tangs should be in a 55gallon or higher (preferably). What kind of lights do you have?

[Matt Rogers]

Too many fish at once too.
We have all done this, try to slow it down.

[Reefdiver72]

what is your heat? at also is staying at a decent temp? snails and shrooms will live at a less temperature then fish. way to many fish too and tangs need at least a 75 and then not for long. Imo they get huge sailfins can get to 17inches top to bottom in capativity.

[lunatik_69]

Need to know your water param's, all of them. Have you checked for copper?

[cuttingras]

how about acclimating? do you do that with your fish?

[reef_guru]

to much CO2 vs O2, need to redox the system

[wastemanagement]

I agree with the gang here on the sailfin tangs they are a nice fish but suited to a larger tank , also even then they can be hit and miss.
Afetr 5mths your tank should be well enough established to house fish as hardy as cromis. however , what tests were done exactly and how much are you feeding these fish of your.

welcome to the 3reef

[Nemo 22]

dont sailfins need like 120+ gallons.i belive they do.smaller tanks require less fish and alot mor time for the water to adjust each time.

[omard]

Try increasing frequency/amount of water changes until bio-filter becomes better established.

BTW...Skilter skimmers notoriously inefficient unless modded.


See: Skilter 250 Modification