Youngfish

Help, I can't seen to keep my fish alive.

hang on back filter and floresent hood lights
55 gal salt water
35 lbs of live rock, 50 lbs. crushed coral
pH =8.1;nitrate=0; nitrite=0; ammonia <.52 PPM
Temp 80
Salt 1.023

After 2 weeks of rock only I added two blue damels, 1 week later one killed the other, added 1 domino damsel this "striaghtened out " the other blue damsel.

week later added royal gramma, lasted 3 days
lost the domino a week or so later.

2 weeks later put in a yellow butterfly, a strawberry basslet, and Eiblii Angel, 3 apple snails and 3 hermit crabs

everything was great for 10 days, then Butterfly got ick, lost him after first treatment, 2 days later basslet got ick, treatment seemed to work for him then last day of treatment 7th day, came home to find him and the angle dead.

I'm lost, all the tests come out ok, I do water changes weekly, 10 gallons with gravel siphen. the first damsel and the snails and crabs are all doing well but I'm afraid to put in any other fish

cerianthus

First, let the tank restablize by leaving it alone, not even water changes. I am wondering why Ammonia when tank is cycled, maybe overfed?
Any Protein skimmer? UV Sterilizer? Butterfly is not the best choice for beginner, imo.
More info would help!

travie

Ammonia <.52 ppm

That being anything but 0 is probably the main cause. Do not add anymore live stock till ammonia and nitrite are both at 0.

Youngfish

I do not have protein skimmer or uv sterilizer.
Would a cleaner shrimp be helpful?
There is a lot of algae in the tank.

Aquaman123456

You should use a skimmer unless your tank is stacked with a lot of Live rock,even then a skimmer always help. Looks like the fish were added too early. Ive been told by people who have been keeping reefs for a very long time that fish should not be added for a while. That seems to be a reason why a lot of saltwater fish die because of being added to early and dieing from high nitrate/ammonia levels.

Miss Mouse

Yeah aquaman got it right - marine tanks have got to run and stabilise much slower than freshwater. I learned quickly - take everything very very slowly. I only added one fish every 2 months and i never had a problem after that. I left the tank cycle for 1 month with live sand, then added 2 damsels. Then a month later a clown etc etc... it just takes time, be patient and you'll succeed!

Youngfish

Thanks for your help. Pet stores in my area are horrorable, this site has been great.