Hey guys, well I finally did it. After spending shit load of money and countless I give up stages, everything is up and running.
Here is my set up right now:
75gal tank
Fluval 405 canister filter
Aquaclear 70 pump
Super Skimmer 65
60lb live sand (30 from beach, 30 from LFS)
70lb of live rock (40 from beach, 30 from LFS)
5 damsels
1 foxface
Its been around a month and a half and I lost 5 damsels and 1 foxface, my levels are not completely balanced yet. I still have little ammonia and some nitrites but my fish have been living for 3 weeks. I also added "Bio Spira Marine Nutrifying Bacteria" which lowered my ammonia by half in 2 days.
PS: Got 25lb of high quality live rock today from LFS for $3.75 per lb. They have a happy hour special on Mondays where fish stuff is 25% off. Looks like top of the line stuff that sells for 7$ per lb
Please invest another $35 and buy a book named "The Conscientious Marine Aquarist" by Robert Fenner.
Cycling a tank with fish is not just wrong but is a waste of money for the fish. Some hardy fish like Damsels can live though a full blown ammonia and nitrite spike but it's totally not necessary. Cycling and the initial ammonia spike is best achieved with a decaying shrimp(prawn) or pure ammonia added to the tank.
Any detectable ammonia is very damaging to the gills of a fish.
You should never add any fish or inverts to a tank until the ammonia and nitrite hit 0 and nitrates are detectable.
Most likely all the fish that have died have done so do to the ammonia and nitrite levels. Another possibility is contamination from sand and rock collected on and near the beach where most pollutants from the ocean end up.
A pollutant in the ocean can be somewhat neglidgeable when considering the size, in a tiny closed system such as an aquarium, the damage can be much more severe. Be very careful putting anything in your aquarium from the beach or close off shore.
This hobby/passion/money pit requires a lot of patience. One thing someone should never rush is the initial nitrogen cycle. With 100% cured live rock, you could start adding 1 or 2 fish pretty much right away but when you are dealing with possible uncured live rock or personally collected LR, one should wait out the cycle and add a decaying shrimp or a bit of flake food or pure ammonia to make sure the bacterial colonies can handle a given boiload.
Go slow. Nothing GOOD happens quickly in a Marine tank but most bad things do.
+ it is very cruel for the fishes . if you place fishes in a new tank or while it is being cycled even damsels ( hardy or not ) it is torture for the fishes . place the salt water . place the live rock the gravel and wait for at least 2 weaks . why not even the curing process can be beautiful to witness . and finally if you read every other picture in the saltwater gallery you will see the word Patience . Schigara is right take your time.
