Shrimp keep dying??

>>I use SeaChem reef buffer myself. Be sure to measure alkalinity as well.
>>
>> I used a product some will refer to a "Snake Oil" to remedy my tank of
>> high nitrates after it was in "Storage" mode for a couple of years at my
>> girlfriend's (now wife) house while I was away at school. It requires a
>> skimmer and that is why I asked about it.
>> After doing many large water changes only to end up with still high
>> nitrates in the tank (>160), I resorted to AZNO3 or Absolute Zero NO3. It
>> worked as advertised, but I only had live rock and microfauna in my tank
>> at the time. It reduced my nitrates to zero in a month and gave me a
>> starting point for rebuilding the tank. It is supposed to be reef safe,
>> but I cannot testify to that fact..
>>
>> Since yours is only at 60 (but still too high) hopefully you can bring it
>> down with additional rock only. Upgrading to a better skimmer could also
>> help by greatly reducing the amount of Dissolved Organics before they are
>> broken down to nitrate. You do not mention what kind of bottom you have
>> in your tank. Is it bare? Crushed coral? Silicate Sand? Aragonite Sand?
>>
>> The canister filter is fine so long as you do not use any floss or sponge
>> in it (circulation only). Only use it for absorbent filter media, but it
>> still needs to be broken down and cleaned every couple of weeks and media
>> changed only when exhausted. Even a poly filter can become a nitrate
>> factory when it gets clogged with organic wastes. The canister adds to
>> the total volume of tank water, so it helps with dilution of the bad
>> stuff. But if cleaning it is a hassle, then sacrifice it for a powerhead
>> or two in the main tank and use your skilter for absorbent media since it
>> is really easy to clean.
>>
>> Use a turkey baster on a regular basis to get detritus up and into the
>> skilter, cleaning the skilter after the water clears. Try to do that at
>> least once a week..
>>
>> CW
>>

>>>I have a skilter filter (I know it's on the low end ) that I'm only
>>>running a poly filter in. I mainly use it for water movement but the
>>>skimmer does pick up. I cleaned that up yesterday to as it may have
>>>contributed to high nitrates. My Ph has dropped some so I'm going to
>>>work with that today.
>>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Susan :)
>>>> Do you have a protein skimmer?
>>>> Also, with corals and inverts, I would keep that PH at 8.2-8.4...
>>>>
>>>> CW
>>>>>I hope someone out there can give me an idea what's going on in my
>>>>>tank. I have a 29 gallon reef/fish tank with approx.15-20 lbs live
>>>>>rock. It's been set up for about 10 months. After I had it set up I
>>>>>bought a pepperment shrimp who got big and was thriving. I found him
>>>>>dead recently in my tank with no apparent injury. I rubbed it off that
>>>>>he was old. I since had purchased 2 cleaner shrimps at different times
>>>>>and lost both of them within a week after buying each of them. Again no
>>>>>apparent injury. Salinity is 24, PH 8.0, no nitrites or ammonia.
>>>>>Nitrates around 60.(It's always been around this point since setting it
>>>>>up) I added a few corals to the tank a month or so ago. I have a
>>>>>damsel, 2 clown fish, clown goby, 2 crabs and a turbo snail that have
>>>>>lived in the tank a long time and doing well. The guy at the pet store
>>>>>thought maybe it was a mantis shrimp killing them. I haven't seen any
>>>>>in my tank and assume they would eat the shrimp if they did kill them??
>>>>>Anybody have any ideas what is killing off the shrimps?
>>>>>
>>>>> Thanks--Susan
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>