All Dead!!!!

[jthatcher96]

I made a bad mistake somewhere! OK does anyone have any ideas so I don't do it again. I lost all my fish. I had a clown, Blue Hippo, and a Goby. I also lost all my emerald crabs, few hermit crabs, and lucky me save 3 out of 4 urchins by moving them to my QT. Heres the deal, I did a complete water change. Just got a new RO system and mixed up a batch of water in a tub and got it ready to go, drained out tank and filled with new water. The same time I did this, I did my QT and topped off my freshwater tank. QT was fine and fresh was good too. All the water tests I ran came back fine. My nitrate was high, but not any higher then it was before any changes were made. Bottom line I came up with is this. I have a hang on the side protien skimmer, a bio wheel and 2 power heads hooked up to an underground filter system. I have crushed shell obviously cause sand would get sucked up the filter. I took out my bio wheel and skimmer for about 3 days and left just the under ground running. I have used just underground before and had no problems. All the stuff in my tank died all the same time. I went to work and all looked norm. Came home 10 hours later and all dead. Like something had gotten dumped in the tank that killed everything. I do not have any kids, so that was not the case. Anyone have any ideas!!!!!!!! Do under ground filters do more damage then good? Should I go to sand like I used in my QT? I didn't figure the bio wheel was that big of piece to my tank. To clear a few things up. Everything died before I even put the bio wheel and skimmer back on. The water was cloudy and after bio and skim back on, all clear again. My amonia sky rocketed here of late. Never seen it that high. Nothing seems to be hurt by it. Still have my clean up crew in the tank. By the way. 40 gal tank. Getting ready to do another water change and get everything back to spec before I basically start over. Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[reefforbrains]

Do a search on undergravel filters, I wrote out a long explanation on pros and cons. I am no expert but got sick of all the back and forth and posted on it.
Disturbing your bed can do all sorts of heinous things to your tank.

 

[puffer32]

Did you say you did a 100% water change?

 

[charlyhustle]

if you do a complete water change me its no longer an etablished tank

 

[bluemantr]

100% waterchange was big mistake. I think 25% waterchange max level on safe side.

 

[kanicky]

Also, get rid of the Blue Hippo. 40 gallons? Too small

They get huge and need a lot of swimming room. 75+ gallons at the least...
Undergravel filters are outdated. Your live rock and live sand (yes, crushed coral is not recommended, either) should be the only filter you need with a good skimmer.

 

[jthatcher96]

It was not a 100% water change. I changed all but about 25%, maybe even closer to 30%. Blue Hippo is gone. It's dead. Saltwaterfish.com sais 40 gal is ok for blue hippo as long as it's medium sized. Fish all looked great til this happened. I've had all for about a year. I plan on changing my bed to sand now and doing away with the undergravel. Sounds like the way to go. Anybody know about deep sea yellow gorgonians? I have one and I placed it in QT tank while ago. Its polups all came out for couple of days, which was good because they weren't before, and now there all closed up again. I run the complete reef check when I check my water and all says ok. I've tried putting it in darker areas and giving it plenty of light, but doesn't seem to be happy. I really like it. It adds nice color to my tanks, but I'm afraid if I don't get him happy soon, he's a gonner. Thanks for your alls help. Any more ideas would be good>

 

[promisetbg]

Sounds like lack of oxygen. Did you airate the new water for 24 hours, and make sure the temp & PH were the same? What did you use to mix the water up in? Any cleaners used near the tank? The undergravel filter will become a source of nitrates & PO4. What are all your parameters?

 

[jthatcher96]

I use a 30 gal storage tub to mix my water. It is only for mixing water and never been used elsewhere. My PH and Temp was as close to the same as one could get. A bit of info. After the water change, all were good for about 3 days. Then all of sudden, whammo!! Everything dead! Do you think lack of Ox. could have happened using just my undergravel filter Power Heads. They were not airating the water, just moving it. Did not do any sort of pre treatment for Ox. either. P.S. I do have 70 lbs. of live rock in my 40 gal tank. (anyone who is woundering)

 

[chinpokomon]

Do you have cleaning people or an over zealous cleaner in the house? Have you painted lately? One spray of Windex with ammonia D or constant paint fumes and you can have some dead fish. When I worked at a LFS we had this happen a few times one time a guys wife cleaned the salt build up on his tank with glass cleaner and everything was dead the next day and a few people came in to replace their tanks after painting in the house. One guy was so sure that he covered everything so carefully but he had no ventilation because it was winter and the fumes shot his ammonia beyond the highest level his test kit could read overnight . Just a though, sorry about your problem.

 

[promisetbg]

Are you sure you have the RO/DI unit hooked up correctly? Have you tested for ammonia? In some areas water can still have ammonia after the unit. I would suggest you do a full battery of tests. It is possible that it was lack of oxygen as I said. I would ditch the UGF, get some live sand, a couple powerheads... and/or plumb a sump in with a protein skimmer & a return pump.

 

[kanicky]

Originally Posted by jthatcher96
Saltwaterfish.com sais 40 gal is ok for blue hippo as long as it's medium sized.
Tangs grow very quickly, so even if he lived comfortably in a 40 gallon while he was two or three inches, he would have outgrown it, and then you'd either have to upgrade (nothing wrong with that), give him away, or sell him back to your LFS for credit... Just wanted you to keep in mind that it's really not a good idea, but no flames. Just love

 

[myrtle beach]

Ut-oh, tang police! We should tell saltwaterfish.com to replace the info. on the tang and make it a million gallons so there is no more controversy.
Sorry you killed all your fish. I would be more careful when doing a water change. I just did one yesterday and it was about 5-6 gallons and I tested the water a bunch of times.
Don't be afraid to try again and learn from your mistakes.

 

[mie]

I do about 10 to 15 gall in my 75 bi weekly all is good, on the other hand the owner of my lfs has a 125 and he does about 80% once a month and his tank is stunning

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by Bluemantr
100% waterchange was big mistake. I think 25% waterchange max level on safe side.
I do 40% water changes all the time. the key to large water changes is having your temp and SG exact. if its off just a little say hello to death by osmotic shock.

 

[reefkprz]

Originally Posted by charlyhustle
if you do a complete water change me its no longer an etablished tank
not true if you do a 100% water change you have very clean water, its not going to effect the bacteria grown on the rcok and sand. (unless the tank sits dry for too long. wich could very well have happened re instituing a cycle due to excessive die off.)

 

[reefkprz]

did you discard the first ten gallons you made with the new RO unit?

 

[jthatcher96]

Should I change my water since I just did lose everything? Or should I wait to see if the water straightens up? Last time I checked, the ammonia was high as could be (this was after all died, not before) Finally, I am still confused as to why things died after like 3 days? I would think that if I had done something to really mess up the water, I would have seen signs quicker. I also am confused as to why things didn't show signs of weakness? It is very likely that glass cleaner did get in the water. I cleaned off the outside and wiped the edges and while doing so, the paper towel came into contact with the water. Do you think this is why my ammonia spiked lately? It was climbing and when I tested it before, I didn't get a true reading because of the climb still happening?

 

[puffer32]

Originally Posted by reefkprZ
not true if you do a 100% water change you have very clean water, its not going to effect the bacteria grown on the rcok and sand. (unless the tank sits dry for too long. wich could very well have happened re instituing a cycle due to excessive die off.)
I agree. I did an 80% change once to get rid of trates, confident that the bacteria on sand and rock would be ok. It was a fast changeout, temp, salinity and PH were exactly the same. My tank looked better then ever and my trates went from 80 to 0.

 

[soldier0117]

A Blue Hippo can be in a smaller tank if it is not too big.