All my fish have died, what the heck could be wrong with my water ?

[af330i]

I have a 65 gallon saltwater tank that has completed it cycle and been around for 6 to 7 weeks,
I had too many fish but they were all looking good until my puffer got ich and then cotton eye 2 weeks ago. He looked like he was going to die.
I treated him with kick ich and it didn't seem to help, I then put in something that is supposed to improve the water that is natural I think it was called the big reef or something like that. Anyway I realized it would not work after one dose so I went back to the fish store and they gave me 'rid ich' I did 1 application of it and the puffer still looked very sick
I then got a 10 gallon hospital tank per the recommendations of this board (thanks) and used the same water from the 65 gallon tank to fill it, I got penicilen and after 5 days the puffer looks healthier then ever :yes:
Anyway, all my other fish have started to die off. I had a few damsels, 2 percula clowns, a dragon goby, a Koran angel and a yellow tang.
Each day I would lose 1 to 3 fish in the last week until they are now all gone. Only 2 snails are left alive
My ph is 8.2
Am -0-
nitrite - .25
nitrate 40
salt 1.020
I don't know what to do, I don't want to put the puffer into the death tank ... should I start my tank all over again by emptying it and refilling it fresh from day one ?
My experienced friend said I should do a very large water change of about 30 gallons but I am worried whatever is in the tank will kill off my fish but the water thats in the hospital tank had been taken directly from the death tank
My friend said that the fish probably got sick from mixing the 2 ich medicines and the big reef stuff ...
I have no idea what I should do now ... please help me out
thanks

 

[greatfullreefer]

Way too large of a bio-load for such a young tank. Koran Angels and tangs are not suited to a tank of that size and should only be acclimated to a mature system (IMO 8 - 12 months). When adding fish to a new system it should be done slowly like 1 fish per month as this allows your bacteria a chance to adapt to the extra bio-load.

 

[ophiura]

If your nitrite is at .25 now, then I am wondering if you re-cycled your tank due to the "extraordinarily" high bioload followed by medication. Your tank was overstocked even for a mature fully stocked tank, let alone a new one, sorry to say.
YOur salinity is low, your nitrate is high, your nitrite is high. I would definitely say a series of water changes i required! Not necessarily 50%, but a series of 15% or so.

 

[af330i]

Originally Posted by ophiura
If your nitrite is at .25 now, then I am wondering if you re-cycled your tank due to the "extraordinarily" high bioload followed by medication. Your tank was overstocked even for a mature fully stocked tank, let alone a new one, sorry to say.
YOur salinity is low, your nitrate is high, your nitrite is high. I would definitely say a series of water changes i required! Not necessarily 50%, but a series of 15% or so.
the nitrite level was .25 for a while then some of the new fish raised it to .5 for about 1 1/2 weeks, now it is back to .25
I have been taking readings every other day so I really don't think it is the nitrite that kileed them off ...
On the salinity ... I am going insane with this, one fish pro said to lower it, another says to raise it ... this whole fish thing is so crazy, no one agree's with another

 

[ophiura]

Nitrite is quite toxic, but even more toxic is the ammonia that it came from. Something is definitely wrong if you have measurable nitrites and ammonia in a cycled tank. Those can stress fish out, and that can result in disease. YOu should see "0" readings. Nitrate is open to argument on levels, but nitrite and ammonia should be 0.
Your salinity is fatal to many invertebrates, which is why people say to keep it low (it supposedly kills of Ick)...but it is somewhat "old school" IMO, to keep it this artificially low. It is nothing like natural sea salinity. If an LFS person says that you should lower it even further, I would find a new LFS and not trust their stock, personally :yes:

 

[ebaybrad]

do a 30 gallon water change...screw the snails. Buy 3 damsels and wait a day. Put the puffer back in the tank and then sit. do not add fish. do not add medicine. do not add anything. water changes solve most any problem. Change kills fish...stress kills fish...fighting causes stress which kills fish...mixing medicines kills bacteria good and bad and kills fish (people also)...changing temperature stresses fish and kills fish...adding too many fish too soon causes nutrient buldup and kills fish...get the point yet?
Do everything very slowly and methodically and you will be successful.
Ask many people any u will get many different answers. The worst thing you can do is take the advice of several people and apply it all at the same time. Take the advice of someone you trust that has maintained tanks successfully for a while and go with it. People are giving you advice based on what has worked for them. That does not mean it will work for u. As a matter of fact, maybe they just got lucky!
We are putting fish in a water filled cage, which is in itself un natural. all we can do is to create an enviornmetn as close to the natural habitat of these fish. The natural enviornment of a reef is stable and incredibly unchanging! Mimic that and you will have the best success.
Finally and repetitively...water changes (preferable in small anounts, but frequent) will solve most problems...and go SLLLLLOOOOOWWWWW!!!!!
Sometimes fish die for no reason..if all of em die...you are doing wrong.
i do not think many will dieagree with the above...but ya never know...

 

[ebaybrad]

Just Wanted This Post Back On Top

 

[dskidmore]

Originally Posted by ebaybrad
do a 30 gallon water change...screw the snails. Buy 3 damsels and wait a day.
I agree with everything except the damsels part, unless that's the fish AF330i really wants to go with. Do the big water changes, test the water again. When nitrites are 0, and the tank has been ick free for a month, put puffy back in. A month later, pick One of the fish you want to end up with, and see how he/she does for a month, then pick the next one... You want to end up with less than 13" of fish, accounting for thier full grown size, not thier current size.

 

[itchy]

Agreed everything must been done very slowly. I agree with ophuria...do small water changes over a period of a couple of weeks. It sounds as though you have put the tank into anther cycle with the amount of fish that have been added in such a short period of time. The thing with saltwater is diffently patience. I would not put your puffer or anything into you display tank at this time. Let the tank cycle again...per your readings with the nitrites you are stilling going thru a cycle which is deadly to most marine animals.
When your readings are at 0...meaning ammonia, nitrites and nitrates are less than .03 then you can start to add fish very SLOWLY. I have had saltwater fish only tanks for 8 yrs now. I have had lots of losses due to inexperienced LFS workers or to my own ignorance. This board is a great place to find advice on many issues. If someone can not answer you they will direct you in the right place. Big thing is remember to go slow. Good Luck and try not to get discouraged as this can be a rewarding hobby.

 

[dskidmore]

Originally Posted by itchy
nitrates are less than .03
Is that really doable in a new tank? I've heard of mature tanks with nitrates that low, but not new ones.

 

[itchy]

Dskidmore....I have never had a high reading of nitrates or even close since my orginal cycle. But I did take a lot of time adding stock to my tank. So maybe it is not realistic but that I am not sure on. I do know that you shouldn't add some of the more popular fish until you have a more stable and well established tank. That is my opinion and my experience so I guess what I am saying is I can't answer your question. :notsure:
Clowns and damsels seem to be the ones that can tolerate the higher nitrate levels but still doesn't make it safe. So i would think that adding anything until you test at a tolerable and safe level would only make since? ummmm......Any other advice out there?
So far ...and knock on wood....my nitrates stay at less than .03. I have more than 100lbs or LR and a pretty good amount of LS ( can not remember exact because it has been so long) a protein skimmer and my emperor 400 along with a minimal amount of clean up crew ( am adding more as days go by) with no issues of nitrates! Have i been lucky? Don't know.