Anybody got any advice?

[sparky]

Hello everyone. This is my first post, although I have been reading posts for several weeks now.About a month ago, I set up my new 80 gallon reef tank. I had a 55 gallon reef tank before, only a hexagon. Grateful for all of the extra room, I was on my way. Here is my set up:
200 lbs "natures ocean" live sand - 4" DSB
90-100 Lbs live rock - cured
CPR bakpak2- was on my 55 gal.
Fluval 303- Chemi pure and foam inside.
CSL PCMH 175-10k m.h. 2-65 watt atinic pc's
halides on for 8 hrs, atinics 2 hrs before and after.
1- colt tree coral- fully open and extended
1- grn pagoda coral- fully open
1- bubble anenome w tomato clown 1"- happy and open- growing since put in 80 gal.
1- elegance coral- open and extended
1- mushroom rock- been pretty closed since intro. believe too much light, must relocate.
1- blue tang 1.5"
1- royal gramma 1.5"
1- cherub pygmy angel 1.5"
1- arrow crab
1- sally lightfoot
2- cleaner shrimp(new) see below
1- baby pencil urchin ? where from, l.r.??
my question is: I've lost 2 cleaner shrimp, 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 brittle star.All of my snails have been closed up. Will move a little ways, then lay there like there dead. But al respond to touch(close up). Tested water as I went, always had good cond. Just tested:
0- nitrates
0- nitrites
0- ammonia
8.2 ph
Anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to what may be happening? Is water 'too' clean. Please, any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[dad]

i don't want to alarm you but did the tank go through a proper cycle before you added the cleanup crew?
this could be serious!

 

[sparky]

I used the filter, water and rock out of my 55. With adding the new substrate and some new water, I expected a short cycle. kept testing water to check for variances for the first week and a half. After no spikes or any real change, except for some brown algae which subsiding, I decided to start adding my old fish. 1-2 a day including corals. Kept an eye on water parameters. All signs are good. The only addition was a watchman goby, for sand sifting. But after seeing a dead shrimp and seeing him "burying" him in sand, he was relocated back to lfs.

 

[adrian]

What is your salinity, all the organisms you mentioned do poorly at a low salinity, lower than 1.022SG could cause problems. If your coral are all open and everything else is doing well then water quality is probably not the source. Could they have been preyed upon by something. Not saying its to blame, but Arrow crabs are known to become very aggresive once they reach a certain size. Do you add iodide in any form to your tank, ie additives, quality foods, ect. This is heavily debated, but some say it is very important to all the above, maybe excluding the star. HTH

 

[sparky]

Just checked it, 1.022. I have no idea. actually the arrow crab has been in there for 1 week and this unfortunatly has been going on before his addition.Have been using kent tectra I, calcium, stron.,coral vite, coral vital. As per directions.???

 

[dad]

i mention this because i did the exact same thing a year ago.
i thought my tank had cycled and i added the same crew to it. this made my tank cycle and i lost my stars,etc.
i am not an expert by no means!
but this sounds to familiar to me!
my stars were the first to go. then the emeralds.
do a ammonia test.
i am not an expert as i said. only talking from my own mistakes.
i'll be on for a bit, let me know,ok?

 

[sparky]

Well, 0 on my test kit. Is this thing broke. Just a run of bad luck? corals and fish are happy as clams! I...???, What do you think of the chemi-pure, leave it in or take it out. Cant figure it.

 

[dad]

i like your choices in chems.i would also recommend "tech-m".
but that is another subject.
keep a close eye on your cleanup crew!
i would also get a new ammonia test kit to be on the safe side.
it just sounds to familiar to me.
sorry i'm not more help.

 

[burnnspy]

Tank look alright on the surface.
What is the alkalinity?
BurnNSpy

 

[wolffam]

Check phosphates. I had several snails start dropping off the glass and die. Tested phosphates and they were high. Did a water change, lowered phosphate and haven't had a problem since. Also, did you add any chemicals containing copper? Friend did this by accident and wiped out all his inverts with 24 hrs. HTH