Can't keep inverts alive

[rhomer]

My cycle completed about 1 month ago, I have added about two snails a week, and they all die in 24 - 48 hours. My ammonia is 0, nitrites 0, nitrates 10, ph 8.2, sg 1.023, temp 78-80. I'm running a sealife systems 75 with built in skimmer. I have about 85 lbs live rock 115 lbs ls. I have a neon goby in that's been there for a month, and a bi-color psuedochromis for a week.
I have tried activated carbon.
I usually perform a 2 hour drip before putting them in the tank, and I will place them on the glass, rock, or sand. When I place them on the glass they hold on for about 5 minutes then drop off. If I place them on the rock or sand, they don't move, I will pick them up a couple of days later and the snail ooze drips out. I also have 3 hermit crabs that have survived for about a month also. Should I be concerned? Are snails that fragile? I have some in my 7 gallon bow, and I don't have any trouble with them. I'm starting to get very frustrated. <img src="graemlins//uhuh.gif" border="0" alt="[U-Huh]" />

 

[javajoe]

The only thing i can think is that there might be smoething else that has contaminated your tank.
Is thuis a new tank?or has it been used for other purpsoses? (fresh water, reptiles, etc.)
if it was used before- if it was treated for ICH with copper - that could be it, and if reptiles-- you could even be looking at the tank being contanimated with salmonilla. (spelling)?
If you are usniga new tank- not sure-- most likely something is in the water that it not being tested for-- take some water to your LFS and tell them what is going on- see if they can test for you.
What about something shorting out? are you using a grounding probe? maybe you are frying the suckers?

 

[rhomer]

I'm sure if it was electricity, that my fish would be dead also, along with the three hermit crabs.
I ordered a clean-up crew from here 1 1/2 months ago, and when I got it everything died, it caused a huge ammonia spike.
I did 20 percent water change every three days until I turned the entire tank over. I waited out the re-cycle, and here I am.
The tank I bought off a friend, who had it up for 6 months as a reef tank.
I'm on the same page, I think that it might be some sort of other contaminant, do you have any ideas how to resolve this if it is?

 

[javajoe]

The best thing is to determine what the contaminent is.
it appears in this situation, that may not be possible-- you might want to try Aquarium Phrram. Chem-zorb... heklps to absorb bad chemicals, heavy metals etc.

<a href="http://www.aquariumpharm.com/catalog/aquarium/apaaq108a.htm" target="_blank">Info here.....</a>

 

[saltfin]

1)If old tank it could have been old copper traces
2)Is it possible any metal is in tank - wire ties to gravel filters, etc.
3)Sometimes local city water is to high in metals-mine used to kill my fish- I switched to Culligan water now all is perfect. Took months to figure out. I'll bet you have a metal problem somehow.
I guess you've taken water samples to 3 differnt lfs and all is well-right?

 

[rhomer]

I'm not using tap water, I'm using di water. Thanks for the idea on the chem remover stuff. I will look into that. I'm not sure that the snails are dying in five minutes, it's more like a day, but they lose their ability to hold on in about five minutes.
During the time that I'm acclimating them, they stay open, and stuck to whatever, but as soon as I put them in the tank, they close up, and never reopen.

 

[rhomer]

Another weird thing that I noticed, is that I'm starting to see coraline algea growth on the back of my tank. I'm seeing hundreds of small pink and purple spots on the back of the aquarium glass. So the water can't be that bad. I have some star polups that aren't doing too well in my 7 bow (not enought light) I think I'm going to move them to the 55 and see If they improve.

 

[dugan]

Copper was my first thought too... have you tested for it? You might want to give that a shot before moving any more inverts in there - especially the ones from your other tank. Maybe the snails are just more sensitive to it than the crabs.

Katie

 

[jester]

take another salinity measurement with a different meter. Inverts usually can't tollorate anything lower than .021. It could be that your getting a little higher reading than actuall. Also, re-check your PH level. Inverts are super sensitive to minor PH fluctuations. I lost a $30 fire shrimp after a water change. Hope this helps.

 

[rhomer]

Tried that already, I bought a floating kind of hydrometer, and got exactly the same sg as my floating arm type. I also have two different test kits to test ph, both say 8.2.
I bought a copper test, and I'm showing a very small trace amount of copper (.15 ppm). It looks like that's it. I will pick up a copper remover tomorrow.
Tanks for all the assistance everyone. I hope this solves my issues. It definatly makes sense if it is copper. Inverts can't survive, but fish seem to do fine.

 

[eeyrg]

Hey, you might want to get your salinity up a bit more, to like 1.24-1.25.
I was having the same problem, that helped.
Phosphate sponges might help too if you have phosphates in your water.
And, I missed seeing what your temp. is. But I try to keep mine at about 78 degrees F.

 

[kimtex]

ok if hermits are staying alive you have something in your tank that is poisioning them get a polyfilter let it run add calcium when the snail stay alive then you can add anything you want to but keep polys on hand if anything like this happen you can put them in...spent a lot of money hiring a pro to come in and find this problem in my tank when i first started...kimtex