dead fish

[jadenx]

I had a small tank raised valentini puffer and a fire shrimp die this morning. That was all my livestock except the hermits. They had both looked great the night before. The only thing I changed was adding a gallon of tap water because of evaporation. (SG 1.025) I have always used tap water with detoxifier and trace elements. And I have not been able to keep fish alive, either, but never thought it was the water. My LFS said it was fine to use tap with the additives. I had the puffer for about two weeks, and the shrimp for almost two months. FOWLR. My nitrite was a small % measureable about .10 ppm. Always use garlic and selcon with various frozen food. Should I do a water change, and not put more fish in for a while, or use something else?... Or should I just give up?

 

[bang guy]

I wouldn't give up but I wouldn't suggest you keep using tap water either.
Can you list your filtration, feeding habits, maintenance schedule, and the types of fish that didn't make it in the past?

 

[jadenx]

I have an Ehiem 2235 Canister filter, with Aqua Chargers media. 15Lbs of live rock. I have fed the puffer twice a day with frozen foods such as brine, krill, squid, and Formula One, always with Garlic Extreme and Selcon. I changed 25% water about a month ago. I cleaned my filter about a month ago also. I had four damels during cycling die, and two clowns die about a month later. (one from cotton wool, I think) I also had a sally litefoot crab with the clowns die. Next I had the fire shrimp. He lasted the longest. And then the valentini puffer. I use the acclimation suggested on this site. I have always sumed it up to something different every time. My testing has always been straight, except I've had this .10ppm nitrite for a few weeks. But it had to be something sudden, because this morning the puffer was dead, and the shrimp shortly after got it.

 

[beth]

How big is your tank? And is the canister the only means of filtration and water movement that you are using? What kind of substrate do you have?
Post up some tank info. I would strongly suggest using bottled DI water or getting an RO system [the system is worth it and a lot cheaper than bottled water in the long run].
Depending on your source water, with tap you can't ever be sure what is in the water. Metals that can't be removed by treatments, bacteria, etc. This hobby is all about "control" of the environment that you are creating. The hobbyist must take control as much as possible of his/her display, knowing everything about what goes in to it....and the water is no small consideration here.
When I had a FO tank a few yrs ago I was using bottled water. I got lazy once with water changes and used tap for a water change. All my fish got ill with a bacterial infection. I also used tap [instead of distilled] on my FW beta at the same time. The beta also got an infection and ended up dying. This is how I concluded with a degree of certainty that it was the tap I had used. 2 fish tanks that have no relationship with each other, all fish became ill with a bacterial infection following a water change using tap water.

 

[jadenx]

Beth, Thank You for the info, I think I have concluded that the water was my source of most of my problems. My tank is 30g. My substrate is about 2-3" of crushed coral. The canister filter has an output of ~160gph, and I have a Rio 800 with an output of ~200gph, so I feel I may have done enough for circulation. I also have about 15lbs. of live rock. I have a water store close that uses a huge RO unit with GAC and UV, and they sell their water between 15-25 cents per gallon depending on the season. I think I will start using that with salt mix from now on.
What I need to know is how much water I need to change now and how long should I wait to get any fish or inverts. I also read your sticky about "aged saltwater", how long should this be, and is it neccessary in my case?
Thanks for any help

 

[beth]

Do some large water changes over the next month with the RO water. Aged means that the water has been mixed & aerated for several days at least. This allows for thorough mixing of the salt and the elimination of contaminates such as chlorine.