Fish Dying_help

[amphitrite]

I have a 72 gal for 2 years. Did have 6 damsels,2 urchins,2 mushrooms,LMBlenny, choc chip starfish, snails/crabs. I put a coral beauty with more snails/crabs in on Sept 29th (~3 wks). Domino Damsel was aggressive and coral beauty hid mostly. Coral Beauty died 2 days ago and I took out the body (skeleton) but I figured it was stressed and not eating. My Domino was okay. Tonight I noticed him swimming horizonally so I put him in a quarantined box in the tank. He died within 30 minutes. I can't find 1 urchin, the Blenny, and 1 striped damsel. I do 10-15 gal water changes weekly. Here's the test I just did:
Ca 220
pH 8.2
ammonia 0-0.25
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
I don't know what to do.

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by Amphitrite
I have a 72 gal for 2 years. Did have 6 damsels,2 urchins,2 mushrooms,LMBlenny, choc chip starfish, snails/crabs. I put a coral beauty with more snails/crabs in on Sept 29th (~3 wks). Domino Damsel was aggressive and coral beauty hid mostly. Coral Beauty died 2 days ago and I took out the body (skeleton) but I figured it was stressed and not eating. My Domino was okay. Tonight I noticed him swimming horizonally so I put him in a quarantined box in the tank. He died within 30 minutes. I can't find 1 urchin, the Blenny, and 1 striped damsel. I do 10-15 gal water changes weekly. Here's the test I just did:
Ca 220
pH 8.2
ammonia 0-0.25
nitrite 0
nitrate 0
I don't know what to do.
Has there been a change in temp or O2 levels? Maybe skimmer no longer running and O2 dropped
Mc

 

[beth]

The ammonia will definitely kill fish. Why do you have ammonia in a tank that is 2 yrs old? Is it just because of the death of fish, or is this a consistent problem? Stress due to aggressive behavior of other fish will also invariably result in fish deaths.
What do you have for water circulation? Do you have a skimmer? Filters?

 

[amphitrite]

I forgot to mention that I have been battling hair algae for awhile. As for O2, I am not sure how to check it but off and on, the hair algae clogs the overflow box and blows bubbles before I get to it (maybe 1/2 day to 3/4 day) so I'm sure the O2 flucates. That happened a couple days ago but normally nothing dies. I am so frustrated.

 

[amphitrite]

2 power heads and the flow from the pump. Along with the W/D filter is an over the side filter. Not sure about the ammonia but I am upset that after 2 years this is happenning. I battled red slime (now gone) and am still fighting hair algae. I let my water sit out for 5-6 days and treat it with Amquel Plus.

 

[grumpygils]

Originally Posted by Amphitrite
I forgot to mention that I have been battling hair algae for awhile. As for O2, I am not sure how to check it but off and on, the hair algae clogs the overflow box and blows bubbles before I get to it (maybe 1/2 day to 3/4 day) so I'm sure the O2 flucates. That happened a couple days ago but normally nothing dies. I am so frustrated.
Probably not the O2, but make sure all filters and PHs and pumps are clean and doing their job. Are you sure the ammonia is only .25? Old test kit? No temp issues right? I assume with so many water changes you are using RO water. If so, is it yours and your RO unit has issues? Bad membrane or time for new filters?
Mc

 

[amphitrite]

Had to admit but - no RO. Can't afford yet so I put 10-15 gal of water (old salt buckets) out for 1 wk and add Amquel before changes. Test kit is 1-1.5 yrs old
I am crossing my fingers at this point. I am running my UV sterilizer in hopes it might help

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Amphitrite
Had to admit but - no RO. Can't afford yet so I put 10-15 gal of water (old salt buckets) out for 1 wk and add Amquel before changes. Test kit is 1-1.5 yrs old
I am crossing my fingers at this point. I am running my UV sterilizer in hopes it might help
Out where? Why are you adding Amquel? That will give you a false reading. Is the water aerated with a powerhead durring this time? Get a new kit. An API kit is $20

 

[amphitrite]

I left the water sitting out in buckets in my house and added amquel to help get rid of anything left in my water going into the tank. Why is it important to use a powerhead in the buckets? How long does a test kit normally last for?
THANKS!!

 

[new2salt1]

Tap water is your problem, I guarantee it. You think letting your water sit outside for a week is going to make the water pure? You are way off bud. The only way you could come close to purifying home water is by making distilled water. Boil the water and trap the steam ONLY. Thats the only way it will work.
If you are doing 15% water changes on a 75 gal tank, that is 11.25 gallons. Lets round up to 12 gallons.
12 gallons multiplied by $.39 a gallon = $4.68.
IF YOU CANT AFFORD $5 A MONTH FOR YOUR TANK WATER, YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN THIS PARTICULAR HOBBY. YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE A UV STERILIZER IS YOU CANT AFFORD RO WATER. (priorities out of order)
I dont believe anyone when they say they have a skimmer, a sterilizer, thousands worth of corals and hundreds worth of livestock, yet they can't afford 5 bucks worth of water. It is laziness, let's be honest.

 

[redman1221]

Originally Posted by New2Salt1
Tap water is your problem, I guarantee it. You think letting your water sit outside for a week is going to make the water pure? You are way off bud. The only way you could come close to purifying home water is by making distilled water. Boil the water and trap the steam ONLY. Thats the only way it will work.
If you are doing 15% water changes on a 75 gal tank, that is 11.25 gallons. Lets round up to 12 gallons.
12 gallons multiplied by $.39 a gallon = $4.68.
IF YOU CANT AFFORD $5 A MONTH FOR YOUR TANK WATER, YOU SHOULD NOT BE IN THIS PARTICULAR HOBBY. YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE A UV STERILIZER IS YOU CANT AFFORD RO WATER. (priorities out of order)
I dont believe anyone when they say they have a skimmer, a sterilizer, thousands worth of corals and hundreds worth of livestock, yet they can't afford 5 bucks worth of water. It is laziness, let's be honest.
Chill out, what is up with you?

Wake up on the wrong side of the bed.

 

[amphitrite]

WOW, some one has obvious issues- I asked for help-NOT TO BE RIPPED A NEW ONE! For the record, I WON the sterilizer through my lfs. As for hundreds of dollars- did you notice my inventory comprising of DAMSELS, not high dollar fish and corals, though I have spent alot in doing the appropriate set-up (W/D filter, side filter, proper lighting, live rock, sand). I am still learning this hobby!
If you read correctly I change 10-15 GALLONS not % per week. As for the RO, my lfs had told me it was okay to use the method I was using so it was not that I am "lazy" but moreso that it was a solution until I could afford the RO system.
It is people like you that kick someone who is already upset over their DYING FISH (in case you didn't read that either) that make people afraid to ask questions!

 

[ophiura]

As someone who has, and is not ashamed of having a "ghetto tank," just hold your head up high

There are ways to get by on a budget. Tap water may be your problem if you have algae...
However if you had the tank 2 years without issue, and suddenly had fish die after a new intro, logically, it is not your source water.
It may be overall water quality...but unless your tap water has changed (and it CAN), it is likely not that, IMO.
When you added the coral beauty, did you add water from the LFS?

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Amphitrite
I left the water sitting out in buckets in my house and added amquel to help get rid of anything left in my water going into the tank. Why is it important to use a powerhead in the buckets? How long does a test kit normally last for?
THANKS!!
It is important to use a powerhead so that the water mixes thoroughly. It is good to have air flow in the water if it is sitting around before the salt is added so that it does not become stagnant and have bacteria growing in it. As Ohuria asked, did you add lfs water to our tank when you purchased the CB? LFS water can have copper in it.

 

[amphitrite]

I tried to not get any of the water from lfs in there but realistically I could have dropped in ~1/3 cup. Should I let the powerhead sit all week or just like an hour before I add it? So far, everything else is doing ok.
Thanks for the info!