Half my tank died overnight...help!

[myevilfriend]

My tank is relatively new, I've had it running with just sand/water for about 2 and a half months, with rock/snails about 2 months, and with fish/starfish/crabs about a month. I also about a week ago got some new live rock that had tons of live mushrooms in it too. I've had the occasional snail or hermit die, but nothing like last night. Overnight 1 of my clownfish, all 3 of my starfish, one of my emerald crabs, a handful of snails/hermits, and all of my mushrooms died. I've not done anything differently in the last week other than get a couple more blue legged hermit crabs( I have maybe ten hermits total.) I do routine water changes and check all my levels bi-weekly. I took a sample of water in to my local ***** for testing, and everything tested fine except my salinity is a bit high(which it's always been.) I then went to more of a specialized fish store and they said it sounds like not enough oxygen as my remaining fish(2 damsels and 1 clown) were hanging out at the top on the surface. My temp is usually between 78-80 and they said that's way too high, that I need to get it down around 70-72. By the time I got home the other clown had died. I did about a 25% water change, have been slightly turning down the heater, and turned off the lights, but the damsels are still hanging out at the top. Is what they said valid? I just need to wait for the water to cool down more and it'll be okay? Or is there something else I'm doing wrong? Help please!

 

[gemmy]

I think more info is needed here. What is the tank size? What filtration/equipment do you use? Do you have powerheads and where are they point? What inhabitants are in your tank? I recommend purchasing your own test kits. Temp between 78-80 is fine, actually I consider that ideal. I would not go to the LFS that told you 70-72 that is getting into cooler water species.

 

[myevilfriend]

I have a 58 gal tank. My total livestock was 2 blue/yellowtail damsels, 2 clownfish, 2 emerald crabs, about 10 hermits(blue and red legged), 10 or so snails of all kinds, 2 sand sifting starfish, and 1 brittle starfish. I have about 30 or so pounds of live rock, and had about 10-12 little mushroom buds between a few of the rocks. I have the store bought test strips and everything always tests fine. I don't have any powerheads, just a standard marineland canister filter of the appropriate size. As far as I can tell, all the hermits and the other emerald crab are just fine. I can find about 6 or so snails but they're good at hiding. The damsels are occasionally swimming, but spending about 95% of their time on the surface of the water.

 

[gemmy]

Quote:
Originally Posted by myevilfriend http:///forum/thread/381909/half-my-tank-died-overnight-help#post_3329826
I have a 58 gal tank. My total livestock was 2 blue/yellowtail damsels, 2 clownfish, 2 emerald crabs, about 10 hermits(blue and red legged), 10 or so snails of all kinds, 2 sand sifting starfish, and 1 brittle starfish. I have about 30 or so pounds of live rock, and had about 10-12 little mushroom buds between a few of the rocks.appro I have the store bought test strips and everything always tests fine. I don't have any powerheads, just a standard marineland canister filter of the appropriate size. As far as I can tell, all the hermits and the other emerald crab are just fine. I can find about 6 or so snails but they're good at hiding. The damsels are occasionally swimming, but spending about 95% of their time on the surface of the water.
The issues I see are highlighted in red. The tank is too new for sand sifting starfish, since there is not enough for it to eat in a tank that has been up and running for 2 and a half months. How long did the tank cycle with? How much new live rock was added recently? Test strips are inaccurate. I tested my tank today with test strips and with the liquid vials. The strips read that my nitrite was through the roof and my nitrate elevated on one strip and tested perfect on the other strip. The liquid vial tests all came with good readings. I would invest in some good powerheads. PH's provide for good water circulation and help prevent dead spots, which is necessary for many corals to thrive. Do you have a glass lid on the tank? If so, I would remove it and place 1-2 powerheads pointing toward the surface to allow for good oxygen exchange for your tank. Marineland canister filter of the appropriate size? I would also recommend getting a filter that is rated for a 100 gallon tank. Saltwater tanks require more filtration and stronger filters. What type of water do you use? RO/DI is recommended for saltwater tanks.

 

[jstdv8]

The lack of powerheads is likley your issue.
A.) you need good surface aggitation to allow CO2 to escape, if it builds up in the tank then the fish will be looking for O2
Powerheads also move the water around and push it through the live rock so that the bacteria built up on the surface of the LR can take the ammonia ect out of the water and process it.
Water movement in the tank is very crucial.
I'm surprised it took this long for them to have troubles, higher temps will increase the fishes metabolism and activity and make things happen even faster.

 

[jstdv8]

for the time being you might consider stiring the surface of the water with a spatula or something if you don't have anything else to make waves up there. or run down to the LFS quick and get a couple of cheapy maxi jets if you can't afford bigger better powerheads, anything to get the surface rippling like crazy.

 

[al&burke]

Is it possible that the sand shifting stars died and are causing some problems with the water parameters?

 

[ladyreefseeker]

Good advice here. Get that surface moving. The most possible without overflowing the tank. Water temp 78-80 is perfect.

 

[flower]

+1000 Gemmy.
Get some real test kits, keep the temp at 78 to 80 and a couple of small power heads to move the water, aim one at the surface. High SG makes the water so dense you don't have enough oxygen. My .02
Oh and I really am sorry for the loss, I know it hurts to lose so much so fast when you thought all was well...hang in there.

 

[al&burke]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Al&Burke http:///forum/thread/381909/half-my-tank-died-overnight-help#post_3329849
Is it possible that the sand shifting stars died and are causing some problems with the water parameters?
I meant they died before anything else.

 

[myevilfriend]

I will definitely be picking up some powerheads tomorrow. I turned the lights off and turned the temp down but it's still right at 78 and the damsels are still alive, just hanging out on surface. I've had quite a bit of debris in my sand since buying the initial damsels that the crabs don't seem to catch, so I don't think the lack of food for the starfish was their problem persay...plus two always hung out on the rocks only. Also I do have a glass lid, but cannot just remove the lid as I have two kittens that are very curious. I will also pick up some better test kits. Thanks for all the advice!

 

[monsinour]

keep the temp the same.
get power heads
sand sifting stars eat the "no see-ums" in the sand and nothing else. A 2 month old tank doesnt have enough "no see-ums" for half of a quarter of a starfish let alone 2 whole ones.
PHs to solve the O2 problem, you dont have a temperature problem, if the sand sifters are still alive take them back.

 

[myevilfriend]

I added two fairly cheap powerheads last night, I plan on replacing them with better ones in the future of course but walmart was all that was open by the time I got off work. After putting them in, keeping the temp right at 78 overnight, so far nothing else has died. The damsels are definitely swimming a lot better, but still hanging out right at the top every once in awhile. Also I noticed last night that my hermits were all hanging out on the highest rock, some stacked on top of each other. Today they're not, but would that have been for the same reason the fish were at the top? I also noticed 2 mushrooms that survived so luckily I'm not back at square one completely.

 

[foxface88]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstdv8 http:///forum/thread/381909/half-my-tank-died-overnight-help#post_3329843
The lack of powerheads is likley your issue.
A.) you need good surface aggitation to allow CO2 to escape, if it builds up in the tank then the fish will be looking for O2
Powerheads also move the water around and push it through the live rock so that the bacteria built up on the surface of the LR can take the ammonia ect out of the water and process it.
Water movement in the tank is very crucial.
I'm surprised it took this long for them to have troubles, higher temps will increase the fishes metabolism and activity and make things happen even faster.
+1

 

[foxface88]

Quote:Originally Posted by myevilfriend http:///forum/thread/381909/half-my-tank-died-overnight-help#post_3330093
I added two fairly cheap powerheads last night, I plan on replacing them with better ones in the future of course but walmart was all that was open by the time I got off work. After putting them in, keeping the temp right at 78 overnight, so far nothing else has died. The damsels are definitely swimming a lot better, but still hanging out right at the top every once in awhile. Also I noticed last night that my hermits were all hanging out on the highest rock, some stacked on top of each other. Today they're not, but would that have been for the same reason the fish were at the top? I also noticed 2 mushrooms that survived so luckily I'm not back at square one completely.

 

[foxface88]

IMO Hydor Koralia makes good powerheads I found mine online for pretty cheap compared to my LFS around 25 bucks i beleave, I have 2 in my 40 gal. I would do like everyone said and point them to aggitate the surface for o2 exhcange. Adding fish to fast could also have a bad outcome, a tank needs time to re-up its bio load. mushrooms dont need a lot of light but like moderate flow i have mine near the bottom of the tank, I read somewhere that to much light could actually burn them. Sorry about your loss its tough, everything is probably a little stressed right now but will calm down in the next few days and you can re-group.

 

[jrod4u]

just my two cents, I am really surprised that people would start a tank without gathering all the info required to take care of it. I don't think I would ever start a large tank out without having powerheads for movement. I really think you should really read up more on requirements of taking care of a tank along with the inhabitants. Too bad and so sorry for the stress and loss, a shame, a 20 dollar powerhead could have saved soooo much time, effort and money.

 

[deejeff442]

my guess would be he had been with a freshwater tank and moved to a saltwater.i dont think watermovement matters much in a freshwater tank.but i would be guessing since i have never had a freshwater tank.you would think there must have been alot of algea in that tank with no watermovement?also i would say most of us through the years learned something the hard way.
the more we do wrong the more we start to do the research .

 

[jstdv8]

Quote:
Originally Posted by deejeff442 http:///forum/thread/381909/half-my-tank-died-overnight-help#post_3330477
my guess would be he had been with a freshwater tank and moved to a saltwater.i dont think watermovement matters much in a freshwater tank.but i would be guessing since i have never had a freshwater tank.you would think there must have been alot of algea in that tank with no watermovement?also i would say most of us through the years learned something the hard way.
the more we do wrong the more we start to do the research .
true that, when I first got my tank i went right out and bought a sand sifting starfish and a couple of huuuuge snails, they died in like 2 days, and I was like WTF? so i tested my water (after the fact of course) and i had ammonia and my lion was tipping over sideways.
that's when I found SWF.com and everything has been going fantastic since the nice people here helped me out.
I've lost 2 fish since then in 1 year and they were both carper surfers.
lost a frag of purple digi and a christmas tree coral in the move from the 90 to the 120 (just lost them) and my emerald crab kicked the bucket.
I find that to be a success compared to most reefers we read about here.
I know without having that initial ammonia spike I'd be completely clueless right now...
as it is, i'm only semi clueless hehehe

 

[deejeff442]

i started my first salt tank with money from my paper route when i was 14.i am now 41.i remember under gravel filters,a skimmer with a wooden block and air pump and the lfs selling me butterflyfish after my tank was two weeks old.and there was no such thing as a qt back then.i still have my first tank a 45 gallon i have resealed at least 5 times and still use for mixing saltwater,in fact it is in front of me now filling up with r/o water.oh yea an r/o unit then was a tube you put onto you sink and took all day to filter 5 gallons and still didnt do much of a filtering job.needless to say there was no internet back then.i could have saved tens of thousands of dollars if i had a place like this back then.well live and learn.its a life long hobbie that really turns into a way of life always having tanks around.i still dont follow all the new gadgets out there i am still a bit old school.so i try not to help the new guys too much as i keep my tanks very simple since all my lr is 10-20 years old now.i still have my 90 reef with the old noisey mh ballasts from 20 years ago.but now its my wifes turtle tank.