Help!

[shawnhardy]

I have had a salt water for over 3 years. I recently moved and took the opportunity to change my 90 gallon FO tank to a FOWLR. I took all the bio balls out of my wet dry and now I have about 90 lbs of live rock and 40 lbs of live sand. My water parameters are as follows:
SG: 1.023
pH: 8.2
Temp: 80F
NH3: 0
NO2: 0
NO3: 20
dKH: 10
Ca: 400ppm
The tank has been up for about 4 weeks. The rock was mostly cured so I saw no ammonia spike, a slight increase in nitrites and then it went back to 0.
I figured I was cycled so I added a cleaner shrimp and an orchid dotty back. About a week later, I added a copperband and 2 clowns. When the snails I bought all died, I decided to buy a refractometer and discovered my SG was about 1.019. I raised it to 1.023. I think I did this too quickly because I have experienced a series of deaths. First it was the shrimp, then the copperband, then a clown and then the other clown. These all happened about one a day. I attributed the deaths to the salinity change. So yesterday I added another clown that I found at the LFS for $10. He seemed fine yesterday and even ate. When I came home today from work, I found him swimming in the corner above one of the powerheads and he hasn't moved positions in the tank all night. He just keeps swimming in the same spot and did not eat like he did the night before.
So now I am thinking there must be something toxic in my water? But what is weird is that the orchid dottyback is still alive and he has been in the water the longest. He seems fine and ate tonight.
Anyone have any ideas? Should I do a water change or just drain the tank and start over? I am totally stumped...
I did think of two things while I was typing this...I installed a check valve on the return line when I set the system up this time. I couldn't find a plastic one so I used a metal one...brass probably. Could this be leaching something into the water that would normally be flushed out but since this is a closed system causing me problems?
Also I notice that in my sump (former wet dry) there is a little bit of a glossy film on top of the water...could that be something in the water that is killing everything in the tank?
Please help! :help: :help:

 

[shawnhardy]

Another thing...I used RO/DI water to fill the tank and I can tell the coralline algea is starting to spread...something that only happens if your water quality is good right?

 

[jsteph24]

Did you add a protein skimmer when you upgraded? You will want to consider one with all the live rock you have now.
My guess is that you just added stuff a little too soon. The fish which is still alive must be pretty hardy then. Maybe just wait another couple weeks before adding anything.

 

[shawnhardy]

I have a protein skimmer...forgot to mention it. I think there is something in the water that is causing these problems. I was sitting on the floor looking up towards the light and noticed something on the surface of the water...not a film but a little cloudiness or something...

 

[1journeyman]

Brass is a mixture of COPPER and Zinc. Get a copper test kit, and remove that immediately.
I would check that before anything else.

 

[shawnhardy]

Ok will do. If I find there is copper in the water, how do I get it out? That kills inverts correct? Is there like a copper sponge or something? Will carbon take it out?
I was thinking the best way to test the water once I think I have it fixed is to buy a snail or two...I really don't want to lose any more fish. Snails seem like the most affordable way to test the water. What do you think?

 

[1journeyman]

The best way is to test for it. Let's see if that is the problem first.

 

[shawnhardy]

I removed the brass check valve tonight and am heading to get a copper test kit tomorrow. I will post the test results then.

 

[shawnhardy]

Ok, tested the water...copper is .15mg/L...we have found the problem.
I bought a Poly Filter pad and some carbon. I did a 20% water change and now plan to keep both the pad and the carbon in for a few days and test again. This pad is supposed to be used to take medications out of your water and turns blue to tell you it is taking copper out. Anyone ever heard of this product?

 

[shawnhardy]

Anyone have any advice for copper removal? I am using poly filter, carbon and water changes at this point...anything else I can do? How long will it take?

 

[reefforbrains]

Waterchanges can help. Unfortunatly copper attaches to things. Even the silicone holding your tank together. Peope run around like you stepped on an anthill when you even mention the word.
Many people put up thier fingers like a cross as if to ward off Vampires when they hear the word Copper. It really isnt THAT bad in smaller amounts. People will surley tell you the whole tnak is ruined and it will leach out over time and kill everything and loads more complete hogwash about it.
It WILL come out in time BUT your doing the correct steps.
Waterchanges and retesting is about the only way to be sure its gone or in such tiny amounts it wont pose a problem. Probably will take a month or so to be concrete about it not popping back up from substrate or out of your rocks ect. Keep retesting and large waterchanges. You want it to no longer show on the tests at any measurable level for at least a few weeks IMO

 

[michaeltx]

normally copper wont cause death in fish unless its high though.
how did you acclimate the fish to your tank and how fast.
I think you are looking at a combo of problems.
1) the copper
2) The salinity issue i would bump this up alittle bit more 1.025-1.026
I would get cuprisorb its supposed to absorb copper in the water. it might not have completely arrach to the rock owrk and stuff yet in combination of water changes and this and your fingers crossed it never hurts to try though.
Mike