I found out why I am losing all my new additions, how can I fix it-?

[gtdarock]

Hello everyone ! Hope all is well. I have my 175 running for about 8 months. With 170 lbs of live rock, a 30 gal Wet/Dry Refugium,Bermuda skimmer and UV. Since the tank started I've been battling high nitrates. After removing the bio balls, adding cheato and finally doing the right water changes, the tank has been stable for two months. The past two weeks I've loss a porcupine puffer last week and last night another porcupine puffer and a kole tang. I think a figured it out. It looks like when I am doing the acclimation for about 3 hours, the tank temperture and the water that goes into the bucket for the acclimation doesn't add up. The tank water is about 80, and the water going into the bucket seems very cold. So after the acclimation, and releasing the fish into the tank they go into a shock,breathing heavy and don't make the night. So my question is, how can I maintain the same temp for the acclimation process -? BTW, I don't have any draft or breeze over the bucket I use for acclimation. Any help would be great, thank you !

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by GTDAROCK
http:///forum/post/2690251
Hello everyone ! Hope all is well. I have my 175 running for about 8 months. With 170 lbs of live rock, a 30 gal Wet/Dry Refugium,Bermuda skimmer and UV. Since the tank started I've been battling high nitrates. After removing the bio balls, adding cheato and finally doing the right water changes, the tank has been stable for two months. The past two weeks I've loss a porcupine puffer last week and last night another porcupine puffer and a kole tang. I think a figured it out. It looks like when I am doing the acclimation for about 3 hours, the tank temperture and the water that goes into the bucket for the acclimation doesn't add up. The tank water is about 80, and the water going into the bucket seems very cold. So after the acclimation, and releasing the fish into the tank they go into a shock,breathing heavy and don't make the night. So my question is, how can I maintain the same temp for the acclimation process -? BTW, I don't have any draft or breeze over the bucket I use for acclimation. Any help would be great, thank you !

Temp acclimate your fish first, for about 20 minutes, ie float the bag in your DT. Then add a small heater to your acclimation bucket. The fluctuation of temp should be minimal if at all. I use a heater all the time when I acclimate my fish. Just make sure the lights are off in your tank when you float as the lights will heat the bag up to much too fast and result in what your trying to prevent.

 

[errattiq]

IMO

I don't think the temperature fluctuation is your issue. Granted its not ideal to put a fish too quickly in water of different temp, but it shouldn't have too much of an adverse effect as long as they were properly acclimated at least to the new water's parameters ie SG. I think there is something else going on there thats killing those fish.... But then again its only my opinion... Anyone feel free to chime in or criticize me, whichever comes first LOL.
-Josh

 

[jojo_b]

How are you doing the acclimation? I've drip acclimated for about 2 hrs without seeing an appreciable temp change between waters.
I'd make sure your water parameters are good, as well as adding a small heater to the acclimation bucket (just in case).

 

[rcreations]

This is how I acclimate and I've never lost a single fish with this method.
I drip acclimate in a bucket over 2 hours. But I also put a small submersible heater in the bucket. Now what I do, I don't raise the temperature too fast. First I set the heater to 70 degrees. In half hour I set it to 73, then to 76 and finally 79. So the bucket temperature raises to my tank temperature over a period of 2 hours.

 

[aquaknight]

IMHO, unless you're required to do 2 hours, like for the 15-day guarantee here, doing 2hrs or more is asinine. Everything I've bought locally gets 45mins-to an hour max.
The thing you want to focus on, is water quantity, not time. The difference between say 2 drips a second, and 5 drips a second, is huge. How ever much water you started with, triple that. So if you started with a quart, you still have a gallon now.
IMO, I would chalk the fish deaths up to shock. The cold bucket water is fairly oxygen rich, and your tank being about 80°, has less, and the fish gulpping for air, sounds like a telltale sign.
If you are doing 2hr accl., definitely follow RCreations advise. Just becareful not to go the other direction and cook the fish.

 

[rcreations]

I forgot to mention that I also keep a little thermometer in the acclimation bucket, just to make sure my heater setting is accurate. I find that most heaters, even those that let you set a certain temperature are off by 2 or more degrees.

 

[gtdarock]

Hey guys ! Thanks for the quick response. It looks like a do need to add a small heater to the bucket. I do notice with all my additions, they start to breath heavy during the drip process, then even more when they are in the tank, but I guess because of the temp. But I was in shock last night when I did my 2 1/2 drip, and put my hand in the bucket and the water was cold. I will go out and get a heater today. I like that method RCreations, thanks. Hey Aqua, always great to hear from you.
I just got off the phone with the LFS, not my regular guy, they are my second choice. They were telling me, that when you buy from a local store, you should only acclimate to about 45 mins to and hour. From that store, it takes me about 45 mins to get home. So it does make sense. Thanks a lot Aqua. The LFS are giving me a porcupine free, so I'll try that.

 

[95harley]

Agreed 2-3 hrs drip seems "excessive".
I float to get bag temp same as display or Qt. Then I drip first slowly then fast for about a total of 1 hr. Then I rebag fish in a gallon ziplock and float again for another 20 mins.
I'll also do the scoop cup method while floating the second time. I take a clean cup and slowly pour water from my tank into the bag.
Before I do the second float and/or release I'll test the SG and PH to make sure I'm 100% match. If I'm not I will slowly increase drip from airline tubing to a solid stream.
Hope this helps.

 

[payton 350]

If your water is pristine , then all you are acclimating is temp and sg.....first find out what the water in the old bag is .......then your tank and see how closely they match. IF they are way off, the it needs to be a slow acclimation....if they are close then a hour max. I slow drip inverts and quick drip or 1/3 cup at a time per 5-10 mins fish up to an hour.
More damage is done if temp is fluctuating drastically 10 degrees than if just dropped in to begin with

 

[gtdarock]

Hey guys ! I went to the LFS yesterday, I got another pork puffer.They gave it to me free. I drip him for and hour, with a heater in the bucket. When I released him into the tank him swam around,checking the tank out. Then about 10 mins later he started breathing heavy for a while. Then later in the evening he laid in the bottom of the tank for the rest of the night, breathing heavy, and die last night. Its was second puffer this week. I don't know whats wrong-? Am I doing something wrong -? All my reading are great. What should I do -?

 

[perfectdark]

Originally Posted by GTDAROCK
http:///forum/post/2691629
Hey guys ! I went to the LFS yesterday, I got another pork puffer.They gave it to me free. I drip him for and hour, with a heater in the bucket. When I released him into the tank him swam around,checking the tank out. Then about 10 mins later he started breathing heavy for a while. Then later in the evening he laid in the bottom of the tank for the rest of the night, breathing heavy, and die last night. Its was second puffer this week. I don't know whats wrong-? Am I doing something wrong -? All my reading are great. What should I do -?

Buy from another place.
How long are the fish at your LFS for before you bought it? Hours, days, weeks...? Acclimation shock is the number 1 killer in fish from introduction to 3 days after entering your tank. Moving from tank to tank with little or no time in between is extremely stressful to a fish that is already stressed. (no matter what it may look like in the store, it is stressed)
I would look into a couple of things. First how long is the fish bagged before you start acclimating? Second have you tested your LFS water to see how closely it matches your water? Do you use RO water for changes? Is it your own, if so did or do you test TDS? Depending on the answers this could be a contributing factor as to why your fish are dying.

 

[payton 350]

low oxygen??,,,,,stray voltage.........obviously somethings happening to your tank making it inhabitable

 

[nuro]

maybe i missed it but do you have any fish at all established an living in the tank? or is everything you try to add endign up dead?

 

[rcreations]

Sorry about your new puffer... Something must be wrong.
Have you tested for stray voltage? You might want to buy a voltage ground probe for your tank. They're cheap and very good to have.
I agree, if all the fish you're buying are from the same place, go to a different store. Buy a fish online.
Other than that, I don't know... there could be other chemicals in your tank that we don't usually test for. Did you buy this tank new or used? Did you use any soaps or detergents to clean it initially?

 

[aquaknight]

I agree with all the above. There is something up. These back-to-back deaths are just too much for 'bad' fish to die within 24hrs.
After checking the basics as mentioned, I think we might need a control. Buy a domino damsel or panther grouper (both should be able to survive in garage run-off) from an LFS that will take them back. If they live fine, great, return them and buy from someone else, online or a different LFS then the first place.

 

[windlasher]

Is your LFS running their tanks at hypo salinity? Fish kept that way might need a much longer transition period. Maybe even a week or two to bring them up to spec. Either that or I also would go with oxygen levels in your tank.

 

[bgbdwlf2500]

heres what i do everytime..float the bag and add say 30 ml of tank water every 5 mins or so you can go longer between if you want..... then when the bag is almost full dump some water out of the bag and start again. i usually only go for an hour....if this doesnt work then look at your tank for answers... i am by NO MEANS A PRO and this works everytime for me

 

[tvwong]

Arent some varieties of puffers mildly poisonous. some LFS stores have had problems when a puffer dies and pollutes the system with toxins. perhaps that may be the problem?

 

[rcreations]

Windlasher has a point. If you LFS keeps these fish in hypo, then that would explain why they die in your tank. You would need to drip acclimate the fish very slow over many many days for it to be able to go from hypo to normal conditions. Have you ever tested the water in the bag with fish you get from your LFS?