Need help

chelsea

New Member
On Monday night I was trying to clean the sponge to my protein skimmer, I stupidly used a trace amount of dawn dish soap to accomplish this task, the next morning 3 of my 5 fish appeared to be dead or dying, I immediately did a 50% water change and they got better. The next day they were in the same state, I did anther 50% water change and they got better. I knew I wasn't going to be able to do a water change so early the next day so thinking I would be preventative I did another 50% one the night before. I still woke up to white faced fish that looked near death, I did another 50% water change in the morning like I didn't want to do and they got better. It is currently day 4 and one of my fish's face is white the other 2 that usually struggle I can't find. I don't know what to do. Water quality is perfect. Salinity is perfect. Temperature is 78. Frog spawn coral is good and so is my green star polyps. I have a 60 gallon with live sand, live rocks that go to the half way mark of the tank still building on gradually. I have a hang on back remora aqua pro protein skimmer and 2 power heads. The tank has been established for 4 years. My fish include: kole tang, baby blue tang that I plan on re homing when it gets bigger, a Mandarin and 2 clowns. Oh, and I replaced the sponge that I cleaned with dish soap.
 

bang guy

Moderator
I see your last sentence now, apologies.

You need to find a way to force the water through some GAC (Granular Activated Carbon). This is standard for any chemical contamination. A canister filter is ideal but you can get by with placing GAC in a filter sock and use a powerhead to force water through it.
 

chelsea

New Member
I forgot to add that I put activated carbon in a a bag into the protein skimmer the night I replaced the sponge. I don't know how well its working in the skimmer though because it's a tight fit and sometimes makes the water trickle nor did I know which compartment to put it in. How do you use it with a powerhead?
 

chelsea

New Member
I see your last sentence now, apologies.

You need to find a way to force the water through some GAC (Granular Activated Carbon). This is standard for any chemical contamination. A canister filter is ideal but you can get by with placing GAC in a filter sock and use a powerhead to force water through it.
I added the last sentence probably after you read it through.
 

chelsea

New Member
The kole tang pic is from today. I can't find my mandarin, he's usually hiding when he's ok, but every day that he's not he's been in the front of the tank not moving. I have a lot of purple corraline algae so it's hard to get good pics. After every water change the mandarin swims at the top of the tank for a while before resuming it's normal hiding spot.
 

bang guy

Moderator
Rubberband the bag of GAC to the front of the powerhead. Crude but effective.

Using the skimmer should have worked. Perhaps the fish are just now showing the damage from the initial exposure.
 

chelsea

New Member
I'll try that. Thank you for your help. I'm so tired of water changes. Ughh, but my fish are worth it. Thank you again.
 
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