Water Change Killed Fish-Need advice

[potter]

I changed approximately 14 gallons of water last night in our 72 gallon. I had let the water set in a rubbermaid tub overnight with powerhead to circulate salt/ buffer. (I did check temp and salinity before dumping in). Within thirty minutes of doing the water change I noticed the fish breathing rapidly. I had removed all of the rock and vacuumed reasonably well and rearranged rock when I did the water change. This morning everything is dead and of course the nitrates are sky high.
My LFS said either there was something in the container I had used ( I did rinse it out first) or the chemicals from the plastic container killed the fish. He said he never leaves water to mix overnight, just mix in 5 gallon bucket with correct temp and salinity and place into tank.
I feel horrible that I killed our fish and don't even know if I want to mess with saltwater again. How would you recommend doing water changes? Could the plastic of the container contaminated the water??? Please help.

 

[fishmamma]

I am sorry to hear this happened to you. The plastic could leach chemicals but I am wondering if it was therock cleaning that killed the fish. This disturbance probably caused the nitrate spike. Anybody else have thoughts on this?

 

[ppm411]

I was thinking the same thing, cleaning the rock and vacuming the sand could have definitely contributed to their deaths. Do you just dump the water in, or siphon? Also, how much buffer did you add? Perhaps there was a drastic change in pH when you changed the water. I would mix up another batch of salt water the same way you did last time, then test that water to see if there are any contaminates or significant changes in pH. You can have your LFS test the water for you if you don't have the whole gamut of tests available.

 

[coachklm]

you are on the right track i believe.... i will always use a touch of amquel during my water changes ...just in case ...did you test the water before placing into the tank?..(also a habit of mine) there is alot of "couldve been" in your case

 

[petieaztec]

It might have been the buckets. If you have used them for anything other than your fish tank, i would buy new buckets and write on the buckets tank only no exceptions. I used my roomates buckets when i was first starting and thought that i rinsed good but there was still nutrients on the plastic which made my nitrates boom as well. I don't have a huge tank like yourself but i assume that situations could be similar. don't be hard on yourself the end results of a nice tank will be worth all those trials and errors. keep up your hopes.

 

[ophiura]

It is NOT a problem at all letting the water circulate for 24 hours. This is desirable. Your LFS guy is wrong there. It is more likely to cause problems if you just mix up some water and use it without letting it mix...if there was something in the buckets, then you were in trouble whether it sat or didn't. But if the buckets are clean and only used for this, it will not leech stuff into it....or we would all be losing fish, IMO.
Are these buckets you only use for water changes?
What are your specific parameters, esp pH, alkalinity, calcium?
I suspect, personally, that your removing all the rock and siphoning caused problems. How often do you do a water change? How often do you remove everything?

 

[potter]

We have only had the tank up for around three months and I have vacuumed the gravel one other time. I really did not clean the live rock just rearranged all of it. So the rest of you have used rubbermaid containers and everything was OK? Could a piece of live rock still had die off on it from when we first purchased it ( we had problems with our LR due to it not being fully cured)and then when I moved it the die off contaminated the tank? I really did not smell anything horrible while I was cleaning. Thanks for everyone's help!

 

[ophiura]

I use a rubbermaid container and 3 - 5 gallon buckets. They are ONLY used for tank stuff, never anything else.
In general, moving around LR is not a good plan as it can stir stuff up. This is a young tank, and a relatively small amount of water. When you mixed up the water, was there any cloudiness that persisted? Any sign of precipitation or white deposit on the container?
Do you have an alk/pH reading? Also other parameters....
I am worried about some sort of toxin...did all the fish die and what were they? How long have you had them? Did you wash your hands before putting them in the tank - did you use soap? Did you have perfume or lotion on your hands? Did you use any sort of sponges or anything to clean?
A play by play is needed

 

[puffer9006]

i lost a fish when i started my first tank and i realized it was because i moved the sand around. if your sand got moved alot when takeing out the rock the stuff it was decomposing could have been stirred up in the tank. also i would not move all the live rock with the fish in the tank i would try to put them in another tank or a tub for the moving of live rock.
also do you move your rocks alot? ask because the fish dont like it when you mess with your home. imo

 

[chipmaker]

I have always left my water in tubs and all my containers are plastic of one type or another. Highly unlikely a plastic container that was washed and clean killed the fish. I am more inclined to think it was the rearranging of the rock etc as you disturbed sediment etc that caused your water parameters to go off........If I do a water change I do just a water change. If I intend to clean the tank and rearrange etc, I move fish to another tank, do what I set out to do, let it basically recycle and check parametrs a day or two later and if ok then put fish back in. If you match SG, temp and just get the ph close on a water change it should not harm a thing.

 

[potter]

I was very careful about not wearing any perfume the day that I cleaned the tank out. I had a foxface, puffer, damsel and coral beauty. I can't believe that I wiped them all out!!! My husband has just about had enough of the saltwater tank (expensive), so I am not sure what to do now.
So everyone agrees I should be able to use a rubbermaid container?? Should I drain most of the water in the tank now and replace or just let it cycle for a few days?? I wouldn't even think about placing more fish in it anytime soon because the puffer had ICK. I really love saltwater tanks but this is so discouraging.

 

[mikeyjer]

Originally Posted by potter
I was very careful about not wearing any perfume the day that I cleaned the tank out. I had a foxface, puffer, damsel and coral beauty. I can't believe that I wiped them all out!!! My husband has just about had enough of the saltwater tank (expensive), so I am not sure what to do now.
So everyone agrees I should be able to use a rubbermaid container?? Should I drain most of the water in the tank now and replace or just let it cycle for a few days?? I wouldn't even think about placing more fish in it anytime soon because the puffer had ICK. I really love saltwater tanks but this is so discouraging.
Here's one of your problem, you fish had ich, all of them probably were carriers with ich. When you disturb your tank, it sent them overboard. You can not stress out a fish that's already sick, you sent them overboard and dies rather quickly. This has happened to me before, but I was lucky to recover 3 fish. You should purchase a new container just for water change, it's rather a quick death for all of them to die at the sametime. Did you check for parameter of your new water? Adding buffer is probably what sent your fish to a quick death, your salt mix already has those added stuffs. NEVER add buffer to salt mix unless it is needed. I'm sorry about your loss and hoping you could start over again, have your LFS test your water for you and run carbon in your filter for now, let it sit fallow for at least a month. Good Luck! :happyfish

 

[murph]

What was your change water source? Sounds to me like chlorine was introduced to the tank.
Got to a pool store and buy a chlorine test kit. If you have not done anything in the way of water changes or chemical treatments with amquel etc to the tank since this incident and the test shows positive for chlorine you have your answer. Unfortunately if there is chlorine in the system everything is most likely dead including your rock.
If this is the case dose the tank with amquel or a similar product and treat the tank as though it is newly set up and beginning its cycle.
edit
Forgot to mention don't let it get you down. Mistakes like this are made by newcomers and veterans alike. I once killed entire brood with a eyedropper full of tap water in my FW breeder days.

 

[symon]

WOW , i am sorry to hear this! But it sounds like you have all the right folks on it trying to help! Do not get discouraged, Learn, and Enjoy!